Aharon Shabtai
Encyclopedia
Aharon Shabtai is one of the Hebrew language's leading poets, as well as a translator of Greek drama into Hebrew.
and at Cambridge, and he teaches literature in Tel Aviv University
. As a poet, he has published some 20 books, and English translations of his poetry have appeared in numerous journals, including the American Poetry Review, the London Review of Books
, and Parnassus: Poetry in Review
.
His poetic style had varied through the years, spanning between minimalist, warm, romantic poetry ("The Domestic Poem"), through controversial erotic poetry ("Ziva") and to fierce political poetry ("Sun Sun"). Shabtai had often attracted fire from critics on his refusal to stick to a singular writing voice throughout the years, and his stylistic changes have been mockingly referred to as depending on whoever was his wife or significant other at the time.
Shabtai is an outspoken critic of Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories, and of human rights violations against Palestinians. In 2006, he refused to participate in the Eizenberg Shalom International Poetry Festival in Jerusalem, writing that he opposed "an international poetry festival in a city in which the Arab inhabitants are oppressed systematically and cruelly imprisoned between walls, deprived of their rights and living spaces, humiliated in checkpoints and [in which] the international laws are violated." In the summer of 2006 he opposed Israel's bombing raids against Lebanon.
He is the brother of Yaakov Shabtai
, author of the novel Past Continuous
, and was married to the linguist and political activist Professor Tanya Reinhart
until her death in 2007.
La Première Lecture, Editions de l’Éclat (Paris), 1990
J’accuse, New Directions (New York), 2003
Biography
He studied Greek and philosophy in Jerusalem, at the SorbonneSorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and at Cambridge, and he teaches literature in Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
. As a poet, he has published some 20 books, and English translations of his poetry have appeared in numerous journals, including the American Poetry Review, the London Review of Books
London Review of Books
The London Review of Books is a fortnightly British magazine of literary and intellectual essays.-History:The LRB was founded in 1979, during the year-long lock-out at The Times, by publisher A...
, and Parnassus: Poetry in Review
Parnassus (magazine)
Parnassus: Poetry in Review is an American literary magazine founded in 1973.The magazine states on its website that its aim has been "to provide a forum where poets, novelists, and critics of all persuasions could gather to review new books of poetry, including translations [....
.
His poetic style had varied through the years, spanning between minimalist, warm, romantic poetry ("The Domestic Poem"), through controversial erotic poetry ("Ziva") and to fierce political poetry ("Sun Sun"). Shabtai had often attracted fire from critics on his refusal to stick to a singular writing voice throughout the years, and his stylistic changes have been mockingly referred to as depending on whoever was his wife or significant other at the time.
Shabtai is an outspoken critic of Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories, and of human rights violations against Palestinians. In 2006, he refused to participate in the Eizenberg Shalom International Poetry Festival in Jerusalem, writing that he opposed "an international poetry festival in a city in which the Arab inhabitants are oppressed systematically and cruelly imprisoned between walls, deprived of their rights and living spaces, humiliated in checkpoints and [in which] the international laws are violated." In the summer of 2006 he opposed Israel's bombing raids against Lebanon.
He is the brother of Yaakov Shabtai
Yaakov Shabtai
Yaakov Shabtai was an Israeli novelist, playwright, and translator.-Biography:Shabtai was born in 1934 in Tel Aviv, Mandate Palestine. In 1957, after completing military service, he joined Kibbutz Merhavia, but returned to Tel Aviv in 1967....
, author of the novel Past Continuous
Past Continuous (novel)
Past Continuous is a 1977 novel originally written in Hebrew by Israeli novelist Yaakov Shabtai. The original title, Zikhron Devarim is a form of contract or letter of agreement or memorandum, but could also be translated literally as Remembrance of Things.Past Continuous is Shabtai’s first, and...
, and was married to the linguist and political activist Professor Tanya Reinhart
Tanya Reinhart
Tanya Reinhart was an Israeli linguist who wrote frequently on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She contributed columns to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot and longer articles to the CounterPunch, Znet, and Israeli Indymedia websites....
until her death in 2007.
Awards
- In 1993, Shabtai received the Israeli Prime Minister's Prize For his translations.
- In 1999, Shabtai was awarded the Tchernichovsky PrizeTchernichovsky PrizeThe Tchernichovsky Prize is an Israeli prize awarded to individuals for exemplary works of translation into Hebrew. It is awarded by the municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo. Although initailly awarded annually, it is now awarded every two years....
for exemplary translation.
