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. It is at this moment he resolves to...
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