Schlemiel
Schlemiel (
Jewish humor, and so-called "schlemiel jokes" depict the schlemiel falling into unfortunate situations.[2]
Meaning
The inept schlemiel is often presented alongside the unlucky schmendrik are irredeemably what they are".[4]
The etymology of the term is unsure.
Shelumiel, an Israelite chieftain.[6]
Heyse and some other etymologists suggest that the name comes from the words "shlomi" + "el" in the meaning "God is my salvation", i.e., a Schlemiel hopes that God will save him.[7]
The term was popularized by the name of Peter Schlemihl, the main character of a 19th century novella by Adelbert von Chamisso.[7]
According to Harvard University literature professor Ruth Wisse, the schlemiel as a type emerges in the Yiddish literature of the period of Jewish emancipation.[8]
In culture
- An archetype shlemiel entrepreneur is Menahem-Mendl of Sholem Aleichem.
- In a 1944 essay, Hannah Arendt argues that Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character is a schlemiel whose only comfort is "the kindness and humanity of casual acquaintances".[9]
- Many of Woody Allen's films feature Allen portraying a schlemiel type, particularly in his relations with women.[10]
- Larry David's character on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm serves as a modern schlemiel, encountering "problems that affect contemporary middle- to upper-class American Jews".[11]
- In the sitcom Seinfeld, George Costanza "follows the pattern of the classic schlemiel", with Jerry Seinfeld's character serving as his schlimazel.[12]
- The 1995 Israeli-European animated feature The Real Shlemiel centers on a village of schlemiels, with its rabbi even taking it as a given name.
- Software engineer Schlemiel the Painter's algorithmin 2001, based on a Yiddish joke, to describe a certain type of inefficient software method.
- The titular character of the 2004 comedy film Napoleon Dynamite embodies the traits of the schlemiel, according to researcher David Buchbinder.[13]
- In the drama series The O.C. (2003–2007), Seth Cohen's personality "is self-deprecating and in line with that of past schlemiels".[14]
- In the 2009 film A Serious Man directed by the Coen brothers, the character of Larry Gopnik is depicted as a schlemiel.[15][16]
- In "Park Safety", a 2010 episode of the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, Ron Swanson states that his clumsy coworker Jerry "is both the schlemiel and the schlimazel".[17]
- In Thomas Pynchon's novel V., the protagonist Benny Profane is identified as a schlemiel numerous times.
See also
References
- ^ Harkavy, Alexander (1925). Yidish-English-Hebreyisher Verterbukh (in Yiddish). New York City: Alexander Harkavy.[page needed]
- ^ "Schlemiel Jokes | My Jewish Learning". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "Etiquette for Schmucks, Schlemiels, Schlimazels and Schmendriks". The Forward. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "shlemiel". www.balashon.com. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "Shelumiel – The First Schlemiel?". The Forward. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ JSTOR 401795.
- JSTOR 1769513
- JSTOR 4464588.
- ISBN 9781118514870.
- S2CID 143932889.
- ISSN 0195-6051.
- S2CID 163138459.
- ^ Olson, Tamara. "Popular Representations of Jewish Identity on TV: The Case of The O.C.". Digital Commons at Macalester College.
- ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "J. Hoberman Reviews the Coen Brothers' 'Inside Llewyn Davis'". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ Garber, Megan. "The Downtrodden Jerry Gergich Is the True Hero of Parks and Recreation". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2017-11-17.