Barabas, the central character in Christopher Marlowe’s play “The Jew of Malta,” meets a tragic end. He is killed when he falls into a boiling cauldron that he had prepared as a trap for his enemies.
In the play, Barabas is a wealthy Jewish merchant living in Malta. When the island is seized by the Knights of Malta, they confiscate Barabas’s wealth to pay tribute to the Turks. Seeking revenge, Barabas embarks on a path of treachery and murder. He manipulates others to do his bidding, leading to the deaths of many, including his own daughter.
Barabas’s schemes eventually turn against him. In the final act, he collaborates with the Turkish invaders, planning to betray them to regain favor with the Maltese. However, as part of his plan to kill the Turkish soldiers, he sets a trap involving a cauldron of boiling liquid. In a twist of fate, during a scuffle with the play’s protagonist, Ferneze, Barabas falls into his own trap and dies a gruesome death.
The character of Barabas is complex, often seen as a representation of the stereotypes and prejudices against Jews in Elizabethan England. His actions and ultimate demise serve as a commentary on greed, revenge, and the consequences of one’s choices. Marlowe’s play remains a powerful exploration of these themes, with Barabas’s fate underscoring the tragic irony that can befall a person consumed by vengeance.
