Drama and Ideology in Modern Israel

by Glenda Abramson

Overview

Many political plays have been written in Israel over the past fifty years, and they are perceived, by audiences and critics, as major interventions in political debate. In this first full-length study Glenda Abramson shows that Israeli drama has been at the center of public controversies on many topics, including the ethical basis of Zionism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the wars and the Holocaust. Hanokh Levin, Yehoshua Sobol, Yosef Mundi and Miriam Kainy are among the playwrights examining Zionism as it affects contemporary Israeli society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521441599
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/10/1998
Pages:	276
Product dimensions:	6.26(w) x 9.29(h) x 0.91(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. The 'Enterprise' and its reinforcement in the drama of the 1950s; 2. Zionism on the stage: years of protest; 3. 'The Israeli-Palestinian War'; 4. Zionism on the stage: Sobol's case; 5. Hero's end; 6. The issue of religion; 7. The political uses of the Holocaust; 8. The Holocaust as political analogy; 9. Metaphor and mythology; 10. The vision of Hanokh Levin; Afterword; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"Critically balanced and rich in textual readings, this is a valuable guide to the intricate nature of political theater." Choice

"...a good introduction for non-Israelis to one of the most active and engaging theatrical scenes today, as well as a rare opportunity to see ourselves through the critical (but loving) eyes of Abramson." Shimon Levy, Comparative Drama

"Abramson's book...will be an important addition to this growing body of work, providing readers with glimpses of the numerous playwrights at work today in Israel and the contours of their politically-driven theatre." Essays in Theatre

"This study displays the author's admirable command of the nuances of dramatic expression and the subtleties of shifting ideological and political currents in modern Israel." u Hebrew Studies

"Drama and Ideology is an important book to English readers interested in Israeli culture and its historical transmutations...This is a comprehensive and clearly written book intended for students of the theater...Abramson's book presents a picture of a uniquely dynamic and problematic national theatre which certainly deserves a central place in the study of theater at large." Shofar Spring 2001

From the Publisher