In which play do we find the following lines? “I count religion but a childish toy, And hold there is no sin but ignorance.”

Correct option is B

Introduction: These cynical, Machiavellian lines are spoken by a notorious villain in a late-16th century tragedy, reflecting the play's dark, satirical, and anti-Semitic portrayal of its protagonist.
Information Booster:
· The lines are spoken by the title character, Barabas, in Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta (c. 1589).
· They exemplify Barabas's (and the play's) radical, amoral worldview, where traditional religious and moral codes are dismissed as tools for the naive. "Ignorance" is the only sin because it leads to powerlessness.
· This sentiment aligns with the influence of Machiavellian thought on Renaissance drama, where pragmatic, ruthless self-interest is openly championed.
Additional Knowledge:
· Timon of Athens (Shakespeare) deals with misanthropy, not this specific brand of religious cynicism.
· Coriolanus (Shakespeare) deals with pride and class conflict.
· The Spanish Tragedy (Kyd) is a revenge tragedy whose villain, Lorenzo, is duplicitous but does not articulate this overarching philosophy.