Abbess Character Analysis in The Jew of Malta

The abbess is the head nun at the new convent established in Barabas’s mansion. When Barabas convinces Abigail to join the nunnery under false pretenses, she appeals to the abbess. Ithamore and Barabas repeatedly accuse the abbess of having sexual relationships with the parish priests, and she is dies, along with Abigail and the rest of the nuns, when Barabas sends the convent a batch of poisoned rice as alms. Like Friars Bernardine and Jacomo, the abbess serves to reflect religious hypocrisy. Her role as a nun implies that she is pious and chaste, but her suspected sex life suggests her righteousness is just a farce.

Abbess Quotes in The Jew of Malta

The The Jew of Malta quotes below are all either spoken by Abbess or refer to Abbess. 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:

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), Ferneze, Abbess

Related Symbols: Gold

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

Abbess Character Timeline in The Jew of Malta

The timeline below shows where the character Abbess appears in The Jew of Malta. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Barabas and Abigail talk, Friars Jacomo and Bernardine pass by with two nuns and the Abbess on their way to the new convent. Abigail stops the Abbess and, claiming to be... (full context)

As Abigail and Barabas exit with the Abbess and Friars Jacomo and Bernardine, Don Mathias, a local Christian, enters. He is shocked to... (full context)

...and no medicine will help. The nuns will surely die, he claims. Bernardine says the Abbess has just sent for him to hear her confession. “Oh, what a sad confession will... (full context)