The Jew of Malta
by Christopher Marlowe
Abigail is Barabas’s daughter and Mathias’s love. Abigail is incredibly beautiful and young—around 14—and she is first introduced after Ferneze seizes Barabas’s wealth and converts his mansion into a convent. Barabas convinces Abigail to join the convent under false pretenses to retrieve the gold he has hidden under the floorboards, which she agrees to do even though she knows it is immoral and deceitful. Afterward, Barabas again asks for Abigial’s help in his scheming, and he convinces her to pretend to be in love with Don Lodowick, even though she is really in love with Mathias and hopes to marry him. Barabas is secretly plotting his revenge against Ferneze, which includes the death of Ferneze’s son, Lodowick, and Don Mathias. Abigail leads Lodowick on as her father asks her to do, but she is shocked and heartbroken when she learns her dishonesty leads to Lodowick and Mathias’s deaths, so she entreats Friar Jacomo to join the nunnery—this time for real—as penance for her sins. When Barabas learns of Abigail’s conversion to Christianity, he considers it a personal betrayal, and he vows to avenge Abigail as well. With Ithamore’s help, Barabas delivers a pot of poisoned rice to the convent, killing all the nuns, including Abigail. Abigail is arguably the most morally sound character in Marlowe’s play, even though she is easily manipulated by her father’s machinations and refuses to betray him, even when he proves disloyal to her.

Abigail Quotes in The Jew of Malta

The The Jew of Malta quotes below are all either spoken by Abigail or refer to Abigail. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
).

Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

Barabas: Then Abigail, there must my girl
Entreat the abbess to be entertained.

Abigail: How, as a nun?

Barabas: Ay, daughter, for religion
Hides many mischiefs from suspicion.

Related Characters: Barabas (speaker), Abigail (speaker), Abbess, Ferneze
Related Symbols: Gold
Page Number and Citation: 32
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Ferneze has just seized Barabas’s house and turned it into a nunnery. This brief discussion between Barabas and his daughter, Abigail, underscores Barabas’s deceit and cunning, but on a larger scale it also reflects the theme of religious hypocrisy and Marlowe’s contention that religion is often used as a tool to secure power and wealth. Barabas wants Abigail to go to the convent and ask the abbess to accept her as a nun, so that she can gain access to the house and steal back the gold Barabas has hidden beneath the floorboards. That way, Barabas won’t be left Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidu

Abigail: Thus father shall I much dissemble.

Barabas: Tush,
As good dissemble that thou never mean’st
As first mean truth and then dissemble it;
A counterfeit profession is better
Than unseen hypocrisy.

Related Characters: Abigail (speaker), Barabas (speaker)
Related Symbols: Gold
Page Number and Citation: 32
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Abigail agrees to join the convent under false pretenses, further underscoring the role hypocrisy plays in religion not only within the context of the play but in broader European society as well. Like her father, Abigail is Jewish, and she has no desire to actually convert to Christianity and join the convent. To execute her father’s plan, Abigail will have to “dissemble,” which is to say she will have to do some serious acting in order to conceal her true intentions. While it is Abigail’s turn to “dissemble” here, it is Barabas who spends most of the play acting Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molesti

Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes

Oh my girl,
My gold, my fortune, my felicity;
Strength to my soul, death to mine enemy;
Welcome the first beginner of my bliss:
Oh Abigail, Abigail, that I had thee here too,
Then my desires were fully satisfied.
But I will practise thy enlargement thence:
Oh girl, oh gold, oh beauty, oh my bliss!

Related Characters: Barabas (speaker), Abigail
Related Symbols: Gold
Page Number and Citation: 40
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Abigail throws Barabas’s gold out of the convent window having successfully infiltrated the convent under the pretense of wanting to convert to Christianity. This passage emphasizes Barabas’s greed and suggests that he considers his gold as important, if not more important, than his daughter. As Barabas holds the bags of gold close to his heart, he cries, “Oh my girl, / My gold, my fortune, my felicity.” Notably, Barabas begins talking about Abigail, but he quickly transitions to talking about his gold without missing a beat. It is Barabas’s gold, not Abigail, that gives “strength to [his] soul,” and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam

Act 2, Scene 3 Quotes

In spite of these swine-eating Christians,
Unchosen nation, never circumcised;
Such as, poor villains, were ne’er thought upon
Till Titus and Vespasian conquered us,
Am I become as wealthy as I was:
They hoped my daughter would ha’ been a nun:
But she’s at home, and I have bought a house
As great and fair as is the Governor’s;
And there in spite of Malta will I dwell:
Having Ferneze’s hand, whose heart I’ll have;
Ay, and his son’s too, or it shall go hard.

