Danielle Gurevitch - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
רשימת פרסומים
פרסומים שפיטים
ספרים (עורכת):
עם שתי הרגלים עמוק בעננים: על פנטסיה בספרות העברית, מבוא ועריכה מדעית, בשיתוף עם הגר ינאי, הוצאת גרף ומכון "הקשרים", אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון. 2009. 325 עמ'
עורכת ראשית:
With Both Feet in the Clouds: Fantasy in Israeli Literature, Chief Editor (co-editor, Prof. Elana Gomel), Graff Publishing House and Academic Press, Brighton, MA 2012 (in English).
מאמרים ופרקים בספרים:
1. "The Weasel, The Rose and Life after Death: Representations of Medieval Physiology in Marie de France's Eliduc," in: Restoring the Mystery of the Rainbow: Literature's reflection of Science, eds C.C. Barfoot and Valeria Tinkler-Villani, Amsterdam and New York: Rodopi. 2011. p. 209-224.
2. "הפנטסיה מהי?" בספר: עם שתי הרגליים עמוק בעננים: על פנטסיה בספרות העברית, הוצאת גראף ומכון "הקשרים," אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון. 2009. עמ' 28-13.
3 "מלכות דוד באגדות המלך ארתור," בספר: עם שתי הרגליים עמוק בעננים: על פנטסיה בספרות העברית, הוצאת גראף ומכון "הקשרים," אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון. 2009. עמ' 250-222.
4. Curia Regis": ממגבלות הצדק המשפטי אל אופקי הצדק הרגשי בחצר המלך ארתור," בשיתוף עם טובי ביברינג, בספר: צדק שלי צדק שלך: צדק בין תרבויות, בעריכת פרופ' ידידיה שטרן, מרכז זלמן שזר, ירושלים ואוניברסיטת ברנדייס, מסצ'וסטס. תש"ע. עמ' 420-391.
5. “Fantastic Literature at the Beginning of the Third Millennium: Terror, Religion, and the Hogwarts Syndrome,” Through the Looking Glass, issue 3 of volume 16, October, 2012
6. "What is Fantasy?" In: With Both Feet in the Clouds: Fantasy in Israeli Literature, Danielle Gurevitch, Chief Editor, Prof. Elana Gomel co-editor, Graff Publishing House and Academic Press, Brighton, MA August 2012 (in English).
7. "May He Come in Haste: Urban Fantasy in Soothsayer by Asaf Ashery" In: With Both Feet in the Clouds: Fantasy in Israeli Literature, Danielle Gurevitch, Chief Editor, Prof. Elana Gomel co-editor, Graff Publishing House and Academic Press, Brighton, MA August 2012 (in English).
מאמרים בכתבי עת:
1. "פואטיקה היסטורית או (imagi)nation: צדק פואטי בשרות המונרכיה – על אגדות המלך ארתור ככלי מדיני בשושלות פלנטג'נט וטיודור," בקורת ופרשנות 43, 2011. עמ' 357- 382.
2. "Analytical-Psychology approach to the love-hate relationship between King Arthur and Morgan Le Fay in Malory's 'Le Mort D'arthur'," Mirator, University of Jyväsklä, Finland. October 2005 (online Journal). 17 pages.
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Papers by Danielle Gurevitch
Male authors venerating mothers surviving trauma to advocate for peace: a comparative reading of Big Breasts and Wide Hips and To the End of the Land
Israel Affairs, 2025
As works describing the greatness of mothers, Mo Yan’s Big Breasts and Wide Hips (2001) and David... more As works describing the greatness of mothers, Mo Yan’s Big Breasts and Wide Hips (2001) and David Grossman’s To the End of the Land (2008) have much in common: both are written by male authors; both create an image of mothers associated with fortitude, courage, and resolution; both present protagonists in the context of war; and both narrate national-state history through personal and family narratives. Drawing on Ruddick’s contribution on the connection between women and nonviolence and between men and violence, we conclude that by venerating mothers, the two writers can effectively express their striving for peace and social stability without directly engaging in political writing. The narratives of selfless mothers enduring traumatic experiences is designed to foster readers’ empathy and, by extension, to advocate harmony among nations; at the same time, the land, like maternal love, is depicted as providing an effective way to avoid violence.
Folklore, 2025
This article explores cultural aspects regarding marital dynamics within the context of a Jewish ... more This article explores cultural aspects regarding marital dynamics within the context of a Jewish tale published in Basel in 1602. In dissecting the intricate themes of guilt, shame, and cultural gender distrust portrayed within the narrative, the article offers a nuanced perspective on these socio-cultural constructs. The story focuses on the heroic exploits of a respected rabbi whose malevolent wife turns him into a werewolf. However, the representation of the relationship between men and women in the story is largely onesided. Consequently, this study argues that this metamorphic story can be perceived as an intentional form of literary expression that depicts typical patterns of a male-centric society and highlights the direct relationship between women's voices being suppressed and patriarchal control systems that silence them. This article presents a fresh and original examination of the complexities inherent in cultural perceptions of marital dynamics.
