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The opening as it read in 2005
Jacob Gordin, circa 1895 Jacob Michailovitch Gordin ( May 1 , 1853 – June 11 , 1909 ), was a Ukrainian -born Russian Jewish playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater .1 He is known for introducing realism and naturalism into Yiddish theater. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature characterizes him as "the acknowledged reformer of the Yiddish stage". At the time of his rise, professional Yiddish theater was still dominated by the spirit of the early (1886–1888) plays of its founder, Abraham Goldfaden , which derived in no small measure from Purim plays, often spectacles more than dramas; Goldfaden's later works were generally operettas on more serious subjects, perhaps edifying, but not naturalistic. Again quoting the Cambridge History , after his 1892 arrival in New York City , "Gordin took the Yiddish drama in America from the realm of the preposterous and put a living soul into it", bringing it up to the level of "realistic melodrama". Born in Mirgorod (also known as Novomirgorod ), Ukraine, Gordin received a liberal though irregular education. When he came to New York in 1892 he was already a reformer and a fairly well recognized Russian writer. He had also been a farmer, a journalist, a shipyard worker in Odessa , and an actor. When he first arrived in New York, he tried to scratch out a living writing for the socialist Arbeiter Zeitung (precursor to The Forward ), but his acquaintanceship with the noted Jewish actors Jacob Adler and Sigmund Mogulesko prompted him to try his hand at play-writing. His first play, Siberia was based on a true story about a man sent as a prisoner to Siberia who escaped, lived out a normal life for many years, and was then exiled again. Although initially it met a rocky reception (as did his second play, Two Worlds ), it was critical success. His third play, Der Yiddisher Konig Lear ( The Yiddish King Lear ) loosely adapted from Shakespeare and set in 19th century Russia, laid the foundation of his career as Yiddish playwright. The play drew a new audience of Russian-Jewish intellectuals to the Yiddish theater; it constituted a defining moment in Adler's career as well as Gordin's, and is widely seen as ushering in the first "Golden Age" of Yiddish theater in New York. [Rosenfeld, 1977] To some extent he had to compromise his modernist vision with the theatrical conventions of the time. As in the plays of Goldfaden, Hurwitch , and Lateiner , dancing and songs unrelated to the plot still occupied a prominent part in the play, but Gordin's plots were naturalistic and the characters were living persons. Under the influence of his plays, Jewish actors began to regard their profession as one which calls for study and an earnest attitude. Gordin is noted more for bringing naturalism and realism into the Yiddish theater than as an intrinsically great dramatist. Again quoting the Cambridge History , "With all the realism of his situations, with all the genuineness of his characters, he was rather a producer of plays for a particular theatrical troupe than a writer of drama. That his comic characters generally stand in organic relation to the play is one of his chief merits. Of his many pieces (about 70 or 80) only a score or so have been published, and some of these are worthless as literature." They single out as some of his best Mirele Efros , Got, Mensch, un Teivel ( God, Man, and Devil , based on Goethe 's Faust ), and Der Unbekanter ( The Unknown ).2
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Jacob Michailovitch Gordin (May 1, 1853–June 11, 1909) was a Russian -born American playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater . He is known for introducing realism and naturalism into Yiddish theater. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature characterizes him as "the acknowledged reformer of the Yiddish stage". At the time of his rise, professional Yiddish theater was still dominated by the spirit of the early (1886–1888) plays of its founder, Abraham Goldfaden , which derived in no small measure from Purim plays, often spectacles more than dramas; Goldfaden's later works were generally operettas on more serious subjects, perhaps edifying, but not naturalistic. Again quoting the Cambridge History , after his 1892 arrival in New York City , "Gordin took the Yiddish drama in America from the realm of the preposterous and put a living soul into it", bringing it up to the level of "realistic melodrama".
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 367546722.
The opening as it stood in 2015
Jacob Michailovitch Gordin (1 May 1853 – 11 June 1909) was a Russian -born American playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater . He is known for introducing realism and naturalism into Yiddish theater. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature characterizes him as "the acknowledged reformer of the Yiddish stage". At the time of his rise, professional Yiddish theater was still dominated by the spirit of the early (1886–1888) plays of its founder, Abraham Goldfaden , which derived in no small measure from Purim plays, often spectacles more than dramas; Goldfaden's later works were generally operettas on more serious subjects, perhaps edifying, but not naturalistic. Again quoting the Cambridge History , after his 1892 arrival in New York City , "Gordin took the Yiddish drama in America from the realm of the preposterous and put a living soul into it", bringing it up to the level of "realistic melodrama".
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 668324878.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Jacob Michailovitch Gordin (1 May 1853 – 11 June 1909) was a Russian -born American playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater . He is known for introducing realism and naturalism into Yiddish theater. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature characterizes him as "the acknowledged reformer of the Yiddish stage." At the time of his rise, professional Yiddish theater was still dominated by the spirit of the early (1886–1888) plays of its founder, Abraham Goldfaden , which derived in no small measure from Purim plays, often spectacles more than dramas; Goldfaden's later works were generally operettas on more serious subjects, perhaps edifying, but not naturalistic. Again quoting the Cambridge History , after his 1892 arrival in New York City , "Gordin took the Yiddish drama in America from the realm of the preposterous and put a living soul into it," bringing it up to the level of "realistic melodrama." " Jacob Gordin ." The Cambridge History of English and American Literature : An encyclopedia in eighteen volumes .
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The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
American dramatist Jacob Michailovitch Gordin ( Yiddish : יעקב מיכאַילאָװיטש גאָרדין; May 1, 1853 – June 11, 1909) was a Russian - American playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater . He is known for introducing realism and naturalism into Yiddish theater. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature characterizes him as "the acknowledged reformer of the Yiddish stage." At the time of his rise, professional Yiddish theater was still dominated by the spirit of the early (1886–1888) plays of its founder, Abraham Goldfaden , which derived in no small measure from Purim plays , often spectacles more than dramas; Goldfaden's later works were generally operettas on more serious subjects, perhaps edifying, but not naturalistic. Again quoting the Cambridge History , after his 1892 arrival in New York City , "Gordin took the Yiddish drama in America from the realm of the preposterous and put a living soul into it," bringing it up to the level of "realistic melodrama." " Jacob Gordin ." The Cambridge History of English and American Literature : An encyclopedia in eighteen volumes .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1157835493.
The opening as it stood in 2025
American dramatist Jacob Michailovitch Gordin ( Yiddish : יעקב מיכאַילאָװיטש גאָרדין; May 1, 1853 – June 11, 1909) was a Russian - American playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater . He is known for introducing realism and naturalism into Yiddish theater. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature characterizes him as "the acknowledged reformer of the Yiddish stage." At the time of his rise, professional Yiddish theater was still dominated by the spirit of the early (1886–1888) plays of its founder, Abraham Goldfaden , which derived in no small measure from Purim plays , often spectacles more than dramas; Goldfaden's later works were generally operettas on more serious subjects, perhaps edifying, but not naturalistic. Again quoting the Cambridge History , after his 1892 arrival in New York City , "Gordin took the Yiddish drama in America from the realm of the preposterous and put a living soul into it," bringing it up to the level of "realistic melodrama." ajeyaseelan (2022-06-26).
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Today
“occupation” appeared 1 times in this article's opening at its peak. Today the opening has none; the body has 1. Read the current article and compare.
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined between 2005 and 2025.
Then
ukrainian -born russian jewish playwright active in the early years of yiddish theater
Now
russian - american playwright active in the early years of yiddish theater
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