Ithamore Character Analysis in The Jew of Malta

Ithamore is a Turkish slave, presumably brought to Malta by Martin Del Bosco after capturing a Turkish ship, sinking it, and taking the men as slaves. Barabas buys Ithamore—a skinny man Barabas is certain will cost little to feed and maintain—for 100 crowns at the market in Malta and immediately takes to teaching Ithamore his “policy” and Machiavellian scheming. Barabas tells Ithamore he must be void of love and any trace of compassion, and he further tells Ithamore he must “smile” as the “Christians moan.” Ithamore shares Barabas’s penchant for murder and Christian contempt, and he easily settles into Barabas’s corrupt lifestyle. First, Ithamore delivers the forged letter that leads to Lodowick and Mathais’s deadly duel, and he also delivers the poisonous rice that kills Abigail and the entire nunnery. Ithamore falls in love at first sight with Bellamira, who is scheming with Pilia-Borza to trick Ithamore and blackmail Barabas for his gold. Ithamore immediately falls for Bellamira and Pilia-Borza’s deceitfulness, and he easily agrees to extort Barabas’s money, but Bellamire and Pilia-Borza ultimately deceive Ithamore, too, and report his and Barabas’s murder of Mathias and Lodowick to Ferneze, hoping for a reward. Ithamore dies along with Bellamira and Pilia-Borza after Barabas disguises himself as a French musician and gives them a bouquet of flowers tainted with the same poison that kills Abigail and the nuns. Like Barabas, Ithamore represents Machiavellian scheming and immorality, which Marlowe implies in widespread across Europe.

Ithamore Quotes in The Jew of Malta

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

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), Ithamore, Abigail, Don Lodowick, Don Mathias

Page Number and Citation: 51

Explanation and Analysis:

Barabas: Hast thou no trade? Then listen to my words,
And I will teach that shall stick by thee:
First be thou void of these affections,
Compassion, love, vain hope, and heartless fear,
Be moved at nothing, see thou pity none,
But to thyself smile when the Christians moan.

Ithamore: Oh brave, master, I worship your nose for this.

Related Characters: Barabas (speaker), Ithamore (speaker)

Related Symbols: Barabas’s Nose

Page Number and Citation: 52

Explanation and Analysis:

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: Ithamore (speaker), Abigail (speaker), Barabas, Don Lodowick, Don Mathias

Related Symbols: Barabas’s Nose

Page Number and Citation: 68

Explanation and Analysis:

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), Ithamore, Abigail, Don Lodowick, Don Mathias

Page Number and Citation: 77

Explanation and Analysis:

Ithamore Character Timeline in The Jew of Malta

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

Barabas is shown a skinny slave named Ithamore, who comes from Arabia. Barabas pays 100 crowns and marks Itahamore’s price on his back.... (full context)

Barabas asks Ithamore about his birth and profession. Ithamore says he is of low birth, and he claims... (full context)

Ithamore next tells Barabas about himself. He enjoys burning down Christian villages, cutting the throats of... (full context)

Alone with Barabas and Ithamore, Abigail promises that she will make Mathias and Lodowick friends again, and that she will... (full context)

Pilia-Borza sees Ithamore approach and tells Bellamira not to look at the slave. Bellamira and Pilia-Borza rush off,... (full context)

Abigail enters with Ithamore, who is laughing. Abigail asks what is so funny, and Ithamore says he is laughing... (full context)

...killed her, too, and she cries that there is no love left in the world. Ithamore enters with Friar Jacomo, interrupting Abigail’s dirges. She dismisses Ithamore and wastes no time telling... (full context)

...and Lodowick’s deaths, for it certainly appears as if she does not love Barabas anymore. Ithamore suddenly enters and interrupts Barabas. “Come near my love,” Barabas says to Ithamore, “my second... (full context)

...certain that Jacomo is to blame for Abigail’s conversion. Abigail has definitely joined the convent, Ithamore confirms, but she sent for the friar herself. “False, credulous, inconstant Abigail!” Barabas cries. He... (full context)

