Commentary of the play "Amadeus"

"The play 'Amadeus' is mainly concerned with the destructive nature of jealousy" 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 …

…high to start with. His name wasn't incredibly well known because only Salieri had the ability to recognise his greatness. Because the rest of the Court, and indeed, Vienna, relied almost solely on the opinions of Herr Salieri, he was able to prevent Mozart's music from becoming popular to a degree. He won his fight with God, but the knowledge lived in him still, he knew he would forever be, the patron saint, of mediocrity.