Tradition and fantasy in the tales of Reb Nahman of Bratslav / Ora Wiskind-Elper.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wiskind-Elper, Ora, 1960-

Series:

SUNY series in Judaica

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Naḥman, of Bratslav, 1772-1811.

Naḥman.

Hasidic parables--History and criticism.

Hasidic parables.

Physical Description:

ix, 310 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, [1998]

Summary:

One of the most radically innovative of Hasidic masters, Reb Nahman of Bratslav transformed images and concepts basic to Jewish thought into new and compelling forms. Tradition and Fantasy in the Tales of Reb Nahman of Bratslav uses comparative literary criticism, a range of Hasidic commentary, and original exegesis of the source texts to bring the complex artistry of Reb Nahman's thought to light making it accessible to a wider audience.

Contents:

I. The Poet's Self and the Poem 9

1. The Figure of the Zaddik 11

2. Innovation and Inspiration: Linking Past to Future 23

3. The Approaching Redemption 26

4. Autobiographical Aspects 33

II. Telling Tales; or, The Physics and Metaphysics of Fiction 41

1. The Sanctification of Fiction in Hasidic Tradition 41

2. Adoption of Narrative Elements from Other Genres 50

Folktales 50

Rabbinic Literature 55

3. The Torah as Text and Archetype 56

4. Multifarious "Texts" and Their Symbolic Value 66

III. The Romantic Drama 75

1. Romanticism: A General Definition 76

2. The Romantic Quest 80

3. The Indwelling Life of Nature 84

The Garden 86

Music 90

4. In God's Image He Created Her 103

Metaphors of Motherhood 105

The Shekhinah: From Mourning to Joy 109

IV. The Dimension of the Fantastic 115

1. A Characterization of the Fantastic World 122

The Mythical World and its Evolution 125

Mythopoetic Archetypes 135

Between Past and Future: Nostalgia and Expectation 142

A Definition of the Fantastic as a Literary Genre 148

2. Perception and Deception: Transmutations of Reality within the Tale 150

The Dream Paradigm 151

The Tale Entitled The King's Decree 156

The Dream of the Circle in Hayyei Moharan 161

The Tale Entitled The Lost Princess and the Song of Songs 163

The Tale Entitled Fly and Spider 166

3. Blurring of Boundaries, Shifting Identities 169

Theological Implications: The Kushiya 174

4. Metamorphosis of Imagery 183

Symbol 187

Metaphor 201

Allegory 205

The Tale of Heart and Spring 209

5. The Effect of the Dimension of the Fantastic on the Listener/Reader 219.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-293) and indexes.

ISBN:

0791438139

0791438147

OCLC:

37928439