The Jew of Malta (Drama Classics) [Paperback]

Christopher Marlowe (Author), Peter Smith (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995 | ISBN-10: 1854591991 | ISBN-13: 978-1854591999

"One of the best editions for undergraduates. . . . All the editorial material is kept brief, unobtrusive, relevant, and crisp in style. The introduction is informative, sound, and suggestive rather than dogmatic. . . . [Van Fossen] is especially skillful in summarizing in a graceful and interesting manner the issues that have stirred critics and editors. . . . The whole publication seems almost perfect in design and presentation; it invites one to read the play". -Choice

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...an important scholarly publication."--Renaissance Quarterly

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) was an English dramatist, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Nick Hern Books (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1854591991
• ISBN-13: 978-1854591999
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,051,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Infinite riches in a little play, October 12, 2006

By 

Buffy "The English Teacher" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jew of Malta (Revels Student Editions) (Paperback)

Ok, so perhaps not infinite, but lots. Marlowe's plays are all a bit strange in their own way. The Jew of Malta is sort of like a really raw take on the issues in the Merchant of Venice (i.e. no sweet love story here). But Marlowe's Barabas gets to enjoy being bad a lot more than Shylock does, and the character is amazingly capable of perhaps not earning the reader's sympathy but extracting her complicity instead. There's some great language in this play and some spectacular misanthropy. The revels editions are always a good bet; they have enough scholarly apparatus to be of significant help and are well-edited and well laid-out on the page. This one is very thin and portable, and so it can feel like a rip-off for 9 bucks. However, the quality of the critical help here is far greater than in the Everyman collected edition of Marlowe.

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Marlowe's Best, But Still Interesting., March 25, 2000

By 

Sean Ares Hirsch - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jew of Malta, Second Edition (New Mermaids) (Paperback)

I do not feel this matches Marlowe's "Faustus," "Massacre At Paris," "Dido Queen of Carthage," or "Edward II." But it does have some memorable features. At first, Barabas is a sympathetic character, but like many of Marlowe's characters, he goes too far and becomes detestable. Barabas' daughter Abigail is a striking figure. She initially feels sorry for her father but later sees what he has become and falls victim to her father's wickedness. Her death as a Christain in 3.6 is memorable. Ithamore is convincing as a villain who knows no honor. Ferneze is fine as the hero who eventually restores order. It's not Marlowe's best play, but it is still worth some interest.