The Jew of Malta · Character
Friar Barnadine
A friar who hears Abigail's deathbed confession and, bound by its seal, becomes the target of Barabas's most intimate murder.
supporting
Also known as Barnardine, Friar Barnardine, Friar Barnadine Barabas, Friar Barnadine Ay
First appearance: scene i
As a supporting figure in The Jew of Malta, Friar Barnadine is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Barnadine receives Abigail's confession and learns of the forged challenge and the poisoned broth, but the seal of the shrift forbids him to reveal it. He tries to use the knowledge to frighten Barabas into repentance, unaware that he is walking into a trap. His scruple about the confessional makes him both a threat and a victim, and his strangling in Barabas's house is the murder that finally damns the Jew in the eyes of Malta.
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Character Web
15 connectionsA slice of how Friar Barnadine sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Malta's Christian community
- Protagonist
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Open in readerNarrative 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…
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