The Defiant Muse: Hebrew Feminist Poems from Antiquity: A Bilingual Anthology (The Defiant Muse Series) (Hebrew Edition) [Paperback]

Shirley Kaufman (Editor), Galit Hasan-Rokem (Editor), Tamar Hess (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1558612246 | ISBN-13: 978-1558612242 | Publication Date: November 1, 1999

Each bilingual volume in The Defiant Muse series includes 60 to 80 poems by both well-known and rediscovered poets, selected on the basis of their individual merit and as illustrations of the evolution of feminist thought and feeling.

 

Reflecting their own cultural milieus as well as enduring themes, the poets write of love and friendship, revolution and peace, religion, nature, isolation, work, and family. The Dutch, French, German, and Italian volumes represent their respective countries; the Hispanic volume includes poems from the many Spanish-speaking nations; and the Hebrew volume encompasses writing in Hebrew from around the world. The poems are presented in their original languages alongside English translations. Each volume includes an introduction, placing the poetry in historical and aesthetic perspective, and full biographical and bibliographical notes on the poets.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Hebrew (translation)
Original Language: Hebrew --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: The Feminist Press at CUNY (November 1, 1999)
• Language: Hebrew
• ISBN-10: 1558612246
• ISBN-13: 978-1558612242
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #907,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important work, spanning biblical to contemporary poets, November 5, 1999

By 

"francilg" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Defiant Muse: Hebrew Feminist Poems from Antiquity: A Bilingual Anthology (The Defiant Muse Series) (Hebrew Edition) (Paperback)

This is an impressive collection of known works and newly discovered feminist pieces in their original Hebrew and in stunning translations. Biblical and rabbinic literature is culled for feminist voices; midieval literature from around the world is mined; 20th century Hebrew poets, including a good number of current writers, are represented. There are many poems that you'd expect to find in a collection like this, and many that will be new to you. Bravo to the editors, themselves poets and translators, for this landmark contribution to Hebrew feminist literature.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A collection with a long reach, October 27, 2010

By 

Eric Maroney (Trumansburg, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Defiant Muse: Hebrew Feminist Poems from Antiquity: A Bilingual Anthology (The Defiant Muse Series) (Hebrew Edition) (Library Binding)

The Defiant Muse: Hebrew Feminist Poems from Antiquity to the Present, offers just what the title declares. A collection of poems, from the early period of Hebrew to modern times that have some sort of female viewpoint.

This is an anthology, so there is no consistent view of what "feminism" is, nor is there any attempt at a thematic focal point. Rather, the reader weaves his or her way through many voices, finding surprises here and there, and a great range of expression. Except for the fact that these are female voices speaking, we could almost drop the feminist label. If there was not a dominant, male voice in Hebrew poetics, this fine collection could easily be called Hebrew Humanist Poems from Antiquity to the Present.

This is a bi-lingual edition, so the reader with some Hebrew can also take a crack at the originals, and compare them to the final translations.