Jewish Cultural Traditions within a Modernising Early Soviet Framework: Y. Goldberg's 1935 Yiddish <i>Othello</i>

This article explores the Yiddish Othello translation produced under Soviet state auspices by Russian Jewish folklorist Y. Goldberg and published in 1935 State Press of Belorussia. It is first study devoted to Goldberg's Shakespeare translations. The will consider ways which reflects a tension between modernising ideology on one hand, traditional Eastern European culture other. former manifested through its use an accessible style; avoidance citations from classical sources; his characterisation Desdemona as admirably modern progressive woman. latter domesticating elements, specifically allusions traditions such oylemhaze ‘the Present World’, taneysim ‘fast days’, yichus (Jewish ancestral pedigree); references realia (e.g. herring turnips). Examination work provides fascinating perspective understudied aspect relationship with Shakespeare. fits into wider context language, literature, early period, multicultural minority-language more broadly.