The play "Amadeus" is Mainly Concerned With the Destructive Nature of.
This passage is all too true, both in Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus' and in life.
in general. However the play is also concerned with the destructive nature.
of ignorance and naivety. Salieri is jealous not just of Mozart's talent,.
but of the fact that God gave the talent to "Mozart spiteful, sniggering,.
conceited, infantine Mozart". He is envious of the vessel of God's.
laughter at the "patron saint of mediocrity' as he had dubbed himself. Not.
only did God double-cross Salieri, but he did it using this "obscene child".
It was this jealousy and the rage it inspired that caused Salieri to.
attempt to kill Mozart by starving him of work and students, and thus,.
money and food. If Salieri had not restricted the amount of work actually.
shown to the general public, then Mozart could have been wealthy, and quite.
possibly selected as the new Kapellmeister.
Mozart doesn't understand the importance of pleasing members of the.
Viennese court. He has no comprehension of the value of money, for when he.
successfully earns any, he spends it on lavish food and clothes immediately,.
instead of saving it. He spends all his time churning out music in final.
copy, which, although beautiful, doesn't earn money as would teaching music.
Mozart is really the one who should be jealous, as he has little in the way.
of money or assets, or even respect. All he has is his talent and his.
priceless music, but not the sense he needs to capitalise on it.
It isn't the fact that someone has more talent than him, the problem is, as.
he sees it, that he isn't as good as someone else after making a bargain.
with God, which should guarantee that he is the best in the world at least.
until he dies. But no. "I know myself forever mediocre" he cries as he.
realises that the gift given to him by God only exists to allow him to.
recognise the greatness and incomparable beauty of the music of God.