Israel Affairs, 2024
This article offers a nuanced understanding of novelist Yoram Kaniuk’s national ideology as a rep... more This article offers a nuanced understanding of novelist Yoram Kaniuk’s national ideology as a representative of a generation, as well as unveils personal, untreated trauma as reflected in his writing. By way of doing so, it employs two research approaches: a literary speculative fiction interpretation examined through a lens of alternative history, and a cultural sociology perspective based on the concepts of ‘Imagined Communities’ and ‘Liquid Modernity’. On a broader level, his novel Scums portrays the deep disillusionment and disappointment experienced by veterans of Israel’s founding generation, who felt abandoned by their successors and betrayed by their values. On a personal level, Kaniuk’s writing reflects military flashbacks that significantly impacted his post-traumatic state of mind, which in turn influenced the way he perceived, described, and interpreted the historical fragments of his generation. Considering Kaniuk’s discomfort in discussing issues that deeply concerned him, he found solace and liberation through the medium of writing, which enabled him to express his thoughts and emotions, shouting them onto the page, unburdening himself, and making sense of his experiences. Thus, by writing in an unapologetic and candid manner, Kaniuk navigated the complexities of his inner world and external challenges, embracing his own truth and carving out a place for himself to be heard.
Acceptance and perception of multimodal expression of Israeli-Jewish culture in China: ‘The Realist’ comic strip as a case study
Israel affairs, 2023
This article analyzes the acceptance and perception of Israeli-Jewish culture in China through Ch... more This article analyzes the acceptance and perception of Israeli-Jewish culture in China through Chinese translation of ‘The Realist’. It points that most topics Chinese readers could interpret are those shared as general common sense or used in common terminology in all semiotic modes. However, the Israeli-Jewish tradition, literacy and specific practices remained unrecognised for the most part. It argues that the translator’s mediation of comic texts is grounded in processes of multimodal analysis that facilitates comprehension of whether and how a message is understood in a certain context. The translator has the task of making up the target readers’ contextual deficiency.
The reception of contemporary Israeli literature in China: the case of Etgar Keret
Israel Affairs, 2023
In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in... more In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in Western academic circles over the past decade, supported by traditional antisemitic conspiracy tropes, Chinese academia, encouraged by government support for translation and publication of Israeli literature, has consistently expanded the opportunities for studying Israeli literature. This article analyzes the reception of Jewish and Israeli literature in China today, principally through assessment of the popularity of the writings of Etgar Keret, a contemporary writer well-known for his surrealist and sardonic writing style grounded in the hard realities of daily life in Israel. It will demonstrate a positive approach to contemporary Israeli literature in mainland Chinese universities and assess the reasons for it.
Katharsis, 2023
"Shaolin" raises an interdisciplinary fundamental question, which the author discusses only in th... more "Shaolin" raises an interdisciplinary fundamental question, which the author discusses only in the final pages of his work, regarding the considerations of the ruling Communist party towards Chinese martial Arts. The author acknowledges that this end point marks are the beginning of a crucial interdisciplinary inquiry. In this review, I address two principal issues. Firstly, what motivates the ruling party to allocate substantial financial resources to restore and promote martial arts as a valuable asset of the Chinese people. I contend that in contemporary times, the symbolic significance of Shaolin as a representation of the kung fu system serves as a strategic means for the government to shape a Chinese national identity. Furthermore, I argue that the government views it as a political asset to leverage in the international diplomatic arena (soft power). The second part of my discussion delves into the socio-philosophical realm. Here, I explore the "Shaolin legend" and demonstrate how it captures the intricacies of the human experience. Teaches us about the storytellers' ability to identify the essence of the soul's desires in the collective popular thinking, and to create from them a life-changing reality.
With Both Feet on the Clouds, 2013
In the collective memory of the Jewish people, the Prophet Elijah is a revered mystical figure. A... more In the collective memory of the Jewish people, the Prophet Elijah is a revered mystical figure. A compassionate man, he appears magically to help those in need and rescue people from the jews of death. In Asaf Ashery's fantasy novel Soothsayer (2008), how ever Elijah is conceived very differenly from his traditional Jewish characterizations. Aiming to question belief and false belief that has grown to mythological proportions.
What is Fantasy?
With Both Feet on the Clouds
Fantasy literature uses poetic means to examine the limits of the possible. Although characterize... more Fantasy literature uses poetic means to examine the limits of the possible. Although characterized by vision and rich imagination, it is not detached from reality: fantasy must begin with individuals and the world around them.1 In ancient times, mythic consciousness helped people to understand their pasts, the circumstances of their lives, and their fates, and it was from this mythic consciousness that the literature of fantasy2 developed hundreds of years later. However, while in the ancient world myth (Μύθος) aspired to describe a concrete and enduring reality, fantasy as we understand it today is essentially fiction, and therefore bound neither to the world of phenomena nor to historical truth. Admittedly, fantasy stories in contemporary literature tend to deal with existential questions, but they are mainly issues of freedom of thought, such as, how much are human beings capable of directing or controlling space and time, of changing or bending the laws of nature to their will, of independently determining their fate, of striving for achievement, of dreaming dreams, or of fulfilling secret wishes.
