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Character Role Analysis

The Jews and Nazarenes

The Jews and Nazarenes have an important role in Salomé: without them, we'd have a much harder time understanding what you might call the religious climate of the time. They practically take turns talking about their conception of God. "I believe that God is…" says one. "No, He's not like that at all…" says another.

The Nazarenes are more specialized in their function. They remind the audience that Jesus is out in the world, performing miracles, even as they speak, and affirm Jokanaan's proclamations. Without them, it'd be all too easy to forget that the Messiah Jokanaan speaks of is actually walking the earth.