Doctor Almasaro
Encyclopedia
Doctor Almasaro, or The Jews of Palermo (original Yiddish title Doctor Almasaro, oder Die Yiden in Palermo) is an historical, dramatic play in rhymed couplets by Abraham Goldfaden
, written some time between 1880 and 1883. The title character's name is also variously rendered as Doctor Almasado, Doctor Almaraso, and Doctor Almasada.
Jacob Adler
describes it as being written in "pure, simple Yiddish", avoiding the tendency of many Yiddish historical plays of its time to "Germanize
" the Yiddish, especially for Gentile
characters, a practice comparable to using many words of Latin
origin in one's English. Adler criticizes it for its lack of "strong monologues", "powerful situations", and "dramatic conflict", but describes it as coming, like Shulamith
and Bar Kokhba from "Goldfaden's best period", and writes that "under the calm of [the title character's] demeanor lay a grand power, a power he has sworn never to use unless all else failed," and characterizes this role as a model for "what I call the 'Grand Jew', that has given my life in the theater its greatest meaning."
Abraham Goldfaden
Abraham Goldfaden ; was an Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright, stage director and actor in the languages Yiddish and Hebrew, author of some 40 plays.Goldfaden is considered the father of the Jewish modern theatre.In 1876 he founded in...
, written some time between 1880 and 1883. The title character's name is also variously rendered as Doctor Almasado, Doctor Almaraso, and Doctor Almasada.
Jacob Adler
Jacob Pavlovich Adler
Jacob Pavlovich Adler , born Yankev P. Adler, was a Jewish actor and star of Yiddish theater, first in Odessa, and later in London and New York City....
describes it as being written in "pure, simple Yiddish", avoiding the tendency of many Yiddish historical plays of its time to "Germanize
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
" the Yiddish, especially for Gentile
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
characters, a practice comparable to using many words of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
origin in one's English. Adler criticizes it for its lack of "strong monologues", "powerful situations", and "dramatic conflict", but describes it as coming, like Shulamith
Shulamith
Shulamith may refer to:*Shulamith School for Girls*Shulamith, a play by Abraham Goldfaden*Shulamith , the cat that founded the American Curl breed-Also:...
and Bar Kokhba from "Goldfaden's best period", and writes that "under the calm of [the title character's] demeanor lay a grand power, a power he has sworn never to use unless all else failed," and characterizes this role as a model for "what I call the 'Grand Jew', that has given my life in the theater its greatest meaning."