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Page 4 The Southern Israelite The Jew In English Literature By Mrs. M. Stephen Schiffer (This paper wan written by Mrs. M. Stephen Schiffer expressly for the Temple Sisterhood arid read at their meeting.) The scope of my subject embraces many fields included in English lit erature and Jewish history, but I have tried to trace as clearly and as concisely as possible the merest out line of the interesting part the Jew has played in English literature as subject and as author. In order to conserve time, it was necessary to omit almost entirely consideration of the history of the Jew in England or discussion of historical, political, bio graphical and scientific literature in which the Jew figures. I have select ed, however, the problem of the treat ment of the Jew in English drama, poetry and fiction from the Middle Ages to modern times, citing for il lustration only those authors and works most familiar. It is apparent that in an examination of Jewish in fluence on English literature through the Bible would mean an exhaustive study of the whole range of literary effort in England. It is to be re membered, however, that the literary world is indebted to the Bible not merely for the form and phrase that are introduced but for the deeper ly ing spirit that permeates the entire range of English thought. 1 wish to mention my appreciation for their assistance in gathering my material to Rabbi Edward N. Cal- isch’s book, “The Jew In English Lit erature”, and to Mr. M. J. Landa’s book, “The Jew In Drama.” It is un fortunate that the time is too limited to quote for you the many humorous incidents and exceedingly interesting biographical details that both books offer. A survey of the millenium of Eng lish literature will disclose two gen eral facts, first that a broad line of demarcation is drawn between the Jews prior to the advent of Jesus of Nazareth and those since that event, and secondly, that the treat ment accorded the Jews of the latter period has been up to within very re cent years antagonistic. The early writ ers were from the clergy, and with them the exaltation of the church was par amount. The Old Testament was the foundation of the church, and they therefore spoke of Moses, Samuel and David with the same reverence they accorded the gospel writers and teachers. But the refusal of the Jews of his own generation to accept Jesus changed completely their condition and position. This is most obvious in the mys tery plays and early religious dramas When incidents in the Old Testament are described, the Jews therein are handled as ordinary human beings. When the Old Testament is passed, however, there is no accusation too horrible to prevent its being given credence and repetition. The first mention of the Jew in English literature struck the keynote of treatment that has been accorded them by so great a majority of Eng lish writers that it may almost be called unanimous. This attitude was one that was neither pleasant for the Jews nor creditable to England. It was one of cruel injustice, of unrea soning antagonism. Few, indeed, were the authors who had any kind words for the unhappy “chosen people.” The first reference is an allusion to them found in Bede’s “Ecclesiastical History” written in 731. It is given simply because it is the first and be cause it has the significance of being a type. This treatment was accorded them in poetry as well, among which are the references to Jews in Chau cer’s Canterbury Tales. The drama may be summed up ir the cycle of Mystery or Miracle Plays, originally the work of the clergy. The Jewish characters drawn from the New Testament are accursed crucifiers of Jesus. They are even made conspicuous by their garb-red hair and beard and a yellow garment. It is not surprising that the populace of the Middle Ages hated the Jews; nor is it surprising that authors, seek ing to reach popular approval in their works, should follow the lines npon which the mind of the people ra.i. in modern times, the Ober-Ammergau Passion Play was censured by num erous critics, because it bas given the modern world only a flashback into the medieval play which was the foul crucible of the stage—Jew. In all parts of Europe where Passion Plays are still performed, the effect is to stimulate anti-Semitism. Strictly speaking, the Jewish con tributions to English literature in this period were nil. This does not signify, however, that there was no literary activity among them. Their writing was done in Hebrew, and their efforts were confined mainly to Biblical commentaries and ethical treatises, since they were deprived of the simplest rights of participation in the national life of the English peo ple. A distinguished figure was that of Abraham Ibn Ezra, scholar and writer, who is particularly notewor thy for the fact that he is the original of Browning’s Rabbi ben Ezra. During the reign of Queen Eliza beth there was a golden age in Eng lish literature. There is no key to the problem as to why the Jew should have been introduced into the litera ture of this age as prominently as he was. What few Jews lived in England did so quietly, and, for the most part in disguise. Marlowe’s play, “The Rich Jew of Malta,” is not his greatest, but owing to the inevitable comparison with the “Merchant of Venice” it has been ac corded a place in literature it would perhaps otherwise not have attained. Barabas, the Jewish character, is an atrocious villain. There are one or two places in the play where Marlowe does touch upon the truth as far as Jews are concerned, but the other in cidents as pictures of Jewish life and character are all false. The drama is a picture of the popular conception of the Jews as it existed in Marlowe’s day. It is an untrue conception, be- H gotten of ignorance and prejudice, [1 and Marlowe helped to strengthen it, for the play was in no small measure the model and motive for the “Mer chant of Venice.” Among the plays of Shakespeare “The Merchant of Venice” is listed as a comedy. It is in reality not a comedy, but a tragedy. It is the tradegy, not of an individual, but of the century- i enduring humiliation and insult to a whole people. The Jews have suffered from many false accusations in the course of their history, but of them all none has been more persistent or more damaging by reason of its pre sentation than the characterization given them by Shakespeare. Through his genius has been given world-wide currency to the conception that Jews are a class of people, of whom a hard hearted and vengeful usurer is the type. Shakespeare, in every probabili ty, did not personally know any Jews well, so that his knowledge could not be the basis of an accurate portrayal of their character. The play was an occasional piece, written at a time ff when public clamor was raised against the Jews. The bitterness of “The Merchant of Venice” is that the vil lainy of Shylock is made to be Jew ish. Shakespeare emphasizes at every evil point Shylock’s race and religion, and makes him as a type of his peo ple. In the Middle Ages all interest was called usury, and money-lending was practically the only means of livelihood permitted to the Jews then. Shylock as a money-lender is a repre sentative of the Jews in the Middle Ages, but Shylock as a rapacious usurer is a conception that is false and unjust. Yet even this is trifling compared with the picture given of him as relentlessly demanding his pound of flesh. Herein the characteri zation is wholly unreal and mislead ing. It is contrary to the history of the Jews and to the whole spirit of j the Jewish religion. In spite of him self, however, Shylock is a figure of tragic power. Shakespeare’s sin was not that he made Shylock, but that he made him a type. The seventeenth century was an eventful one in the history of the Jews in England. It witnessed their readmission into the land; but the agitation began early in the century. Some of the political writings were pro-Jewish with the hope of their con version, but others stamped them as EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT YOUR WATCH - THINK OF / g R fANO SOK\ |EW CLEFTS Let Our Street Clock BeYour Cjuide ~ 107 PEACHTREE ST., N.E. ATLANTA, GA. WE ARE PLEASED To Announce That MR. CARL GOETTINGER Is Now Associated With Our Atlanta Office HIBERNIA SECURITIES CO., INC. 505-510 ATLANTA TRUST CO. BLDG. 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