Related Characters: Barabas (speaker), Abigail, Ferneze, Don Lodowick
Related Symbols: Gold
Page Number and Citation: 44
Explanation and Analysis:
Barabas speaks these words after recovering the hidden gold from the convent floorboards with help from his daughter, Abigail. This passage underscores the religious strife present in the play and reflects Barabas’s obsession with revenge. Barabas hates Ferneze and Malta’s Christians for exploiting him and the other Jews and stealing their wealth, and he has vowed to get even. He openly insults the Christians, calling them “swine-eating,” and he insists the Christians belong to an “unchosen nation.” These criticisms refer to Barabas’s Jewish identity and the ways he believes he is superior to the Christians. Unlike Christians, the Jewish community Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia solu

Barabas: Oh, sir, your father had my diamonds.
Yet I have one left that will serve your turn:
I mean my daughter. (But ere he shall have her
I’ll sacrifice her on a pile of wood.
I ha’ the poison of the city for him,
And the white leprosy.)

Lodowick: What sparkle does it give without a foil?

Barabas: The diamond that I talk of, ne’er was foiled
(But when he touches it, it will be foiled).
Lord Lodowick, it sparkles bright and fair.

Lodowick: Is it square or pointed? Pray let me know.

Barabas: Pointed it is, good sir (but not for you).

Related Characters: Don Lodowick (speaker), Barabas (speaker), Abigail, Ferneze
Page Number and Citation: 46-47
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Don Lodowick approaches Barabas and inquires about buying a “diamond.” This exchange suggests that money is the most important thing in Barabas’s life—even more important than his daughter. Barabas reminds Lodowick that his father, Ferneze, has taken all Barabas’s wealth, but Barabas still has his daughter, whom he compares to the most beautiful “diamond.” This comparison assigns a monetary value and worth to Abigail. Still, in a quick aside, Barabas admits that he has no intention of ever promising Abigail to Lodowick. Lodowick asks if the “diamond” sparkles “without a foil,” which is his delicate way of asking if Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam cons

Yonder comes Don Mathias, let us stay;
He loves my daughter, and she holds him dear:
But I have sworn to frustrate both their hopes,
And be revenged upon the—(Governor).

Related Characters: Barabas (speaker), Don Lodowick, Ithamore, Abigail, Don Mathias
Page Number and Citation: 51
Explanation and Analysis:
This short quote, spoken by Barabas to Ithamore, appears as Mathias enters the market in the second act, and it is significant because it underscores the extent of Barabas’s Machiavellian scheming and illustrates the lengths he will go to exact his revenge upon Ferneze for seizing his wealth and leaving him in poverty. Here, Barabas reveals that Mathias and Abigail are in love with each other, even though Barabas spends the better part of this scene promising Abigail’s hand in marriage to Lodowick. Barabas knows that Abigail and Mathias want to marry, but Barabas has taken a vow “to frustrate Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis

Act 3, Scene 3 Quotes

Ithamore: Oh mistress! I have the bravest, gravest, secret, subtle, bottle-nosed knave to my master, that ever gentleman had.

Abigail: Say, knave, why rail’st upon my father thus?

Ithamore: Oh, my master has the bravest policy.

Related Characters: Abigail (speaker), Ithamore (speaker), Don Lodowick, Barabas, Don Mathias
Related Symbols: Barabas’s Nose
Page Number and Citation: 68
Explanation and Analysis:
This passage, which appears after Barabas’s scheming results in Lodowick’s and Mathias’s deaths, further reflects Ithamore’s own Machiavellian nature and underscores the anti-Semitism that permeates most of the play. Here, Ithamore praises Barabas’s scheming to Abigail, even though Ithamore knows that Abigail is in love with Mathias and is sure to be heartbroken by his death. Like Barabas and many other characters in Marlowe’s play, Ithamore is cruel, and he gets satisfaction from watching other people suffer, a trait that suggests Machiavellianism is often employed on an individual level and not just by politicians and governments. Ithamore celebrates Barabas and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate la

Act 3, Scene 4 Quotes

Stay, first let me stir it Ithamore.
As fatal be it to her as the draught
Of which great Alexander drunk, and died:
And with her let it work like Borgia’s wine,
Whereof his sire, the Pope, was poisonèd.
In a few, the blood of Hydra, Lerna’s bane:
The juice of hebon, and Cocytus’ breath,
And all the poisons of the Stygian pool
Break from the fiery kingdom; and in this
Vomit your venom, and envenom her
That like a fiend hat left her father thus.