Symbolism and fantasy of the biblical Leviathan : from monster of the Abyss to redeemer of the prophets
The legendary biblical monster of the deep known as Leviathan was part and parcel of the destruct... more The legendary biblical monster of the deep known as Leviathan was part and parcel of the destructive forces that sought to annihilate the world. Yet, according to another popular Jewish belief, a similar sea creature is associated with the spiritual idea of repentance and rebirth. This article examines the Leviathan/whale image and its cultural depiction in ancient Jewish literature, as well as its influence on medieval Christianity. I contend that the roots of the Leviathan image in western society grew and spread over the centuries, becoming an integral part of traditional lore, as well as religious ethos, in different cultures. Each society depicted the legendary creature in a distinct manner in response to its own collective primal fears, kneading it into a source of strength and hope in times of anguish. In other words, this paper attempts to demonstrate that the image of the giant monster ultimately serves as a source of strength and consolation, whether it is defeated (as in ancient pagan civilizations), controlled (as in Judaism), or brandished as a threat of punishment for sinners (as in Christianity).
聖書のレビヤタンのシンボリズムとファンタジー : アビスの怪物から預言者たちの救済者まで
With Both Feet on the Clouds
The ending in Sir Gawain is the climax of the hero's drama over a full annual cycle, in which... more The ending in Sir Gawain is the climax of the hero's drama over a full annual cycle, in which he encounters a variety of strange characters, some of whom wish to harm him and others to help him. I claim that the plot presents an ordered system of cultural symbols and clear archetypal substructures by means of which the anonymous author describes the trials and tribulations of the adolescent boy. I will employ for this purpose Jungian psychologist Esther Harding's model that appears in her book The I and the Not-I. I claim that the plot demonstrates how an individual progresses from a self-focused ego to a mature, responsible existence in harmony with both nature and culture. The Fathers the Mothers and the Son On a snowy, stormy day, at sunrise, having received the gift of the green girdle from his host's wife, Gawain sets out with a heavy heart for his encounter in the Green Chapel with the Green Knight. The guide that the lord of the castle has placed at his disposal a...
Fantastic Literature at the Beginning of the Third Millennium: Terror, Religion, and the Hogwarts Syndrome
The Looking Glass New Perspectives on Children S Literature, Jun 28, 2013
The seven books in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, published consecutively over a nine-y... more The seven books in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, published consecutively over a nine-year period, have achieved unprecedented commercial success. Given the heterogeneity of Harry Potter enthusiasts, it seems as if the whole world has been captivated by the charm of the bespectacled wizard. This article suggests that Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Sorcery trains its students to be leaders, equipping them with the necessary skills by means of pedagogical methods that reflect contemporary, non-magical, progressive Western education systems. For the construction of her plots, Rowling draws on a universal, value-oriented symbolic language (reason and ethics) associated with the cultural codes of New Spiritualism.
Israel Affairs, 2023
In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in... more In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in Western academic circles over the past decade, supported by traditional antisemitic conspiracy tropes, Chinese academia, encouraged by government support for translation and publication of Israeli literature, has consistently expanded the opportunities for studying Israeli literature. This article analyzes the reception of Jewish and Israeli literature in China today, principally through assessment of the popularity of the writings of Etgar Keret, a contemporary writer well-known for his surrealist and sardonic writing style grounded in the hard realities of daily life in Israel. It will demonstrate a positive approach to contemporary Israeli literature in mainland Chinese universities and assess the reasons for it.
Nahon-Journal for Utopia and Dystopia (6), 2021
ההתדרדרות הכלכלית, מדינית, אידיאולוגית ומערכת הבריאות הקורסת תחת העול נקלטו על ידי הומניסטים אשר ... more ההתדרדרות הכלכלית, מדינית, אידיאולוגית ומערכת הבריאות הקורסת תחת העול נקלטו על ידי הומניסטים אשר בחושיבם החדים זיהו את הרעות החולות של החברה וידעו להצביע שנים קודם לכן על התהום הגלובלי לקראתו צועדת החברה בעיוורון. המאמר מגדיר וסוקר את סגנון הכתיבה הייחודי ומספק דוגמאות מייצגות ממנו.
המאמר מבקש לעמוד על ייצוגים ספרותיים של משפט וצדק כפי שהם באים לידי ביטוי בשני סיפורים קצרים מסוף... more המאמר מבקש לעמוד על ייצוגים ספרותיים של משפט וצדק כפי שהם באים לידי ביטוי בשני סיפורים קצרים מסוף המאה ה-12 תחילת המאה ה-13. תקופה זו זכורה בהיסטוריה כנקודת מפנה דרמטית בכל הנוגע לסוגיות של רפורמה משפטית, ובכללן פסיקות של דין צדק, חוקה ומשפט.
