GERMAN 267 Study Guide - Final Guide: Haskalah, Shtetl, Jewish Holidays
1. Development of Yiddish theater from its origins in Eastern Europe to its establishment in the
United States. In what ways was theater a vehicle for education? In what ways was it pure
entertainment?
The history of Yiddish Theater starts from centuries ago. According to the article
‘Yiddish Musical Theater: Its Origins in Europe’, based upon Eastern Europe tradition
Purimshpiel (play about Jewish holiday Purim) and badkhen (Jewish traditional entertainer
associated with weddings), Jewish theater was generated in the nineteenth century. Unlike its
origin as a pure entertainment, this is the era when Avram Goldfaden, quoting from week 6
lecture notes, the ‘Father of Yiddish Theater’, established a solid base for Jewish theater by
educating the Jews of the history, world surrounding them and Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment).
Quoting from the article ‘Raisins and Almonds – Goldfaden’s glory’, Goldfaden have combined
folk music elements and European opera at his song "Rozhinkes mit Mandlen.” Other theatrical
works by Goldfaden, ‘Di Kishefmacherin’ expressed the harsh everyday lives that people are
going through while ‘Bar Kochba’ was based on an actual historical event. Later, substantial
amount of Jews migrated to the United States as a way of deviating from poverty, and Yiddish
theater were established, adopting American pop elements. Yiddish theater functioned as a pure
entertainment for Jews, as an escape from their harsh working conditions and the bitter reality in
the United States. According to week 10 lecture notes, by using the same background as
Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’, Yiddish ‘King Lear’ was not only an entertainment but also an
exposure to literary subjects.
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2.
Marriage is used to be considered a type of marital union by Jews in the shtetl. However, young
Jewish people began leaning toward the idea that marriage includes love as they moved to bigger
cities and to America.
The idea of love wasn’t a very familiar concept for Jews in the shtetl (week 5 lecture). Marriage
was considered an alliance between families under strict parental supervision (YIVO Marriage)
and was arranged by shadkhn (a community matchmaker) in the shtetl. Because the arrangement
has to be economically efficient for both families and love wasn’t part of it at all, a good match
was considered rich or educated men and religious women who are good at housekeeping. These
characteristics were based on what Jews traditionally valued in a married life as well as what the
parents expected from their son-in-law or daughter-in-law. For example, the song “Die Mame iz
Gegangen” describes a mother going to market to find a suitable husband for her daughter, a
“handsome and fine lad”.
Jews began to learn about the idea of love coming along with the Haskalah (enlightenment) as
they moved out of shtetls without their families or parents. Young people got to have more
chances to interact with each other and develop new ideas about love and courtship in larger
cities in Eastern Europe (week 5 lecture). They also learned that love and freedom don’t always
give them the happy ending, that sometimes they need to face the negative consequences. “Oy,
Avram” shows how a woman was heartbroken by a “handsome lad” she loves when he left her
for another girl.
The attitudes toward love and marriage underwent another transformation as Jews immigrated to
America. According to week 8 lecture and Journey to America pt.1, traditional values or the
significance of marriage barely existed in the new city. Married men left their families back in
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the home and started making a new family, and young people remained unmarried. Traditional
gender roles in marriage also changed; sometimes women became the breadwinners to support
their family, while men were unemployed or earned less than their wives. In the meantime,
women also had to maintain a balance that assures their husbands’ authority and dignity within
the family (Howe Ch. 6 pt. 1, p. 173). “I am a Boarder at My Wife’s” is a good example to show
these changes in a new city; the song shows how a husband enjoys his life being a boarder of his
wife so he wouldn’t have to worry about his married life.
In sum, the idea of love and marriage among Jews moves throughout the history of their
migration. Jews enjoyed more freedom of love as they moved from shtetl to Easter Europe.
Although marriage in America doesn’t seem to have its traditional values, at least it emphasizes
the freedom of love. Young Jews often considered America the place where they could truly love
whoever they want to without their parents’ permission (RubinYiddishLoveSongs, p.109).
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Document Summary
Development of yiddish theater from its origins in eastern europe to its establishment in the. The history of yiddish theater starts from centuries ago. Yiddish musical theater: its origins in europe", based upon eastern europe tradition. Purimshpiel (play about jewish holiday purim) and badkhen (jewish traditional entertainer associated with weddings), jewish theater was generated in the nineteenth century. Later, substantial amount of jews migrated to the united states as a way of deviating from poverty, and yiddish theater were established, adopting american pop elements. Yiddish theater functioned as a pure entertainment for jews, as an escape from their harsh working conditions and the bitter reality in the united states. According to week 10 lecture notes, by using the same background as. Shakespeare"s king lear", yiddish king lear" was not only an entertainment but also an exposure to literary subjects. Marriage is used to be considered a type of marital union by jews in the shtetl.
