The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth CenturyWiener, Leo
History
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century
Wiener, Leo
Yiddish literature -- History and criticism
Perez is even less of a popular poet than Frug. He has entirely parted
company with the people. Although he started with the avowed purpose of
aiding his race to a better recognition of itself, yet his talents are
of too high an order, where language, feelings, and thoughts soar far
above the understanding of the masses. He can hardly be properly
appreciated even by those who enjoy the advantages of a fair school
education, not to speak of those who are merely lettered. It is only an
unfortunate accident, the persecutions of the Jews, that has thrown him
into so unpromising a field as that of Judeo-German letters, where to be
great is to be unknown to the world at large and to be subjected to the
jealous attacks of less gifted writers. He could easily gain a
reputation in any other language, should he choose to try for it, but,
like many of his predecessors, he is pursued by the merciless
allurements of the Jewish Muse. Her enchantment is the more powerful on
her devotees since she appears to them only in the garb of their own
weaving. They spend so much work in creating the outer form and
fashioning a poetic diction that they get fascinated by their creative
labor, and stick to their undertaking, even though they have but few
hearers for their utterances.
'Monisch' is the name of the ballad with which Perez made his debut ten
years ago.[66] It is the old story of Satan's recovery of power over the
saint by tempting him with an earthly love. But the setting of the story
is all new and original. The fourth chapter, beginning with
Andersch wollt' mein Lied geklungen
'ch soll far Goim goisch singen,
Nischt far Jüden, nischt Žargon
(My song would sound quite differently, were I to sing to Gentiles
in their language, not to Jews in Jargon)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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