בחיבור זה ייבחן סוד נצחיותה של המלך ארתור כדמות אלמותית. אבקש לטעון כי הדמיון שמוצא צ'רצ'יל בין ... more בחיבור זה ייבחן סוד נצחיותה של המלך ארתור כדמות אלמותית. אבקש לטעון כי הדמיון שמוצא צ'רצ'יל בין דוד המלך התנ"כי לבין אגדות המלך ארתור אינו מקרי, אלא פועל יוצא של מעשה מתוזמן היטב של כרוניקאי מחושב. כיון שהיה מעורה היטב בהנהגה הפוליטית והכנסייתית, השכיל מחבר הכרוניקה אודות המלך ארתור, ג'אופרי ממונמוט' לשבץ באותן כרוניקות מעורפלות וסותרות אודות המלך-שלא-מלך, את תקופת מלכותו של דוד כפי שהיא מתוארת מספר שמואל א' ועד לספר מלכים א' ובספר תהילים. למאפייני המלך ארתור האגדי כמו לדוד המלך המקראי, תכונות משותפות רבות עוצמה המעצבות זהות קהילתית ובראשם תכונות של מנהיג ממלכתי שביכולתו להביא את עמו לתקופה של "תור הזהב" גאווה לאומית, סדר שלטוני, שפע ורווחה, שלום וצדק.
החיבור בא בהמשך למאמרי הקודם שעסק בתפיסת הצדק הפואטי ככלי מדיני והתמקד בתרומתו של המיתוס לחיזוק מעמדם של המלכים באנגליה. בחיבור זה, בכוונתי להוכיח כי הפופולאריות הרבה של המלך ארתור, לא רק הועילה למלכים מונרכיים למצב את תקפות מעמדם האבסולוטי, כמי שראויים לכתר מתוקף היותם נבחרי האל (הנבחר שלא נבחר), אלא יתרה כך, קיבעה בחצרות המלכים את אב-הטיפוס של דיוקן המלך האולטימטיבי.
ספרות פנטסיה היא אמצעי פואטי לבחינת גבולות האפשרי מתוך אמונה בסדר תכליתי. באמצעותה מארגן האדם את ... more ספרות פנטסיה היא אמצעי פואטי לבחינת גבולות האפשרי מתוך אמונה בסדר תכליתי. באמצעותה מארגן האדם את מחשבותיו בתחום שמעבר למוכר, ותחומי "המוכר" לעולם נותרים יחסיים מכיון שהשאלה מה "מוכר" ומה "ידוע", מהי "בחירה" ומהו "רצון חופשי" משתנים מעת לעת וממקום למקום. המאמר מגדיר את הסוגת הפנטסיה בהקשר של ספרות פנטסיה בתרבות הישראלית לאחר קום המדינה ובתרבות היהודית שקדמה לה
This chapter examines the links between Israeli reality and its representations in contemporary f... more This chapter examines the links between Israeli reality and its representations in contemporary fantastic/surreal literature. Moreover, it portrays the attitude of the Israeli reader toward this seemingly new genre, and asks whether a profile of Israeli DNA can be drawn from it. My aim is to look at examples of the genre and question its purpose: does it strive to reflect fantastic beliefs and imaginary dreams beyond the limits of reality, or to do precisely the opposite, to use the tools of literary fantasy to expose naked reality and the concerns of the present with a pointed and intense directness?
A Gnostic, apocalyptic vision, which was until recently shared by only a small number of science ... more A Gnostic, apocalyptic vision, which was until recently shared by only a small number of science fiction enthusiasts, is suddenly replacing Realpolitik, thus expressing the current socio-cultural climate. Danielle Gurevitch analyzes the semantics of images, which blurs the collective consciousness, and the moral and political aspects related to it.
Male authors venerating mothers surviving trauma to advocate for peace: a comparative reading of Big Breasts and Wide Hips and To the End of the Land
Israel Affairs, 2025
As works describing the greatness of mothers, Mo Yan’s Big Breasts and Wide Hips (2001) and David... more As works describing the greatness of mothers, Mo Yan’s Big Breasts and Wide Hips (2001) and David Grossman’s To the End of the Land (2008) have much in common: both are written by male authors; both create an image of mothers associated with fortitude, courage, and resolution; both present protagonists in the context of war; and both narrate national-state history through personal and family narratives. Drawing on Ruddick’s contribution on the connection between women and nonviolence and between men and violence, we conclude that by venerating mothers, the two writers can effectively express their striving for peace and social stability without directly engaging in political writing. The narratives of selfless mothers enduring traumatic experiences is designed to foster readers’ empathy and, by extension, to advocate harmony among nations; at the same time, the land, like maternal love, is depicted as providing an effective way to avoid violence.
