SOAS University of London

Department of the Languages and Cultures of the Near and Middle East

The Origins of Modern Hebrew Poetry

Module Code:
155901280
Status:
Module Not Running 2019/2020
Credits:
15
FHEQ Level:
5
Taught in:
Term 1
The module introduces students to the poetry of the Hebrew Haskalah in Europe and its evolution in Palestine over the next century, and will concentrate on the poetry of the twentieth century from C. N. Bialik to the 1970s. At the end of the module students should be able to read modern Hebrew poetry and have a sound grasp of the literary, social and historical context.

Prerequisites

Successful completion of Intensive Modern Hebrew or achievement of a comparable standard.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

The objectives of the module will be to introduce the student to the poetry of the Hebrew Haskalah in Europe and its evolution in Palestine over the next century.

At the end of the module the student should be able to read modern Hebrew poetry and should have a sound grasp of the literary, social and historical context of the literature.

Workload

Two hours per week over eleven weeks.

Method of assessment

One two-hour written paper in May/June (80%); one 2500-word essay to be submitted on the first day of Term 3 (20%).

Suggested reading

  • Abrahamson, G.: The Writing of Yehuda Amichai
  • Burnshaw, Carmi and Spicehandler: The Modern Hebrew Poem Itself. Harvard UP, 1991
  • Carmi, T.: Hebrew Verse. Penguin
  • Bargad and Chyet: Israeli Poetry
  • Aberbach, D.: Bialik. 1988
  • Birman, Abraham: An Anthology of Modern Hebrew Poetry
  • Mintz, Ruth Finer (ed.): Modern Hebrew Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology

Disclaimer

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules