The daughter of Jephthah
The daughter of Jephthas is a story by Gertrud von le Fort , which was published in 1964 by Insel-Verlag in Frankfurt am Main.
The action takes place at the end of the 15th century in Spain: the doctor Rabbi Charon ben Israel wants to save the life of his only beloved daughter Michal, but has to give it up.
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According to a " terrible expulsion law " enforced by the "passionate young Archbishop of Santa Rosita", all Israelite residents have to leave the Catholic city. The city fathers hold the rabbi back against the will of the fanatical archbishop, because the plague is approaching. The famous doctor is urgently needed. The rabbi doesn't want to be the only Jew in town. He is haunted by feelings of revenge when he thinks of the persecution, forced baptism and other humiliations of his fellow believers. Charon ben Israel thanks God because the Lord follows the punishment for the expulsion mentioned above. God will scourge Catholics with the plague. In gratitude, the rabbi wants to make every sacrifice to his God. The Lord should determine it himself.
Michal, the rabbi's blind daughter, would like to stay in the city, because she was kissed on the mouth and eyes by the young artist Pedro della Barca because of her charm. In a commissioned work, Pedro depicts Michal's face as a synagogue without a bandage over the eyes. The archbishop insists on the bandage. Pedro does not change his image of Mary .
The rabbi, who on the one hand always wants to guard and protect Michal from the dangers of the world, but on the other hand longs for grandchildren, is appalled. His daughter loves a Christian. Unthinkable!
Michal's blindness is fatal. The plague enters the city in the form of the plague maiden and hugs Michal. Everyone else had fled. The blind woman could not see the image of the plague spreading out her bony arms and was the only one who stopped.
The rabbi recognizes from the bed of his dying child that God has accepted the offer. The victim is Michal. The girl dies of the plague. In a parable, Charon ben Israel sees himself as Jephtha .
The archbishop thinks about it. Shaken up by a wise saying by the rabbi, he wants to love his enemies from now on. The archbishop and the rabbi care for the sick in the city, including the artist Pedro.
shape
Gertrud von le Fort finds memorable images. For example, love on earth is seen as an image and call to heavenly love.
literature
- Used edition
- The daughter of Jephthah. A legend. In: Gertrud von le Fort: The daughter of Jephthas and other stories. (= Suhrkamp Taschenbuch. 351). 1st edition 1976, ISBN 3-518-06851-2 , pp. 293-313. (Also contains: The Consolata . The daughter of Farinata . Plus ultra . At the gate of heaven . The wife of Pilate . The tower of constancy )
- Secondary literature
- Nicholas J. Meyerhofer: Gertrud von le Fort . (= Heads of the 20th century. Volume 119). Morgenbuch Verlag, Berlin 1993, ISBN 3-371-00376-0 .
- Gero von Wilpert : Lexicon of world literature. German authors A - Z. Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-520-83704-8 , p. 382.
Web links
Remarks
- ↑ 1492 issued by King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella (edition used, p. 295).
- ↑ The Plague Virgin: For example, a fairy tale of the same name by Kazimierz Władysław Wóycicki ( see also Polish fairy tales )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Meyerhofer, p. 103, entry from 1964.
- ↑ The Holy Scriptures , Old Testament , History Books, Book of Judges, Chapter 11, Verse 30: ( Judges 11 : 30-31 EU )
- ↑ Edition used, p. 304.