A comparative analysis of the Jewish characters of Shylock and Barajas in William Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" and Christopher Marlowe's "The Jew of Malta."
Abstract This paper looks at the characters Shylock and Barabas from
Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" and Marlowe's "The Jew of Malta" and discusses how Shylock and Barabas are essentially the same character: Shakespeare used the template of the character Barabas in Marlowe's work to create Shylock. It addresses the question of, through character comparison and contrast between Barabas and Shylock, whether the authors' intentions were to spread racial stereotypes through the character, or to spread a more implicit and yet more redeeming message of basic humanity and equality.
From the Paper "The basic plot of Marlowe's presentation of Barabas is similar to Shakespeare's in all but one key facet: in Marlowe, the societal pressures cause Barabas to go on a significantly successful killing spree, sealing his villainy. In Shakespeare with the Shylock character, everything is the same in terms of the setting, the obsessive love for
the daughter, and the rage that the character feels when the corrupt Christian government takes all of their lands and money just because they are Jewish. And in Shakespeare, as well as in Marlowe, this drives the character into being a villain, due to their rage at this situation. But in Shakespeare, the result is not a successful killing spree, but instead one failed attempt at violence, which, instead of sealing the character's villainy, makes the result more ambiguous and tragic."
Abstract In this paper the author discusses whether the "Merchant of Venice" is a fairy tale, as exemplified by the romantic comedy genre, or a problem play. The author looks at the three themes he suggests run through the play: Prejudice, Loyalty and Love. He looks closely at the character of Shylock and how he has been depicted over time, from villain to someone who should be pitied and at the hypocrisy shown by the Christian characters; he examines the relationships between Antonio, Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa, Lorenzo, and Jessica and the resulting marriages and love is examined with respect to the platonic loyalty between friends and in the romantic exchanges between suitors and spouses.
From the paper:
?The theme of loyalty in the play comes out through the interactions of several sets of characters. First, there is Bassanio, who is close friends with Antonio --? friendship which survives many stressful situations in the play. The loyalty between Bassanio and Antonio becomes evident I the first act of the play when Antonio loans Bassanio a large sum of money and takes him on his word that he will repay it.?
Abstract This paper examines how the Elizabethan dramatists Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare were contemporaries and how, for the latter part of Marlowe's dramatic career, they were rivals as well. It looks at how Marlowe's career as a playwright was cruelly cut short after the author was murdered in a tavern brawl, probably the result of his political intrigues. The paper shows that regardless of the reasons for Marlowe's untimely demise, the difference between the older Marlowe and the young Shakespeare had already become manifest in the characterization of the main protagonists of the two men's plays. It explores how Marlowe clearly influenced Shakespeare's early writings and how, while Marlowe used broad character brushstrokes to create a vivid narrative and caricature of human character and morality, Shakespeare created a new way of dramatically rendering the human character in shades of gray. In particular, it examines how both men used similar themes, such as the presence of "Jewish" values in a money-grubbing 'Christian' society.
From the Paper "All of Marlowe's protagonists are larger than life, from Barabas to Faustus and lastly to Tamburlaine, in the scope of their desires. They are both sustained and destroyed by their respective evils. Barabas? poisoning reflects the Jewish dietary laws that Shylock merely tacitly refers to, ?I will not eat with you,? in Act I of ?The Merchant of Venice.? Faustus is destroyed by his love of knowledge and power, just as Tamburlaine is destroyed by his desire to conquer the world.? All of these men stand outside of their societies, and reflect what is wrong with their societies?an over emphasis on money, scholasticism, and power respectively."
