The Jew of Malta · Character

Abigail

Barabas's devoted daughter, torn between filial loyalty and Christian faith, whose quiet conscience becomes the moral counterweight to her father's escalating cruelty.

major

Also known as Abigail Father, fair Abigail, gentle Abigail

First appearance: scene i

As a major figure in The Jew of Malta, Abigail is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See Abigail in scene i Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Abigail is the one person Barabas genuinely loves, and she loves him back, offering to storm the senate-house and tear her hair over his losses. When her father uses her as bait in his revenge, she is caught between Lodowick and Mathias, then converts to Christianity and enters a nunnery, seeking a life her father cannot touch. Her choices expose the human cost of Barabas's schemes and give the play its sharpest measure of what his vengeance destroys.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Abigail sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Abigail in scene i

Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how Abigail sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Psychological
Romantic
Social

Character groups

Malta's Christian community
Protagonist

+12 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This scene marks the dramatic climax because Ferneze’s flat denial of tribute—“’shalt have no tribute here”—re…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Barabas
family · ambivalent
Abigail is Barabas's daughter, initially loyal but later betrayed by his greed and… How this plays out →
Ithamore
psychological · negative
Mathias
romantic · positive
Friar Jacomo
psychological · ambivalent
Ferneze
social · negative
Barabas
family · ambivalent
Abigail is Barabas's daughter, initially loyal but later betrayed by his greed and… How this plays out →
Barabas
family · ambivalent
Abigail is Barabas's daughter, initially loyal but later betrayed by his greed and… How this plays out →
Ferneze
social · negative
Ithamore
psychological · negative
Friar Jacomo
psychological · ambivalent
Mathias
romantic · positive
Ithamore
psychological · negative

Barabas
Abigail is Barabas's daughter, initially loyal but later betrayed by his greed and cruelty.
Ithamore
Ithamore observes and later betrays Abigail, serving as a tool in Barabas's manipulation of her.
Mathias
Abigail and Mathias are secret lovers, but their relationship is destroyed by Barabas's scheming.
Friar Jacomo
Abigail confesses to Friar Jacomo, who later becomes a victim of Barabas's manipulation through her.
Ferneze
Abigail interacts with Ferneze as a political figure, but their relationship is strained by Barabas's feud.
Barabas
Abigail is Barabas's daughter, initially loyal but later betrayed by his greed and cruelty.
Barabas
Abigail is Barabas's daughter, initially loyal but later betrayed by his greed and cruelty.
Ferneze
Abigail interacts with Ferneze as a political figure, but their relationship is strained by Barabas's feud.
Ithamore
Ithamore observes and later betrays Abigail, serving as a tool in Barabas's manipulation of her.
Friar Jacomo
Abigail confesses to Friar Jacomo, who later becomes a victim of Barabas's manipulation through her.
Mathias
Abigail and Mathias are secret lovers, but their relationship is destroyed by Barabas's scheming.
Ithamore
Ithamore observes and later betrays Abigail, serving as a tool in Barabas's manipulation of her.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Abigail in scene i