Folklore, 2025
This article explores cultural aspects regarding marital dynamics within the context of a Jewish ... more This article explores cultural aspects regarding marital dynamics within the context of a Jewish tale published in Basel in 1602. In dissecting the intricate themes of guilt, shame, and cultural gender distrust portrayed within the narrative, the article offers a nuanced perspective on these socio-cultural constructs. The story focuses on the heroic exploits of a respected rabbi whose malevolent wife turns him into a werewolf. However, the representation of the relationship between men and women in the story is largely onesided. Consequently, this study argues that this metamorphic story can be perceived as an intentional form of literary expression that depicts typical patterns of a male-centric society and highlights the direct relationship between women's voices being suppressed and patriarchal control systems that silence them. This article presents a fresh and original examination of the complexities inherent in cultural perceptions of marital dynamics.
Israel Affairs, 2024
This article offers a nuanced understanding of novelist Yoram Kaniuk’s national ideology as a rep... more This article offers a nuanced understanding of novelist Yoram Kaniuk’s national ideology as a representative of a generation, as well as unveils personal, untreated trauma as reflected in his writing. By way of doing so, it employs two research approaches: a literary speculative fiction interpretation examined through a lens of alternative history, and a cultural sociology perspective based on the concepts of ‘Imagined Communities’ and ‘Liquid Modernity’. On a broader level, his novel Scums portrays the deep disillusionment and disappointment experienced by veterans of Israel’s founding generation, who felt abandoned by their successors and betrayed by their values. On a personal level, Kaniuk’s writing reflects military flashbacks that significantly impacted his post-traumatic state of mind, which in turn influenced the way he perceived, described, and interpreted the historical fragments of his generation. Considering Kaniuk’s discomfort in discussing issues that deeply concerned him, he found solace and liberation through the medium of writing, which enabled him to express his thoughts and emotions, shouting them onto the page, unburdening himself, and making sense of his experiences. Thus, by writing in an unapologetic and candid manner, Kaniuk navigated the complexities of his inner world and external challenges, embracing his own truth and carving out a place for himself to be heard.
Acceptance and perception of multimodal expression of Israeli-Jewish culture in China: ‘The Realist’ comic strip as a case study
Israel affairs, 2023
This article analyzes the acceptance and perception of Israeli-Jewish culture in China through Ch... more This article analyzes the acceptance and perception of Israeli-Jewish culture in China through Chinese translation of ‘The Realist’. It points that most topics Chinese readers could interpret are those shared as general common sense or used in common terminology in all semiotic modes. However, the Israeli-Jewish tradition, literacy and specific practices remained unrecognised for the most part. It argues that the translator’s mediation of comic texts is grounded in processes of multimodal analysis that facilitates comprehension of whether and how a message is understood in a certain context. The translator has the task of making up the target readers’ contextual deficiency.
The reception of contemporary Israeli literature in China: the case of Etgar Keret
Israel Affairs, 2023
In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in... more In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in Western academic circles over the past decade, supported by traditional antisemitic conspiracy tropes, Chinese academia, encouraged by government support for translation and publication of Israeli literature, has consistently expanded the opportunities for studying Israeli literature. This article analyzes the reception of Jewish and Israeli literature in China today, principally through assessment of the popularity of the writings of Etgar Keret, a contemporary writer well-known for his surrealist and sardonic writing style grounded in the hard realities of daily life in Israel. It will demonstrate a positive approach to contemporary Israeli literature in mainland Chinese universities and assess the reasons for it.
Katharsis, 2023
"Shaolin" raises an interdisciplinary fundamental question, which the author discusses only in th... more "Shaolin" raises an interdisciplinary fundamental question, which the author discusses only in the final pages of his work, regarding the considerations of the ruling Communist party towards Chinese martial Arts. The author acknowledges that this end point marks are the beginning of a crucial interdisciplinary inquiry. In this review, I address two principal issues. Firstly, what motivates the ruling party to allocate substantial financial resources to restore and promote martial arts as a valuable asset of the Chinese people. I contend that in contemporary times, the symbolic significance of Shaolin as a representation of the kung fu system serves as a strategic means for the government to shape a Chinese national identity. Furthermore, I argue that the government views it as a political asset to leverage in the international diplomatic arena (soft power). The second part of my discussion delves into the socio-philosophical realm. Here, I explore the "Shaolin legend" and demonstrate how it captures the intricacies of the human experience. Teaches us about the storytellers' ability to identify the essence of the soul's desires in the collective popular thinking, and to create from them a life-changing reality.
With Both Feet on the Clouds, 2013
In the collective memory of the Jewish people, the Prophet Elijah is a revered mystical figure. A... more In the collective memory of the Jewish people, the Prophet Elijah is a revered mystical figure. A compassionate man, he appears magically to help those in need and rescue people from the jews of death. In Asaf Ashery's fantasy novel Soothsayer (2008), how ever Elijah is conceived very differenly from his traditional Jewish characterizations. Aiming to question belief and false belief that has grown to mythological proportions.
