The Haskalah : a cultural response to anti-semitism in Eastern Europe 1840-1920
This thesis examines the inter-relationship between the Haskalah and anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe in the period 1840-1920, a focus which it will be argued has been ignored or understated in recent literature. This dynamic inter-relationship produced a cultural response which ushered in a new sense of Jewish identity. This cultural response assumed two dimensions, the analysis of which constitutes the core of this thesis. The first dimension will be explored in the political, the linguistic and the literary domains of the Haskalah. Using close textual analysis of selected Haskalah writers and adopting an inter-disciplinary focus consistent with the methodology of the history of ideas, within all three cultural domains a response to anti-Semitism can be detected in firstly the political domain in which the growth of Jewish nationalism developed into Zionism; secondly, in the linguistic domain resulting in the revival and rebirth of Hebrew and Yiddish; and thirdly, in the literary domain in which new forms of literature and poetry helped to transform attitudes towards modem Jewish identity. The second dimension represents the shift from invisibility to visibility, from assimilation to uniqueness which occurred
Priest, Annie
History
The Haskalah : a cultural response to anti-semitism in Eastern Europe 1840-1920. This thesis examines the inter-relationship between the Haskalah and anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe in the period 1840-1920, a focus which it will be argued has been ignored or understated in recent literature. This dynamic inter-relationship produced a cultural response which ushered in a new sense of Jewish identity. This cultural response assumed two dimensions, the analysis of which constitutes the core of this thesis. The first dimension will be explored in the political, the linguistic and the literary domains of the Haskalah. Using close textual analysis of selected Haskalah writers and adopting an inter-disciplinary focus consistent with the methodology of the history of ideas, within all three cultural domains a response to anti-Semitism can be detected in firstly the political domain in which the growth of Jewish nationalism developed into Zionism; secondly, in the linguistic domain resulting in the revival and rebirth of Hebrew and Yiddish; and thirdly, in the literary domain in which new forms of literature and poetry helped to transform attitudes towards modem Jewish identity. The second dimension represents the shift from invisibility to visibility, from assimilation to uniqueness which occurred
cultural response anti_semitism eastern_europe examines inter_relationship anti eastern_europe period focus argue ignore recent_literature dynamic inter_relationship produce cultural response new sense jewish_identity cultural response assume dimension analysis constitutes core_thesis first dimension explore political linguistic literary domain using close_textual analysis_select writer adopt inter_disciplinary focus consistent history_idea within cultural domain response anti_semitism detect firstly political domain growth jewish nationalism develop secondly linguistic domain result revival rebirth hebrew thirdly literary domain new_form literature poetry help transform attitude_towards modem jewish_identity second dimension represent shift invisibility visibility assimilation uniqueness occur