133395 PS Proseminar: Yiddish Theatre (2021S)

Yiddish theatre is a global cultural phenomenon dating back to the Middle Ages, with a rich cultural legacy that extends into the 21st century. Yiddish drama has grappled with all the major challenges the Jewish world has faced during that long time span, including the tension between tradition and modernity; Jewish and secular political movements and ideologies; changes in family structures and gender roles; violence, including pogroms, wars, and genocide; mass emigration, both forced and voluntary; and debates over the creation of a Jewish nation-state. Familiarity with Yiddish drama thus serves as an important prism through which to survey the Jewish experience. In this seminar, we will read selected classics of Yiddish theatre in translation and consider how they relate to Yiddish literary and cultural developments more broadly. We will also engage with recent scholarship in the field, especially the work of the Digital Yiddish Theatre Project. Readings and discussions will be in English, with the option of reading German versions when available. Written assignments can be submitted in English or German. Students will submit three short assignments inspired by blog posts from the Digital Yiddish Theatre Project and write a term paper. Depending on student interest, we may also do a class reading of a scene from a play of the students‘ choice as a way of deepening our knowledge of Yiddish drama.