Title:
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Studies on the life and work of Yishaq Leyb Peretz, with special reference to an unknown manuscript
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The "Studies' deal mainly with Y. L. Peretz's life and work
until 1878, the date to which the latest parts of the Unknown Manuscript
belong.
Peretz's background is outlined in chapters dealing with the
political, economic and cultural conditions in which he lived, with the
character of his native town, and with his family.
The meagre sources for this period of Peretz's biography are
scrutinized. They are supplemented by details drawn from allusions dispersed
in his writings (and particularly in the Unknown Manuscript), and
verified with the help of external sources.
An attempt is made to fix the dates of the principal events in
Peretz's life and of his writings.
Solutions are offered to several intricate problems, as for
instances the ownership of a library which greatly stimulated young
Peretz's intellectual development (Chapter 7); the "brewery episode" (Chapter 11); the authorship of "A Letter from Asmodeus"
(Chapter 16); the
meaning of the signatures and the authorship of the poems included in a
book published jointly by Peretz and G. Y. Lichtenfeld, and also the
origin of the "first edition" of this book (Chapter 17).
A period in Peretz's life (l870-1875/6), about which very little
was known is dealt with, systematically for the first time (Chapter 11).
Peretz's life and his works up to 1878 are discussed in great
detail. His views on% many problems, his relations with his family,
friends and writers, the various influences on his works, and so one are often followed beyond 1878.
A detailed survey of the Unknown Manuscript constitutes the
last part of the "Studien". A great deal of the Manuscript is given in
an English rendering and the rest is summarized. Explanatory notes and
discussion are attached to each item.
The Unknown Manuscript, first identified by the writer of these
lines, contributes a great deal to our knowledge of Peretz's life, views
and literary evolution during the period 1873-1878.
An additional chapter briefly surveys Peretz's life and work
after 1878.
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