Anti-Semitic Stereotypes: A Paradigm of Otherness in English Popular Culture, 1660-1830

by Frank Felsenstein

Overview

In Anti-Semitic Stereotypes, Felsenstein focuses on English cultural attitudes toward Jews during what is known as the "longer" eighteenth century, from roughly 1660 through 1830. He describes the persistence through the period of certain negative biases that, in many cases, can be traced back at least to the late Middle Ages. Felsenstein finds evidence of these biases in a wide range of primary sources—chapbooks, ephemeral pamphlets, tracts, jest books, prints, folklore, proverbial expressions, and so on, as well as in the products of higher culture. With the advent of the nineteenth century, however, he sees a gradual development of more liberal attitudes in English society, "inchmeal evidence of the loosening hold upon the collective imagination of medieval beliefs concerning the Jews."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801861796
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	03/19/1999
Series:	Johns Hopkins Jewish Studies
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Frank Felsenstein was a reader in Eighteenth-Century Studies at the University of Leeds and is now Yeshiva College Director of the Honors Program at Yeshiva University, New York. He is the author of Anti-Semitic Stereotypes, also available from Johns Hopkins.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Chronology
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1. Stereotypes
Chapter 2. Jews and Devils
Chapter 3. Following Readmission: Evolving Stereotypes
Chapter 4. Wandering Jew, Vagabond Jews
Chapter 5. Conversion
Chapter 6. Ceremonies
Chapter 7. "Ev'ry child hates Shylock"
Chapter 8. The Jew Bill
Chapter 9. Toward Emancipation
Epilogue
Notes
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Intelligent and informative. Two aspects are especially valuable. [Felsenstein] makes more extensive use than previous writers of ephemeral literature—tracts, periodicals, chapbooks, sermons, and so forth; and he analyses pictorial evidence, which in practice means satirical prints, with as much care as the written word.
—John Gross, Times Literary Supplement

Felsenstein's book shows just how widespread and persistent . . . stereotyping was and makes available for further analysis a considerable amount of new information, especially pictorial evidence, which he analyzes brilliantly.
—James Shapiro, Shakespeare Quarterly

Felsenstein's enormously absorbing, fluent yet provocative study ultimately questions the defeat of the image of Jewish 'Otherness' . . . If the traditional Whig version of history would point towards the triumph of a cosy English tolerance, Felsenstein's study provides powerful support to those scholars of minorities in Britain who would point to the persistence of prejudice.
—Mark Levene, Notes and Queries

A luminous and scholarly survey of a familiar subject from a fresh perspective.
—Michael Shinagel, The Age of Johnson

An excellent example of intelligent, learned, and informative cultural history.
—Vincent Carretta, Albion

From the Publisher

Felsenstein's book shows just how widespread and persistent . . . stereotyping was and makes available for further analysis a considerable amount of new information, especially pictorial evidence, which he analyzes brilliantly.

Shakespeare Quarterly - James Shapiro

Felsenstein's enormously absorbing, fluent yet provocative study ultimately questions the defeat of the image of Jewish 'Otherness' . . . If the traditional Whig version of history would point towards the triumph of a cosy English tolerance, Felsenstein's study provides powerful support to those scholars of minorities in Britain who would point to the persistence of prejudice.

Notes and Queries - Mark Levene

A luminous and scholarly survey of a familiar subject from a fresh perspective.

The Age of Johnson - Michael Shinagel

An excellent example of intelligent, learned, and informative cultural history.

Albion - Vincent Carretta

Intelligent and informative. Two aspects are especially valuable. [Felsenstein] makes more extensive use than previous writers of ephemeral literature—tracts, periodicals, chapbooks, sermons, and so forth; and he analyses pictorial evidence, which in practice means satirical prints, with as much care as the written word.

Times Literary Supplement - John Gross

An excellent example of intelligent, learned, and informative cultural history.

— Vincent Carretta

Albion

A luminous and scholarly survey of a familiar subject from a fresh perspective.

— Michael Shinagel

The Age of Johnson

Felsenstein's enormously absorbing, fluent yet provocative study ultimately questions the defeat of the image of Jewish 'Otherness'... If the traditional Whig version of history would point towards the triumph of a cosy English tolerance, Felsenstein's study provides powerful support to those scholars of minorities in Britain who would point to the persistence of prejudice.

— Mark Levene

Notes and Queries

Felsenstein's book shows just how widespread and persistent... stereotyping was and makes available for further analysis a considerable amount of new information, especially pictorial evidence, which he analyzes brilliantly.

— James Shapiro

Shakespeare Quarterly

Intelligent and informative. Two aspects are especially valuable. [Felsenstein] makes more extensive use than previous writers of ephemeral literature—tracts, periodicals, chapbooks, sermons, and so forth; and he analyses pictorial evidence, which in practice means satirical prints, with as much care as the written word.

— John Gross

Times Literary Supplement

A luminous and scholarly survey of a familiar subject from a fresh perspective.

— Michael Shinagel

The Age of Johnson

Felsenstein's book shows just how widespread and persistent... stereotyping was and makes available for further analysis a considerable amount of new information, especially pictorial evidence, which he analyzes brilliantly.

— James Shapiro

Shakespeare Quarterly

Intelligent and informative. Two aspects are especially valuable. [Felsenstein] makes more extensive use than previous writers of ephemeral literature—tracts, periodicals, chapbooks, sermons, and so forth; and he analyses pictorial evidence, which in practice means satirical prints, with as much care as the written word.

— John Gross

Times Literary Supplement