What is Fantasy?
With Both Feet on the Clouds
Fantasy literature uses poetic means to examine the limits of the possible. Although characterize... more Fantasy literature uses poetic means to examine the limits of the possible. Although characterized by vision and rich imagination, it is not detached from reality: fantasy must begin with individuals and the world around them.1 In ancient times, mythic consciousness helped people to understand their pasts, the circumstances of their lives, and their fates, and it was from this mythic consciousness that the literature of fantasy2 developed hundreds of years later. However, while in the ancient world myth (Μύθος) aspired to describe a concrete and enduring reality, fantasy as we understand it today is essentially fiction, and therefore bound neither to the world of phenomena nor to historical truth. Admittedly, fantasy stories in contemporary literature tend to deal with existential questions, but they are mainly issues of freedom of thought, such as, how much are human beings capable of directing or controlling space and time, of changing or bending the laws of nature to their will, of independently determining their fate, of striving for achievement, of dreaming dreams, or of fulfilling secret wishes.
Symbolism and fantasy of the biblical Leviathan : from monster of the Abyss to redeemer of the prophets
The legendary biblical monster of the deep known as Leviathan was part and parcel of the destruct... more The legendary biblical monster of the deep known as Leviathan was part and parcel of the destructive forces that sought to annihilate the world. Yet, according to another popular Jewish belief, a similar sea creature is associated with the spiritual idea of repentance and rebirth. This article examines the Leviathan/whale image and its cultural depiction in ancient Jewish literature, as well as its influence on medieval Christianity. I contend that the roots of the Leviathan image in western society grew and spread over the centuries, becoming an integral part of traditional lore, as well as religious ethos, in different cultures. Each society depicted the legendary creature in a distinct manner in response to its own collective primal fears, kneading it into a source of strength and hope in times of anguish. In other words, this paper attempts to demonstrate that the image of the giant monster ultimately serves as a source of strength and consolation, whether it is defeated (as in ancient pagan civilizations), controlled (as in Judaism), or brandished as a threat of punishment for sinners (as in Christianity).
聖書のレビヤタンのシンボリズムとファンタジー : アビスの怪物から預言者たちの救済者まで
With Both Feet on the Clouds
The ending in Sir Gawain is the climax of the hero's drama over a full annual cycle, in which... more The ending in Sir Gawain is the climax of the hero's drama over a full annual cycle, in which he encounters a variety of strange characters, some of whom wish to harm him and others to help him. I claim that the plot presents an ordered system of cultural symbols and clear archetypal substructures by means of which the anonymous author describes the trials and tribulations of the adolescent boy. I will employ for this purpose Jungian psychologist Esther Harding's model that appears in her book The I and the Not-I. I claim that the plot demonstrates how an individual progresses from a self-focused ego to a mature, responsible existence in harmony with both nature and culture. The Fathers the Mothers and the Son On a snowy, stormy day, at sunrise, having received the gift of the green girdle from his host's wife, Gawain sets out with a heavy heart for his encounter in the Green Chapel with the Green Knight. The guide that the lord of the castle has placed at his disposal a...
Fantastic Literature at the Beginning of the Third Millennium: Terror, Religion, and the Hogwarts Syndrome
The Looking Glass New Perspectives on Children S Literature, Jun 28, 2013
The seven books in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, published consecutively over a nine-y... more The seven books in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, published consecutively over a nine-year period, have achieved unprecedented commercial success. Given the heterogeneity of Harry Potter enthusiasts, it seems as if the whole world has been captivated by the charm of the bespectacled wizard. This article suggests that Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Sorcery trains its students to be leaders, equipping them with the necessary skills by means of pedagogical methods that reflect contemporary, non-magical, progressive Western education systems. For the construction of her plots, Rowling draws on a universal, value-oriented symbolic language (reason and ethics) associated with the cultural codes of New Spiritualism.
Israel Affairs, 2023
In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in... more In contrast to the steady increase in discrimination against Jewish and/or Israeli scholarship in Western academic circles over the past decade, supported by traditional antisemitic conspiracy tropes, Chinese academia, encouraged by government support for translation and publication of Israeli literature, has consistently expanded the opportunities for studying Israeli literature. This article analyzes the reception of Jewish and Israeli literature in China today, principally through assessment of the popularity of the writings of Etgar Keret, a contemporary writer well-known for his surrealist and sardonic writing style grounded in the hard realities of daily life in Israel. It will demonstrate a positive approach to contemporary Israeli literature in mainland Chinese universities and assess the reasons for it.
