Christopher Marlowe wrote
The Jew of Malta at the height of his career, and it remained popular until England’s theaters were closed by Parliament in 1642. Many have critiqued it for its portrayal of Elizabethan antisemitism, but others argue that Marlowe criticizes Judaism, Islam, and Christianity equally for their hypocrisy. This antisemitism debate continues on to
Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, which was written about ten years later and which some consider to be directly influenced by
The Jew of Malta.
The play focuses on a wealthy Jewish merchant named Barabas who lives..." data-title="Книга The Jew of Malta">