In Hebrew
- Shemesh Shemesh (Sun Sun), Hargol, 20062006 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* French public notary Patrick Huet unveils Pieces of Hope to the Echo of the World in Lyon...
- Artzenu (Our Land), Ha-kibbutz ha-meuchad, 20022002 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* After Ghazi al-Gosaibi, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Britain, publishes a poem praising a suicide bomber who had killed himself and two Israelis after blowing himself up in a supermarket; the...
- Politiqa (Politics), Even Hoshen, 19991999 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* July 1 — Scotland's Parliament opened with the singing of Robert Burns' "A Man's a Man For A'That", instead of "God Save The Queen"...
- Be-xodesh May ha-nifla’ (In the Wonderful Month of May), Siman Qri’a/ Ha-kibbutz ha-meuchad, 19971997 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:*January 20 — Miller Williams of Arkansas reads his poem, "Of History and Hope," at President Clinton's inauguration....
- Ha-lev (The Heart), Siman Qri’a/ Ha-kibbutz ha-meuchad, 19951995 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* February 16 — Announcement that 300 poems by S.T...
- Metaziviqa (Metazivika), Zmora BitanKinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir-History:The company's oldest imprint, Dvir, was founded in Odessa in 1919 by Hayyim Nahman Bialik. After the Russian Revolution, Dvir moved to Berlin and in 1924, to Palestine. Machbarot Lesifrut, the company's imprint for world literature in translation, was established by Israel Zmora in 1939....
, 19921992 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:The Forward Book of Poetry, an annual anthology of best British poems, is published for the first time by the Forward Poetry Trust. By 2003, the publication was selling 5,000 to 7,000 copies a year... - Ziva (Ziva), Zmora Bitan, 19901990 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Allen Ginsberg crowned "Majelis King" in Prague on May Day...
- Gerushin (Divorce), Mosad Bialik, 19901990 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Allen Ginsberg crowned "Majelis King" in Prague on May Day...
- Ahava (Love), ‛Am ‛Oved, 19881988 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* The first annual The Best American Poetry volume is published this year....
- Begin (Begin), Keter, 19861986 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* New American Writing, an annual literary magazine concentrating on poetry, is founded in Chicago, Illinois....
- Ha-hartza’a ha-rishona (The First Lecture), ‛Akhshav, 19851985 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* The term "New Formalism" was first used in the article "The Yuppie Poet" in the May 1985 issue of the AWP Newsletter in an attack on the poetry movement...
- Sefer ha-klum (The Book of Nothing), Sifriyat Po‛alim, 19821982 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:*Final edition of This Magazine published....
- Ha-xamor (The Donkey), ‛Eqed, 19821982 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:*Final edition of This Magazine published....
- Xut (Thread), Proza, 19811981 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Jane Greer launched Plains Poetry Journal, an advance guard of the New Formalism movement....
- Xara’, mavet (Shit, Death), ‛Akhshav, 19791979 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* The Kenyon Review is restarted by Kenyon College 10 years after the original publication was closed....
- Ha-po’ema ha-beytit (The Domestic Poem), Siman Qri’a, 19761976 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Two poems written in 1965 by Mao Zedong just before the Cultural Revolution, including "Two Birds: A Dialogue", are published on January 1-Works published in English:Listed by nation where the work...
- Qibbutz (Kibbutz), Ha-kibbutz ha-meuchad, 19731973 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Canadian poet and author, Michael Ondaatje adapts his 1970 book of poetry, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, into a play which this year is first produced in Stratford, Ontario; it will appear in...
- Xadar ha-morim (Teachers’ Room), ‛Akhshav, 19661966 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Raymond Souster founds the League of Canadian Poets...
In French
Le Poème Domestique, Editions de l’Éclat (Paris), 19871987 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Charles Bukowski, fictionalised as alter ego Henry Chinaski, becomes the subject of the film Barfly starring Mickey Rourke....
La Première Lecture, Editions de l’Éclat (Paris), 1990
1990 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Allen Ginsberg crowned "Majelis King" in Prague on May Day...
In English
Love and Other Poems, The Sheep Meadow Press (New York), 1997J’accuse, New Directions (New York), 2003
2003 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* The Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry was opened at Queens University, Belfast, this year. It houses the Heaney Media Archive, a unique record of Heaney's entire oeuvre, as well as a full catalogue of...