The Jew of Malta Revenge Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)

Quote #4

FERNEZE: Oh, Lodowick! Hadst thou perished by the Turk,
Wretched Ferneze might have venged thy death.

KATHERINE: Thy son slew mine, and I'll revenge his death.

KATHERINE: Hold. Let's inquire the causers of their deaths,
That we may venge their blood upon their heads. (3.2. 13-15, 28-9).

At this point Ferneze doesn't know that Barabas set up the duel that killed his son, and so, unlike the audience, he has no idea that he's embroiled in a revenge cycle that he himself triggered by taking away Barabas's wealth. (It's okay, though; he's totally going to win.)

Quote #5

Admit thou lov'dst not Lodowick for his sin,
Yet Don Mathias ne'er offended thee.
But thou wert set upon extreme revenge
Because the Prior disposed thee once,
And couldst not venge it but upon his son,
Nor on his son but by Mathias's means,
Nor on Mathias but by murdering me. (3.3.40-46)

Abigail reasons that Mathias's death is the result of Barabas's "extreme revenge." Buuut, this is kind of questionable. Barabas probably could have killed Lodowick in a million different ways that didn't involve Mathias, and we're not totally with her when she attributes Mathias's death simply to the "extremity" of Barabas's revenge. What do you think?

Quote #6

Oh, unhappy day!
False, credulous, inconstant Abigail!
But let 'em go. And, Ithamore, from hence
Ne'er shall she grieve me more with her disgrace,
Ne'er shall she live to inherit aught of mine,
Be blest of me, nor come within my gates
But perish underneath my bitter curse
Like Cain by Adam for his brother's death. (3.4.26-33)

Barabas takes Abigail's conversion as a personal betrayal, and ends up killing her for it.But it sounds like Barabas needs to read up on his GenesisGod punishes Cain for killing his brother, not Adam.