Dr. Roni Cohen – Philosophy, Parody, and Playing Ball: The Medieval Dance of the Players

Dr. Roni Cohen, Goethe University

Philosophy, Parody, and Playing Ball: The Medieval Dance of the Players

As early as the twelfth century, Jewish European bookshelves contained a considerable number of parodic literary works. Medieval Jewish parody encompassed nearly all major genres of pre-modern Jewish literature, including the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, liturgical texts, and mystical literature. However, Jewish philosophical literature was rarely the target of parody. Dance of the Players is the only known medieval Jewish parody of a philosophical treatise. Written anonymously in Provence in the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century, it presents an eleven-chapter discussion on the philosophical significance of ball games. This talk introduces Dance of the Players for the first time, exploring its cultural context and its role in shaping our understanding of the relationships between philosophy, parody, and religion in late medieval Jewish youth culture.

Tuesday, 6 May, 2:10pm (14:10), Room C240, Celetná 20, FA CU.

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