David Herman
Jewish Heroes in Literature: Barabbas, Shylock, The Jew of Malta, Fagin
Summary
Over many centuries, from Shakespeare to Dickens, Jews have been depicted as villains. But in recent years some of these characters have been reinvented, in particular Shylock, and have been treated more sympathetically. How has this happened, and why?
David Herman
David Herman is a freelance writer based in London. Over the past 20 years he has written almost a thousand articles, essays, and reviews on Jewish history and literature for publications including the Jewish Chronicle, the Jewish Quarterly, Jewish Renaissance, the Guardian, the New Statesman, and Prospect. He has taught courses on Jewish culture for the London Jewish Cultural Centre and JW3. He is a regular contributor to Jewish Book Week, the Association of Jewish Refugees, and the Insiders/Outsiders Festival on the contribution of Jewish refugees to British culture.