Nahon-Journal for Utopia and Dystopia (6), 2021
ההתדרדרות הכלכלית, מדינית, אידיאולוגית ומערכת הבריאות הקורסת תחת העול נקלטו על ידי הומניסטים אשר ... more ההתדרדרות הכלכלית, מדינית, אידיאולוגית ומערכת הבריאות הקורסת תחת העול נקלטו על ידי הומניסטים אשר בחושיבם החדים זיהו את הרעות החולות של החברה וידעו להצביע שנים קודם לכן על התהום הגלובלי לקראתו צועדת החברה בעיוורון. המאמר מגדיר וסוקר את סגנון הכתיבה הייחודי ומספק דוגמאות מייצגות ממנו.
המאמר מבקש לעמוד על ייצוגים ספרותיים של משפט וצדק כפי שהם באים לידי ביטוי בשני סיפורים קצרים מסוף... more המאמר מבקש לעמוד על ייצוגים ספרותיים של משפט וצדק כפי שהם באים לידי ביטוי בשני סיפורים קצרים מסוף המאה ה-12 תחילת המאה ה-13. תקופה זו זכורה בהיסטוריה כנקודת מפנה דרמטית בכל הנוגע לסוגיות של רפורמה משפטית, ובכללן פסיקות של דין צדק, חוקה ומשפט.
בחיבור זה ייבחן סוד נצחיותה של המלך ארתור כדמות אלמותית. אבקש לטעון כי הדמיון שמוצא צ'רצ'יל בין ... more בחיבור זה ייבחן סוד נצחיותה של המלך ארתור כדמות אלמותית. אבקש לטעון כי הדמיון שמוצא צ'רצ'יל בין דוד המלך התנ"כי לבין אגדות המלך ארתור אינו מקרי, אלא פועל יוצא של מעשה מתוזמן היטב של כרוניקאי מחושב. כיון שהיה מעורה היטב בהנהגה הפוליטית והכנסייתית, השכיל מחבר הכרוניקה אודות המלך ארתור, ג'אופרי ממונמוט' לשבץ באותן כרוניקות מעורפלות וסותרות אודות המלך-שלא-מלך, את תקופת מלכותו של דוד כפי שהיא מתוארת מספר שמואל א' ועד לספר מלכים א' ובספר תהילים. למאפייני המלך ארתור האגדי כמו לדוד המלך המקראי, תכונות משותפות רבות עוצמה המעצבות זהות קהילתית ובראשם תכונות של מנהיג ממלכתי שביכולתו להביא את עמו לתקופה של "תור הזהב" גאווה לאומית, סדר שלטוני, שפע ורווחה, שלום וצדק.
החיבור בא בהמשך למאמרי הקודם שעסק בתפיסת הצדק הפואטי ככלי מדיני והתמקד בתרומתו של המיתוס לחיזוק מעמדם של המלכים באנגליה. בחיבור זה, בכוונתי להוכיח כי הפופולאריות הרבה של המלך ארתור, לא רק הועילה למלכים מונרכיים למצב את תקפות מעמדם האבסולוטי, כמי שראויים לכתר מתוקף היותם נבחרי האל (הנבחר שלא נבחר), אלא יתרה כך, קיבעה בחצרות המלכים את אב-הטיפוס של דיוקן המלך האולטימטיבי.
ספרות פנטסיה היא אמצעי פואטי לבחינת גבולות האפשרי מתוך אמונה בסדר תכליתי. באמצעותה מארגן האדם את ... more ספרות פנטסיה היא אמצעי פואטי לבחינת גבולות האפשרי מתוך אמונה בסדר תכליתי. באמצעותה מארגן האדם את מחשבותיו בתחום שמעבר למוכר, ותחומי "המוכר" לעולם נותרים יחסיים מכיון שהשאלה מה "מוכר" ומה "ידוע", מהי "בחירה" ומהו "רצון חופשי" משתנים מעת לעת וממקום למקום. המאמר מגדיר את הסוגת הפנטסיה בהקשר של ספרות פנטסיה בתרבות הישראלית לאחר קום המדינה ובתרבות היהודית שקדמה לה
This chapter examines the links between Israeli reality and its representations in contemporary f... more This chapter examines the links between Israeli reality and its representations in contemporary fantastic/surreal literature. Moreover, it portrays the attitude of the Israeli reader toward this seemingly new genre, and asks whether a profile of Israeli DNA can be drawn from it. My aim is to look at examples of the genre and question its purpose: does it strive to reflect fantastic beliefs and imaginary dreams beyond the limits of reality, or to do precisely the opposite, to use the tools of literary fantasy to expose naked reality and the concerns of the present with a pointed and intense directness?
A Gnostic, apocalyptic vision, which was until recently shared by only a small number of science ... more A Gnostic, apocalyptic vision, which was until recently shared by only a small number of science fiction enthusiasts, is suddenly replacing Realpolitik, thus expressing the current socio-cultural climate. Danielle Gurevitch analyzes the semantics of images, which blurs the collective consciousness, and the moral and political aspects related to it.
