The Tragedy of Mariam

Mariam, for whom the play is named, is the protagonist of this drama. She is the second wife of Herod the Great and a descendant of Jewish royalty, which is in large measure why Herod married her. In the normal course of events, Mariam could expect her eldest son to follow Herod and become the next King of Judea.

Characters often describe Mariam as “fair,” discussing the beauty of her hands, her hair, and her complexion. She is also perceived universally as virtuous and innocent, though not in the sense of being naïve or unaware. Rather, Mariam is innocent of duplicity, dishonestly, and scheming. It is her unwillingness to yield in the least that eventually leads to her undoing.

However, Mariam reveals through her dialogue that she is not perfect. She looks down on her sister-in-law Salome as unworthy of the position she has attained in the noble family. She points out that Salome’s Jewish lineage is impure, saying “Thou party Jew, and party Edomite, / Thou Mongrell: iss’d from rejected race” (1.2.29-30). Relatedly, Mariam is also proud of her own lineage and public reputation—traits that the Chorus depicts as incompatible with her wifely duties.

Like the historical Herod the Great, the king portrayed in the play is a wily escape artist who assumes control of every situation and never allows anyone beneath him to forget his power. Though he does not appear until the next to last act of the play, Herod dominates the stage when he does. Indeed, prior to his arrival, the topic of his possible death governs the play’s action. He is not a popular or beloved king—the only person who rejoices when he turns up alive is his sister Salome—but he breeds fear in his subjects as a ruler with a well-deserved reputation for executing enemies and rivals. He dispenses punishment quickly, as evidenced by his instantaneous decision to kill his counselor Sohemus upon a mere accusation: “Oh heaven! Sohemus false! Goe let him die, / Stay not to suffer him to speake a word” (4.4.15-16)

The historical Herod’s ancestry was religiously but not ethnically Jewish; nevertheless, he instigated the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. In the play, Herod makes constant references to biblical figures, Jewish history, and even customs like the Seder feast. In that she is a living expression of the Judaism he has embraced, he is deeply enamored of his wife Mariam, though unable to save her from his own impetuous rage.

Clearly the antagonist in the play, Salome is a cunning, ruthless schemer who is loyal to no person but herself. An outstanding judge of character and master of timing, Salome baits her clever traps with those who need her help or who cannot refuse her wiles. The results of her plots are often fatal; two of her husbands—Josephus and Constabarus—die through her instigation. She has the ability to stoke emotion in others while remaining calm and focused on her own intentions. If she knows some weakness or has some compromising information about another person, she is sure at some point to use it to her advantage.

Salome is Herod’s sister and clearly his equal in intellect and planning, as well as much better at maintaining emotional control. The distinction between them is that she is a woman, which she recognizes has placed her at a disadvantage. She asks aloud, when faced with laws that favor men over women, “Why should such priviledge to man be given? / Or given to them, why bard from women then?” (1.4.45-46). As the play’s antagonist, Salome is a “safe” vehicle for these critiques of patriarchal society, since those who wish to can interpret her rebelliousness as part and parcel of her villainy.

The husband of Salome and servant of Herod, Constabarus is a multi-faceted character. More than any other individual in the drama, Constabarus acts on conscience. When challenged to a sword duel by Salome’s lover Silleus, Constabarus lectures him even while wounding him, then secretly takes him to a safe place to heal. Constabarus has also concealed Barus’s sons for 12 years at his own risk.

A deeply religious man, Constabarus is the character most in touch with Jewish law, custom, and religious practice. His faith is at times dogmatic; for example, his view of the natural order prevents him from appreciating his wife’s grievances, and he harangues her for wanting to have the same rights as men: “Are Hebrew women now transform’d to men? / Why do you not as well our battels fight, / And weare our armour?” (1.6.45-47). Constabarus’s frustration with Salome provokes his lengthy misogynistic rant in Act IV, Scene 6, though even then he exempts Mariam from his criticisms of women generally.

Though she appears only in the first act, Mariam’s mother Alexandra is a significant factor in driving the plot. She harbors great resentment for Herod, who killed her father and her son on the way to securing the throne of Judea for himself. It was at her instigation that charges against Herod forced him to stand before Anthony and Augustus. That Herod was clearly guilty and both emperors nevertheless acquitted him reflects the powerlessness of even highly-placed women.

Alexandra later curses Mariam as unworthy of Herod while the latter is being marched to her death. This behavior is less a sign of Alexandra’s complicity with Herod than an attempt to save herself and the rest of her family. Historically, Herod would go on to execute Alexandra and his two older sons by Mariam.

Pheroras is the brother of Herod and Salome. Unlike his ruthless siblings, Pheroras acts on pure emotions—specifically, his love for the lower-class woman Graphina. Both Herod and Salome tried to prevent the relationship from developing; Herod commanded his brother to marry their infant niece, while Salome tried to reason with Pheroras. However, Pheroras is uninterested in what is politically advantageous; when he believes his brother is dead, his response is not to try to seize power, but simply to marry Graphina.

This love for Graphina is a weakness for Salome to exploit, and Pheroras becomes a hapless pawn in his sister’s plans. When Salome volunteers to help him save himself and his new bride, he responds, “What’s the condition? let me quickly know, / That I as quickly your command may act” (3.2.33-34).