1. The Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta Written by Christopher Marlowe Presented by Christopher Knock

2. Marlowe Facts and Fictions  Life span 1564–1593  Born in Canterbury  Educated at Cambridge  Actor and dramatist for the Lord Admiral's Company in London (1587)  Thought by some to be a spy working as part of the great espionage network created by Elizabeth I's secretary of state, Sir Francis Walsingham.  Died by having his own dagger shoved into his eye in a bar.  Friser (the killer) thought to be a collaborator in a lager cover up scheem.

3. Review  Plot –Prologue –Act 1  Opens with Barabas  Governor puts tax on Jews of Malta –Act 2  Barabas continues to scheme to get his wealth back –Act 3  Intro to  Intro to Bellamira and her pimp Pilia-Borza –Act 4  Barabas and Ithamore have killed the nuns  The friars die of greed –Act 5  Barabas helps Calymath invade Malta  Barabas becomes governor of Malta  Barabas makes a deal with Ferneze  Ferneze betrays Barabas and he dies

4. Characters   Barabas and Ithamore   Ferneze   Abigail   Mathias and Lodowick   Friar Jacomo and Friar Bernardine

5. Themes and Symbols  Machiavellian –Deception  Vengeance  Hypocrisy  Gold  Others?

6. Questions to ponder  The Jew of Malta is supposed to be played as a tragedy. How might the irony of the play hinder the players from producing a tragic work?  If Barabas is all evil why do we as the audience feel sympathy for him?  What references or allusions in the play lead to a possible anti-Semitic reading of the play?

7. Bibliography  David, Eric Rasmussen. "The Jew of Malta." Oxford English Drama: Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus and other plays. Ed. Bevington Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. 249-322.  Jokinen Anniina. "luminarium." Marlowe, Christopher. 27/09/2003.. 4/11/2003.  "Marlowe, Christopher." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 2003 on Infoplease.com. © 2003 Family Education Network.4/11/2003.