The Women of Israel: Volume 1
Or, Characters and Sketches from the Holy Scriptures, and Jewish History

First published in 1845, this series of biographical essays considers the female perspective and experience of Jewish history.

Grace Aguilar (Author)

9781108019378, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 October 2010

392 pages
21.6 x 14 x 2.2 cm, 0.5 kg

Grace Aguilar (1818–1847), a prolific nineteenth-century novelist and Jewish historian of Sephardic descent, was known for her works of fiction, but in this 1845 publication she addresses Jewish history from a female perspective. These two volumes consist of a series of biographical essays on Old Testament, Talmudic and modern Jewish women. Aguilar identifies a need for more female biography of scripture, postulating a continuity between the biblical matriarchs and the Jewish women of her generation. Addressing a female readership, Aguilar writes in a didactic and highly evangelical tone characteristic of the period, using her discussion to argue for the emancipation of Jews, particularly Jewish women, who should also have access to all Jewish religious texts. The Women of Israel is divided into seven historical periods, and this first volume deals with the first three. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=aguigr

Introduction
First Period. Wives of the Patriarchs: 1. Eve
2. Sarah
3. Rebekah
4. Leah and Rachel
Second Period. The Exodus and the Law: 1. Egyptian captivity, and Jochebed
2. The Exodus. Mothers of Egypt
3. Laws for wives in Israel
4. Laws for widows and daughters in Israel
5. Maid servants in Israel, and sundry other laws
Third Period. Between the Delivery of the Law and the Monarchy: 1. Miriam
2. Tabernacle workers. Caleb's daughter
3. Deborah
4. Wife of Manoah
5. Naomi
6. Hannah.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900 [DSBF]