Hebrew Literature in Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine - 17817

Syllabus Modernism meets Zionism: Hebrew literature in Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine - 17817

Last update 14-09-2017

HU Credits: 2

Degree/Cycle: 2nd degree (Master)

Responsible Department: hebrew literature

Academic year: 0

Semester: 2nd Semester

Teaching Languages: Hebrew

Campus: Mt. Scopus

Course/Module Coordinator: Dr. Tamar Hess

Coordinator Email: [email protected]

Coordinator Office Hours: By appointment by mail

Teaching Staff: Dr. Tamar Hess

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Course/Module description: Modern Hebrew literature was deeply engaged in the Zionist settlement project in Ottoman and later in British ruled Mandatory Palestine. Hebrew literature joined the national project in domesticizing the landscape which was new and foreign to most Hebrew authors who were immigrants. However, often canonical Hebrew literature dwelled on the unbridgeable gaps between the immigrant authors and their new home, rather than unite them. Either way the relationship between place and poetry is central to early twentieth century Hebrew literature. This period is also marked by a variety of experimental modernist poetics. This seminar will focus on this specific tension between the aspiration for naturalization and modernist experimental poetics in the poetry and prose of major Hebrew authors such as SY Agnon, Esther Raab, Rachel Bluwstein, Uri Zvi Greenberg, Avraham Shlonsky, Natan Alterman and others. Readings will be available in Hebrew and in translation into English. Discussion will be conducted in English.

Course/Module aims: See below in "Learning outcomes".

Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to: At the end of this course student will be able to describe the relationship between place and poetics in modern Hebrew literature and gain familiarity with major authors in fiction and poetry of Hebrew modernisms in Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine.

Attendance requirements(%): 100

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: Discussion. Students are expected to keep and submit a weekly reading journal.

Course/Module Content: 1. Poetry of the plow: from Tolstoy and Hamsun to Rachel Blauwstein 2. The tradition of writing the land in Modern Hebrew literature (Mapu to Shlonski) 3. Light, sun and heat in Eretz Israel 4. Does a river flow in the Jordan Valley? Water imagery in Modern Hebrew literature 5. The position of native verses immigrant in Hebrew literature 6. Mother, home land, snake: alienation and belonging 7. Utopian visions and everyday life in Modern Hebrew literature

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8. Theology and modernist poetics: Shlonsky to Greenberg 9. Gender and modernist poetics 10. Symbolism and Settlement 11. Expressionism and Settlement 12. City and country: Jaffa, Jerusalem, Kinneret and Yizrael. 13. Blood, earth and sacrifice: Martyrdom and heroism in Hebrew moderinsm 14. Does modern Hebrew poetry pledge allegiance?

Required Reading: Please check back for this list in October

Additional Reading Material:

Course/Module evaluation: End of year written/oral examination 0 % Presentation 20 % Participation in Tutorials 30 % Project work 20 % Assignments 0 % Reports 30 % Research project 0 % Quizzes 0 % Other 0 %

Additional information: Discussion in this class will be conducted in English. Texts will be available both in Hebrew and in English translation. Should Everyone in the class prefer switching to Hebrew we will do that.

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