The Renascence of Hebrew Literature (1743-1885)

A scholarly survey traces the revival and development of modern Hebrew literature from the mid-18th to the late-19th century, examining regional movements, major authors, genres, and ideological conflicts. It follows early revitalizers, the Enlightenment-influenced maskilim, romantic and realist currents, and contributions across Italy, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Russia, and discusses debates with rabbinic authority, emancipation, nationalism, periodicals, and the novel. The study analyzes literary aims, stylistic evolution, and social contexts that fostered a modern Hebrew idiom, highlighting tensions between tradition and modernity, the language's transformation into a vehicle for secular and national consciousness, and the institutions and obstacles shaping its growth.