Palgrave Mackmillan, 2023
This handbook is the first-of-its-kind comprehensive overview of fantasy outside the Anglo-Americ... more This handbook is the first-of-its-kind comprehensive overview of fantasy outside the Anglo-American hegemony. While most academic studies of fantasy follow the well-trodden path of focusing on Tolkien, Rowling, and others, our collection spotlights rich and unique fantasy literatures in India, Australia, Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia, China, and many other areas of Europe, Asia, and the global South. The first part focuses on the theoretical aspects of fantasy, broadening and modifying existing definitions to accommodate the global reach of the genre. The second part contains essays illuminating specific cultures, countries, and religious or ethnic traditions. From Aboriginal myths to (self)-representation of Tibet, from the appropriation of the Polish Witcher by the American pop culture to modern Greek fantasy that does not rely on stories of Olympian deities, and from Israeli vampires to Talmudic sages, this collection is an indispensable reading for anyone interested in fantasy fiction and global literature.
Graff Academic; Bar Ilan University, 2020
אבירים מצודדים, עלמות ענוגות, סניורים רכושניים, מלכים מאוהבים, מלכות נקמניות, אנשי־זאב נבגדים ובע... more אבירים מצודדים, עלמות ענוגות, סניורים רכושניים, מלכים מאוהבים, מלכות נקמניות, אנשי־זאב נבגדים ובעלי־כנף המצפינים את סוד האוהבים בין חומות הסוגרות על טירות נישאות. כל אלה שזורים ב־12 סיפורי הרפתקה קצרים (במקור: ליי ברטוני) שחיברה מארי דה פראנס, ראשונת המשוררות הצרפתיות במאה ה־12. וכשם
שזהותם של כמה מגיבורי סיפוריה נותרת עלומה, כך גם
.זהותה של מארי לוט בערפל
Cambridge Scholars Press, 2016
Since the turn of the previous century, science fiction and its native tropes have been used by a... more Since the turn of the previous century, science fiction and its native tropes have been used by authors, artists, filmmakers and critics in order to challenge boundaries – whether these be conceptual, literary or metaphorical. Uniquely inherent to the genre is its ability to explore, as a form of thought experiment, different ways of crossing and subverting borders previously thought to be inviolable; these transgressions and their effects on popular culture have in turn led to an increased presence of science fiction studies in academia.
Academic Press, 2013
(Part 2 to the 2009 Hebrew edition) Why do Israelis dislike fantasy? Put so bluntly, the question... more (Part 2 to the 2009 Hebrew edition) Why do Israelis dislike fantasy? Put so bluntly, the question appears frivolous. But in fact, it goes to the deepest sources of Israeli historical identity and literary tradition. Uniquely among developed nations, Israel’s origin is in a utopian novel, Theodor Herzl’s Altneuland (1902), which predicted the future Jewish state. The Jewish writing in the Diaspora has always tended toward the fantastic, the mystical, and the magical. And yet, from its very inception, Israeli literature has been stubbornly realistic. The present volume challenges this stance. Originally published in Hebrew in 2009, it is the first serious, wide-ranging and theoretically sophisticated exploration of fantasy in Israeli literature and culture. Its contributors jointly attempt to contest the question posed at the beginning: why do Israelis, living in a country whose very existence is predicated on the fulfillment of a utopian dream, distrust fantasy?
Heksherim Institute, Ben Gurion University Press and Graff Publishers, 2009
מדוע לא יורד גשם של דגים בין דפי הספרות הישראלית, ולמה כה מעטות הג'ירפות המיניאטוריות? מדוע הספרו... more מדוע לא יורד גשם של דגים בין דפי הספרות הישראלית, ולמה כה מעטות הג'ירפות המיניאטוריות? מדוע הספרות הנכתבת במדינה עולה על כל דמיון אינה יכולה להרשות לעצמה לעסוק בדברים שלא יעלו על הדעת?
עשרים כותבים – אנשי תרבות, רוח ואקדמיה – בודקים את מקומם של הפנטסיה והדמיון בספרות העברית, ושואלים את עצמם כיצד קרה שעם בעל היסטוריה כה פלאית פיתח טעם ספרותי כמעט בלעדי לריאליזם דיאטטי.
המאמרים משרטטים את החלל שנפער בהיעדר הדמיון, ומנסים להבין מדוע בתהליך בניית התרבות הישראלית יובשו ביצות הדמיון ביחד עם הביצות הממשיות של הארץ. מאידך הם מציעים קצות חוטים למאגר העושר העצום הטמון במקורותינו: רוחות רפאים יהודיות בסיפורים מימי הביניים, עשרת השבטים האבודים המופיעים ביומנים של נוסעי כורסה יִדִיים מהמאה השבע עשרה, מערות מופלאות המהוות שער למישורי הוויה אחרים, מקובלים המתריסים בפניו של השטן.
ספר זה מבקש להיות נדבך בתהליך השבת הדמיון, הפנטסיה, המיתוס, הפולקלור והאגדה ללב הספרות הישראלית העכשווית, ובא לעולם מתוך אמונה בזכותו של הישראלי להפליג בדמיון.