The Jew in literature: the hated self

Area of Science:

• Literary Studies
• Cultural Psychology
• Sociology of Literature

Background:

• The representation of Jewish characters in literature has historically been influenced by prevailing societal biases.
• Literary analysis reveals how authors' psyches internalize and project cultural perceptions of minority groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the psychological and sociological qualities attributed to Jewish characters in Western literature.
• To trace the evolution of the Jewish stereotype in literary works from the 16th century to the 20th century.

Main Methods:

• Comparative literary analysis of selected works by authors including Shakespeare and Hemingway.
• Examination of psychological and sociological facets of anti-Semitism as depicted in literary narratives.

Main Results:

• The study identifies a consistent, albeit evolving, stereotype of the Jewish persona across different literary eras.
• Analysis highlights the internalization of group-self perception and psychological biases by authors in their literary portrayals.

Conclusions:

• Literary representations of Jewish characters reflect and perpetuate historical anti-Semitic biases.
• Understanding these literary stereotypes is crucial for analyzing the psychological impact of cultural prejudice.