5: Text excerpt, Naomi Seidman’s, “Theorizing Jewish Patriarchy in Extremis,” 1997.

5: Text excerpt, Naomi Seidman’s, “Theorizing Jewish Patriarchy in Extremis,” 1997.

An excerpt from Naomi Seidman’s essay about The Travels of Benjamin III.

Suggested Activity: Have students read the excerpt from Seidman. Then have them consider: What are the views of masculinity and femininity in the novella? How are the female characters depicted? What do these depictions suggest about gender relations in this society? What do we know about Benjamin and Senderl as husbands or fathers?

Source: Naomi Seidman, “Theorizing Jewish Patriarchy in Extremis,” in Judaism Since Gender, ed. Miriam Peskowitz and Laura Levitt (New York: Routledge, 1997), 43-44.