Related Characters: Barabas (speaker), Don Mathias, Don Lodowick, Abigail, Ithamore
Page Number and Citation: 77
Explanation and Analysis:
This quote appears in the third act, as Barabas readies the rice that will poison Abigail and the entire nunnery, further reflecting Barabas’s abject cruelty and Machiavellian tendencies, as well as his growing obsession with betrayal and revenge. Abigail has converted to Christianity and joined the convent for real to atone for her sins and involvement in Lodowick’s and Mathias’s deaths, which Barabas considers a personal betrayal, and now he must seek revenge against Abigail, too. Barabas will poison her, just as Alexander the Great was allegedly poisoned, and Pope Alexander VI, who was poisoned by his son, “[Cesare] Borgia’s Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis.

Act 3, Scene 6 Quotes

Bernardine: Know that confession must not be revealed,
The canon law forbids it, and the priest
That makes it known, being degraded first,
Shall be condemned, and then sent to the fire.

Abigail: So I have heard; pray therefore keep it close,
Death seizeth on my heart, ah gentle friar
Convert my father that he may be saved,
And witness that I die a Christian.

Bernardine: Ay, and a virgin too, that grieves me most:
But I must to the Jew and exclaim on him,
And make him stand in fear of me.

Related Characters: Friar Bernardine (speaker), Abigail (speaker), Barabas
Page Number and Citation: 82-83
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Abigail confesses her sins (and Barabas’s) to Friar Bernardine before she dies. However, far from being a touching seen of redemption, this passage highlights the religious hypocrisy that permeates the play and ultimately suggests that Abigail’s faith in Christianity and Friar Bernardine is misguided. Abigail is concerned that her final confession will get back to her father, but Bernardine reassures Abigail that her confession is sealed—“canon law forbids” Bernardine to reveal her confession under threat of eternal damnation and the “fire[s]” of hell. The Seal of Confession is one of the most sacred of the priestly vows, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligend
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Abigail Character Timeline in The Jew of Malta

