The Bondage of Barabas: Thwarted Desire in The Jew of Malta

The actions of Barabas in Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta are bound entirely by and to the policy of his dramatic world. The limitations imposed upon Barabas ensure the violation of his identity as successful merchant. Such a violation is made manifest through Barabas' exchange of his mercantile endeavours for activities of revenge. The outcome is that Barabas makes an unsuccessful Revenger. Understanding Barabas in this way fits certain of the critical claims about the presentation of The Jew of Malta: namely, that Barabas has only a partial capacity for manipulation, his stratagems are flawed, and his articulations lack transformative power. In addition, the dramatic world of the play is morally bankrupt, politically vicious, irreligious, and spiritually debased. In such a world, Barabas proves to be the quintessential victim.