Language:
English
Year of publication:
1989
Titel der Quelle:
Midstream
Angaben zur Quelle:
35,6 (1989) 21-26
Keywords:
Christianity and antisemitism History To 1500
;
Antisemitism History Middle Ages, 500-1500
;
Antisemitism in literature
;
German literature History and criticism
;
Jews in literature
;
Judaism in literature
Abstract:
Discusses the negative image of the Jew in four passion plays of the 15th-16th centuries (in Frankfurt, Alsfeld, and Donaueschingen). Shows how passion plays developed from Easter plays, performed from the 11th century on, in which the "Synagoga" debates with "Ecclesia", and "Synagoga" is shown to be blind, obdurate, and arrogant. In later Easter plays and in passion plays, the characterization of the Jew became more ominous; he is the incarnation of all vices, he is associated with the devil, lacking in human qualities, afflicted with avarice and cupidity, etc. Emphasizes that medieval audiences had no doubt that what they saw onstage was entirely consistent with what had actually happened. Concludes with a description of a secular play, "Das Endinger Judenspiel", about a ritual murder which allegedly occurred in 1462 in Endingen. The play was performed in 1616 to an audience of thousands. These plays created "a reservoir of hatred that continues to cling to life tenaciously and therefore needs to be recalled to consciousness".
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