Ithamore tries to interrupt Barabas’s rant, but Barabas doesn’t listen and tells Ithamore not to defend... (full context)

Ithamore soon returns with a pot of rice, and Barabas tells him that he will soon... (full context)

Barabas hands the poisoned rice to Ithamore and tells him to hurry back after he has dropped it at the convent; Barabas... (full context)

Barabas and Ithamore enter to the sounds of funeral bells. Barabas rejoices that the nuns are dead and... (full context)

Ithamore asks Barabas if he feels any grief over Abigail’s death, and Barabas quickly says no.... (full context)

...come to our house,” Bernardine says. Soon the friars are physically fighting over Barabas, and Ithamore begs Barabas to stop them. Barabas tells Bernardine that he will join his church and... (full context)

...knows all about it. Therefore, Barabas says, both men pose a threat and must die. Ithamore enters and says that Bernardine is sleeping in the next room, and no one will... (full context)

Barabas and Ithamore wake Bernardine, and he knows instantly that the men mean to strangle him. “What, will... (full context)

...obtain Barabas’s wealth, Jacomo grabs the staff and hits Bernardine over the head. Barabas and Ithamore rush in, and Barabas declares that Jacomo has murdered Bernardine. Jacomo swears he killed Bernardine... (full context)

Ithamore asks Barabas if he is still interested in converting to Christianity, since it appears to... (full context)

Bellamira and Pilia-Borza enter, and Bellamira asks if he delivered the letter to Ithamore. Pilia-Borza confirms he did, and she asks if he thinks Ithamore will come. Pilia-Borza thinks... (full context)

Ithamore enters, talking about Jacomo’s death. The friar was unexpectedly calm during the execution, and after... (full context)

As Ithamore approaches, Bellamira warmly welcomes him, calling him her “sweet love.” Ithamore is suddenly worried about... (full context)

Pilia-Borza says Ithamore can give Bellamira all Barabas’s wealth, but Ithamore assures him it is impossible—Barabas buries his... (full context)

Pilia-Borza tells Ithamore to ask for at least 100 crowns, and he further tells Ithamore to act menacing.... (full context)

...the letter, and then Barabas “laughed and jeered.” Barabas said he loved Pilia-Borza and that Ithamore was a “faithful servant,” and then he gave Pilia-Borza 10 crowns. Ithamore is shocked. Pilia-Borza... (full context)

Barabas enters reading Ithamore’s letter. He can’t believe the slave is demanding 300 crowns. Barabas knows Bellamira is to... (full context)

Barabas asks Pilia-Borza why Ithamore does not come himself. If Ithamore asks Barabas, Barabas will gladly give him the money.... (full context)

...Barabas that he knows enough about him to see him hanged, and Barabas knows that Ithamore has definitely betrayed him. Barabas tells Pilia-Borza that it is not the money that upsets... (full context)

...must do something, so he decides to visit Bellamira’s house in disguise and kill her, Ithamore, and Pilia-Borza. (full context)

Pilia-Borza enters with Bellamira and Ithamore. The three are drinking and celebrating, and Bellamira and Ithamore are professing their love for... (full context)

...says that she did not think Barabas was brave enough to commit murder. He is, Ithamore confirms. Ithamore admits to helping Barabas kill Mathias and Lodowick without ever touching them, and... (full context)

...and Barabas gives Pilia-Borza the flowers. Bellamira smells the flowers and hands it back to Ithamore and Pilia-Borza, who also sniff the petals. Barabas snickers in a quick aside. “I am... (full context)

...they send another letter to Barabas with the French musician and demand more gold, but Ithamore says he is done with letters and tells the disguised Barabas to leave. Ithamore orders... (full context)

...says he must have proof of Barabas’s guilt, and Bellamira tells him that Barabas’s slave, Ithamore, will confess to every murder. Ferneze orders his men to fetch Barabas and Ithamore. “I... (full context)

...Yes, Ferneze says, it was Barabas, the Jew. He explains to Katherine that Barabas’s slave, Ithamore, delivered a forged letter to Lodowick that turned the men against each other. She asks... (full context)