Melissa Grönebaum 
Christopher Marlowe ‘The Jew of Malta’. Barabas character in his opening speech [PDF ebook] 

Essay from the year 2013 in the subject Didactics for the subject English — Literature, Works, grade: 2, 0, National University of Ireland, Galway, language: English, abstract: Barabas is a very rich but never as a citizen of Malta accepted Jew, who is hated for being rich and for being a Jew. He therefore is more or less alienated from Malta’s Christian society although he is quite important for the people. Barabas, however, seems to accept his social position; in fact, he even prefers to be hated, but rich, successful, and Jewish instead of being ‘pitied in a Christian poverty.’ At the beginning of the play, Barabas is displayed as a wealthy and shrewd but also very selfish and intelligent man, whose motivation is money only. During the story Barabas undergoes a change of personality and presents his evilness more and more.