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HEBREW STUDIES 533
READINGS IN CONTEMPORARY HEBREW LITERATURE
Fall 2008
Instructor:
Assaf
Meshulam
Email: meshulam@wisc.edu
Class
Times:
MW 2:30 – 3:45
Office
Hours:
MW 1:20 – 2:15 or by appointment; 1342 Van Hise
THEME: Israeli Identity
Literary Reflections on Israeli Identity in Hebrew Literature
The question of identity has always engaged humankind in its search to understand itself and, accordingly, has been a central theme in literature, on both the individual and collective levels. The answer to the fundamental question “Who am I?” evolved from a conception of individual and collective identity as pre-determined and permanent or fixed, to a notion of something that is in constant flux, ever-changing and shifting. Moreover, one’s identity as an individual is composed of complex, at times intertwined, layers in which “Who am I?” distinguishes one, the “I”, not only from the Other but also frames the “Us” as distinguished from Them. For every individual identifies and defines him or herself as belonging also to various circles, groups, communities, thus being part of and constituting the collective identities of these social groups. Just like individual identity, these collective identities have come to be understood, should be understood, as multi-layered and constantly evolving, not as having some intrinsically constant and core nature.
Israeli individual and collective identities are, of course, no exception. Israeli society has been described as the site of “a violent, creative, inter-cultural” meeting, with a multiplicity of contradictions. Indeed, these contradictions and clashes often run along the lines of the many identities making up the “melting pot” that is Israeli society and culture as well as arising due to the evolving conception of the “We” in Israel, the changing notion of what the “Israeli” is, whether it even exists. Over the years, Israeli culture and one of its strongest artistic forums, literature, have manifested and exposed the sometimes harmonic, sometimes cacophonic clash of the various identities and identity groups, which sometimes overlap and are expressed in inner turmoil in the individual him/herself: national identities, between Arab and Jew; ethnic identities between Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Jews; religious identities between the secular and religious and the different religious groups; political-ideological identities between the Right and Left, socialist and capitalist, old Guard, neoliberal; social economic identities amongst the classes; and “Diaspora”, immigrant, cultural identity versus “Tzabar” identity—the “New Israeli” identity. All of these spheres of identity, amongst others which can transcend the national borders, have evolved over time, their meanings changing for the individual and the collective, their place in the Israeli discourse, culture, and society at large completely transformed.
This course will seek to trace the changes in the perceptions of “I” the Israeli and “We” the Israeli as reflected in selected texts from Hebrew literature, as these identities have developed and changed since the pre-statehood era (the “Yishuv”) to present times. We will look at literary reflections and perceptions of “Israeli identity” in these texts that expose the mosaic of identities that constitutes Israeli society and the way in which this identity has been shaped and reshaped anew. Examining the contents of the texts, the narratives, and the literary tools and strategies, the course will seek to give students both the background necessary for fully comprehending the texts and their cultural and historical nuances as well as the linguistic knowledge and understanding for fully appreciating the literary and language nuances—literary style, techniques, metaphors, symbolism, irony, etc.
The ultimate objective of this course is to open for the students a window through which they can see and interpret the complexity that is and has always been Israeli identity, how this has been conveyed and reflected in its literature, and how this reflects the frequently intertwined and interrelated tensions and conflicts that characterize Israeli society, the labor pains and growing pains of this relatively new nation.
Requirements
Attendance and participation in class on regular basis are important
components of the final grade. Written papers are assigned each
session. Papers should be posted on the Learn@UW course space by the
beginning the next class. Late papers will not be accepted.
In addition to regular homework assignments, two in-class assignments,
lecture reports, current issues presentations, and a final essay will
make up the final grade. The final essay must be handed in by 12/15, a
week after our final session. Any paper submitted after the deadline
will not be accepted.
Please Note:
Class starts at 2:30 and students are expected to be on time.
Please inform me of expected lateness or absence ahead of time.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to complete the material
covered in this class and to do the written assignment, which must be
submitted by the beginning of the next class.
Course Grading (this grading scale is approximate
and may be subject to change):
Homework assignments: 35%
Lecture reports: 10%
In-class assignments: 15%
Participation: 15% (participation includes oral class summaries,
current issues presentations, class discussions, and attendance)
Term essay: 25%
Texts: Multi-Dictionary: Bilingual Learner’s
Dictionary or any other up-to-date Hebrew dictionary.
Texts will be available on the Learn@UW course space.
Lectures: You are expected to attend the following lectures and submit a report:
1) Screening of
“Chosen Towns: The Story of Jews in Wisconsin's Small Communities”
Producer: Brad Lichtenstein
Tuesday, September 23rd - 7:30 pm - Memorial Union’s Play Circle
2) The Harry and
Marjorie Tobias Lecture
"The Melting Pot: A Centennial Look Back at Israel Zangwill's
Play"
Professor Meri-Jane Rochelson