16th century England that would be swept up in the flow of the Renaissance movement that would allow drama and plays to thrive. Two playwrights in particular, Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, were direct contemporaries during this influential time period, but Marlowe's untimely death would prevent him from reaching the heights of fame that Shakespeare achieved. However, Marlowe's influence lived on in the heart of Shakespeare's works and gave birth to new characters; Marlowe's antagonist Barabas would inspire villains in the next scene such as Shakespeare's antagonist Iago. Christopher Marlowe's “The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta,” often shortened to “Jew of Malta,” is often described as a tragic comedy. It features the evil Jewish merchant Barabbas, who is relentless in his efforts to take revenge on his enemies: the governor who strips him of his wealth, the nuns and friars, his daughter who betrays him by converting to Christianity, and even his own murderous accomplices – Itamore. Shakespeare's Othello succeeds The Jew of Malta and is described as a tragedy. It features the evil Iago, who undermines the relationship between Othello and Desdemona for a personal form of revenge and to further his own position. The character of Iago is firmly rooted in the Barabas-inspired theatrical villain; both are portrayed as Machiavellian villains and major evildoers in their respective works who resort to deception, betrayal, and murder as a means to achieve their ends. Both characters distort the ideals then known to the public; Marlowe targets the religions that hold society together, but Shakespeare crucially corrupts the virtues we have idealized to the point of damnation. Barabas and Iago are... halfway through the card... and the honorable Cassio is left to rule Cyprus; The Jew of Malta ends on a sadder note where we as readers are left uneasy, knowing that ultimately we cannot abandon our faith in those who remain. Thus Barabbas emerges victorious over Iago as a Machiavellian villain. Ultimately, Marlowe's The Jew of Malta and Shakespeare's Othello are two different stories that utilize similar villains, thanks to Marlowe's skillful creation of the theatrical villain who will persevere in later works and inspire others, such as Shakespeare's antagonist, Iago . These stories twist and distort the accepted ideas and notions of the current period, but are not limited to that era; considered some of the greatest works of even our modern era. However, despite their similarities, Marlowe manages to create Barabas who remains the ultimate Machiavellian villain.