The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe

This play is strongly related to Machiavelli’s ideas and principals, but as applied to merchants rather than kings. The play deals with many different types of people as set in “Malta” but with the feel of a London heteroglot atmosphere. Populated by Turks, Spainards, Jews, and Moors, the play deals with anti-semitism, anti-foreigner, and greed on multiple fronts.

Barbaras, the rich Jew of Malta, embodies the murderous Machiavellian tenants after his wealth is demanded by the Christian Maltese to pay off the tribute demanded by the Turks. Barbaras plots to regain his wealth, some of which he hid in his house which has been turned into a nunnery, by sending his daughter, Abigail, in as a fake convert. Abigail retrieves the hidden money and throws it down, but one bag is mislaid and picked up by Bellamira, a prostitute who realizes that there might be a way to gain more of Barbaras’ money.

Barbaras goes and buys a Turkish slave, Ithamore, to help in his plots against the Governor. He sends a fake duel request (over his daughter’s hand in marriage) from his daughter’s true love, Don Mathais, to the Governor’s son, Don Lodowick. They kill each other, and Abigail, completely distraught, decides to convert to Christianity for real. Resenting this, Barbaras sends a batch of poisoned porridge to the nunnery, killing all the nuns, including his daughter.

Meanwhile, Bellamira plots to receive more of Barbaras’ gold by seducing Ithamore and has him write letters demanding money from him or he will “reveal all.” This works, briefly, but then Barbaras comes to them in disguise as a French lute player with a poisonous flower that all desire to smell. This is intended to kill them slowly, but first Bellamira has Barbaras arrested and they all show up at the governors. Barbaras drinks a potion and “dies” with the rest of them in the cells and is thrown over the wall of the city to be eaten by vultures and carrion animals. He wakes up though, and meets with Selim-Calymath who is on the way to take the city by force because the governor has refused to pay. Bararas helps him get into the city by showing him where the streams run under the walls. Barbaras is then made governor, but still desires revenge so he goes to the former governor and asks if he reinstates him and frees all the Christians if he will be free to continue to make money. The former governor agrees. Barbaras then sets a trap at his house to catch Calymath and his Turkish army, but ends up falling in the trap himself as the former governor betrays him. The Turkish army is also destroyed by the Christians.