This term paper discusses the representation of Jewish ideals in the book "Unorthodox" that was written by Deborah Feldman and published in 2012. The novel describes her experiences that range from her childhood to the beginning of her adult life that she spent in a deeply religious Jewish community in Williamsburg in New York City. A crucial aspect that rules her daily life in the Hasidic community are the strict gender-based laws that separate male and female members into two groups with different tasks, rules and social responsibilities.
Deborah feels limited and imprisoned by the rules she has to follow as a woman in her community. That is why her story can be viewed as one of finding freedom and independence in an environment that discourages women to make up their own mind.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The difference between sex and gender
3. The concept of femininity
4. Jewish ideals of femininity in Deborah Feldman’s Unorthodox
4.1. Excursion: Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of the other in The Second Sex in comparison to ideals of femininity in Deborah Feldman’s Unorthodox
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines the construction of Jewish ideals of femininity as portrayed in Deborah Feldman’s memoir Unorthodox, contrasting these religious norms with broader sociocultural interpretations of femininity and Simone de Beauvoir’s theoretical framework of "the other."
- The sociolinguistic and theoretical distinction between sex and gender.
- General concepts of traditional versus resistant femininity in modern society.
- Gender-based restrictions and the objectification of women within the Hasidic community.
- The metaphorical representation of the "empty vessel" in relation to female identity.
- The intersection of religious law, body politics, and the personal struggle for autonomy.
Excerpt from the Book
Jewish ideals of femininity in Deborah Feldman’s Unorthodox
Jewish ideals of femininity might incorporate some general aspects of femininity that were discussed before, but they also include characteristics that are unique to Jewish religion and tradition (Heschel 1991: 31ff.). In her memoir Unorthodox, Deborah Feldman describes that she experienced herself what it means to be feminine and what it means to deviate from feminine traits that conform to social norms in a Jewish Orthodox society (Feldman 2012). The cover of Unorthodox displays the image of a woman with long hair that is floating in the wind (ibid: Cover). As mentioned before, long hair is a typical sign of expressing femininity through physical signals (Manning 2010: 35). Since Hasidic women are “expected to cover their legs, arms, chests, backs, necks, and, once married, their hair” (Heschel 1991: 34f.), this image might imply that the woman is liberating herself from Hasidic rules that prescribe women what to wear and what not to wear. Women in the Jewish Orthodox community have to wear wigs and are not allowed to show their natural hair and in that context Deborah mentions a conversation with one of the shop assistants who sells wigs: “’The only thing I miss,’ says the sheitelmacher, holding the wigs out on little foam heads, ‘is the feeling of wind in my hair. Otherwise it’s so much more convenient […]’.” (Feldman 2012: 149). The cover does therefore seem to show the exact opposite, namely the image of a woman’s natural hair floating in the wind, which evokes a sense of freedom and independence from former rules and obligations. The act of covering a woman up appears to be an indicator that feminine signals (such as hair and chests) are seen as a threat in terms of men’s productivity since they could evoke “distracting, sexual thoughts that entered their minds during prayer” (Heschel 1991: 35). Physical femininity is thus seen as something private that can only be revealed in the presence of a few chosen people, namely the husband (ibid: 34f.). It appears to give a married man an authority over her wife’s body, because she can only uncover herself in his presence.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on Jewish ideals of femininity as represented in Deborah Feldman’s memoir and sets up the theoretical framework regarding gender construction.
2. The difference between sex and gender: Discusses the sociolinguistic distinction between physiological sex and the socially constructed concept of gender, referencing theorists like Judith Butler and Hilary Lips.
3. The concept of femininity: Explores traditional versus resistant femininity and how society categorizes physical appearance and behavior through socially agreed-upon criteria.
4. Jewish ideals of femininity in Deborah Feldman’s Unorthodox: Analyzes the specific cultural and religious pressures within the Hasidic community, including the objectification of women and the conflict between individual identity and patriarchal expectations.
4.1. Excursion: Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of the other in The Second Sex in comparison to ideals of femininity in Deborah Feldman’s Unorthodox: Applies de Beauvoir's theory of "the other" to the lived experience of women in the Jewish Orthodox community.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, concluding that Jewish ideals of femininity function as a powerful sociocultural construct that limits female autonomy and fosters dependence.
Keywords
Unorthodox, Deborah Feldman, Hasidic community, femininity, gender construction, Jewish tradition, patriarchy, the other, Simone de Beauvoir, sex and gender, modesty, niddah, female identity, objectification, religious norms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper examines how Jewish ideals of femininity are constructed, maintained, and challenged within a specific religious context as depicted in Deborah Feldman’s memoir.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The study covers gender theory, religious sociology, the politics of female physical appearance, and the intersection of patriarchal law and individual autonomy.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to analyze the tension between traditional Jewish expectations of feminine submissiveness and the protagonist's struggle for an independent, secular identity.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper uses a descriptive and analytical approach, combining literary analysis of the memoir with sociological theories of gender and cultural construction.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section dissects the definitions of sex and gender, compares traditional and resistant femininity, and applies these concepts to the specific practices of the Hasidic community in Williamsburg.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include femininity, Hasidic community, gender construction, the other, religious socioculture, and Deborah Feldman's memoir.
How does the author interpret the term "empty vessel" in this context?
The "empty vessel" is viewed as a metaphor for the ideal Jewish woman in that community, implying she lacks intrinsic individual purpose and exists only to be "filled" or enabled by her husband.
What role does the concept of "niddah" play in the author’s critique?
The author uses the concept to demonstrate how religious laws surrounding menstruation are used to objectify women and maintain a power dynamic that favors male religious life.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2020, Jewish ideals of femininity and their representation in "Unorthodox: The scandalous rejection of my Hasidic roots ", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1357853
