The course is an overview of the major figures and tendencies in modern Yiddish literature and culture from the beginning of the 19th century to the present, featuring readings (in English) of modern Yiddish prose, poetry, drama and cinema. We will explore how Yiddish writers addressed issues of tradition and modernity, among them the experience of violence, including pogroms, and immigration. Texts will include Hassidic tales, novels and short stories by Sholem Aleichem, Sholem Yankev Abramovich (Mendele Moikher Sforim), Y.L. Peretz, David Bergelson, Shira Gorshman, Kadia Molodovsky and others. Students with knowledge of Yiddish are encouraged to read some original texts.