The timeline below shows where the character Abigail appears in The Jew of Malta. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...the Christians be kings, Barabas says, and leave him to his wealth and his daughter, Abigail, whom he holds “as dear / As Agamemnon did his Iphigen.” Three Jews enter talking... (full context)
Act 1, Scene 2
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...does not comfort Barabas. Poverty is worse than death, and there is nothing left for Abigail. Ferneze tells Barabas that he should feel good about their agreement—it is “right,” he says.... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...better than such “common men,” and he will not let Ferneze get in his way. Abigail enters in hysterics. She offers to go to the senate-house, cry at their feet, and... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...just hang himself, but Barabas refuses to give in at any cost. He turns to Abigail. “We ought to make bar of no policy,” Barabas says and tells Abigail to go... (full context)
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
As Barabas and Abigail talk, Friars Jacomo and Bernardine pass by with two nuns and the Abbess on their... (full context)
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
As Abigail and Barabas exit with the Abbess and Friars Jacomo and Bernardine, Don Mathias, a local... (full context)
Act 2, Scene 1
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
...seen much darkness, Barabas says, and his own world will remain dark until he sees Abigail again. Suddenly, Abigail appears at a window—she has found Barabas’s hidden gold. “Receive thy happiness,”... (full context)
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
...the bags close to his body, “Oh girl, oh gold, oh beauty, oh my bliss!” Abigail tells Barabas to gather his bags and be gone. The nuns will soon rise for... (full context)
Act 2, Scene 3
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
...the market to buy a slave. Barabas again complains about the “swine-eating Christians” who wanted Abigail to become a nun and scoffs. Abigail is at home in Barabas’s fancy new mansion... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...Lodowick heard that Barabas was there, and he is hoping to catch a glimpse of Abigail and see if she is as beautiful as Mathias claims. As Lodowick approaches, Barabas quietly... (full context)
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
...that Ferneze has all his diamonds; the only diamond Barabas has left is his daughter, Abigail. (In an aside, Barabas says that he would rather see Abigail dead than with Lodowick.)... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...Mathias wonders what business Lodowick has with Barabas and worries that it might be about Abigail. Barabas watches Mathias enter. He knows that Mathias and Abigail love one another, but Barabas... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...Barabas tells him not to worry. They were talking about “diamonds,” Barabas says, “not of Abigail.” Katherine notices the hushed conversation and asks Mathias if he is talking to a “Jew.”... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...the “diamond” is that he promised. Barabas guides Lodowick to his mansion and yells for Abigail to open the door. Abigail appears, and Barabas tells her “entertain” Lodowick. In an aside,... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Abigail is reluctant and reminds Barabas that she loves Mathias. Of course, Barabas says, promising Abigail... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Mathias immediately asks where Abigail is, and Barabas answers by telling Mathias how he intends for Abigail to marry him.... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Lodowick and Abigail approach, and Lodowick asks if that was Mathias he saw leaving. Barabas confirms it was... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Lodowick assures Barabas that he is interested in Abigail, not Barabas’s money, and needs only Barabas’s consent to marry her. In another aside, Abigail... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Anti-Semitism Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...Mathias can exact his revenge later, Barabas suggests, and Mathias agrees. Barabas again promises that Abigail will marry Mathias, but he says that Lodowick has gone to tell Mathias’s mother, Katherine,... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Alone with Barabas and Ithamore, Abigail promises that she will make Mathias and Lodowick friends again, and that she will have... (full context)
Act 3, Scene 3
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Abigail enters with Ithamore, who is laughing. Abigail asks what is so funny, and Ithamore says... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Alone, Abigail laments Barabas and his “policy.” She admits that Barabas has every right to hate Lodowick... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Jacomo is confused, especially since Abigail only recently decided that the nunnery was not for her. Yes, Abigail says, but certain... (full context)
Act 3, Scene 4
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Barabas enters, reading a letter from Abigail. He is shocked that his daughter has joined the convent, and now she expects him... (full context)
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
Barabas is certain that Jacomo is to blame for Abigail’s conversion. Abigail has definitely joined the convent, Ithamore confirms, but she sent for the friar... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Money and Greed Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...tries to interrupt Barabas’s rant, but Barabas doesn’t listen and tells Ithamore not to defend Abigail. Barabas further says that he could not stand it if Ithamore hated him like Abigail... (full context)
God and Machiavellianism Theme Icon
Betrayal and Revenge  Theme Icon
...returns with a pot of rice, and Barabas tells him that he will soon witness Abigail’s death and become Barabas’s only heir. Ithamore is excited to hear it and asks if... (full context)
Act 3, Scene 6
Religious Hypocrisy Theme Icon
...be!” Bernardine cries. Jacomo quickly exits, on his way to hear another nun’s confession, and Abigail enters. She tells Bernardine that all the other nuns are dead and that she will... (full context)
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Abigail asks Bernardine if he knows Mathias and Lodowick, and Bernardine says he does. She reveals... (full context)
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Bernardine looks at Abigail’s dead body and is disappointed that she died a virgin, but he is excited to... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 1
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Ithamore asks Barabas if he feels any grief over Abigail’s death, and Barabas quickly says no. He is only sad that she lived as a... (full context)
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...and Jacomo begin talking at once and Barabas keeps interrupting them. When the friars mention Abigail, Barabas orders them not to speak of her. The men then tell Barabas that they... (full context)
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Barabas immediately knows that Abigail exposed him in a confession to Bernardine, so Barabas quickly changes his tactics. “Oh holy... (full context)
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Alone, Barabas hatches a plan to kill both Bernardine and Jacomo. Abigail clearly exposed Barabas’s involvement in Mathias and Lodowick’s deaths in her confession to Bernardine, and... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 4
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...Lodowick without ever touching them, and he further admits to delivering the poisoned rice to Abigail and the nuns and strangling Bernardine with his belt. In a quick aside, Pilia-Borza suggests... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 1
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...Barabas. Pilia-Borza confirms Bellamira speaks the truth and says that Barabas also killed the nuns, Abigail, Friar Bernardine, and who knows how many others. (full context)