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Heterosexuality and Normality –

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Looking for an Identity

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By Ildiko Kovacs

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SAAPIC II
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 Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking for an Identity

Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking

for an Identity
Yentl the Yeshiva Boy by I. B. Singer versus Yentl directed by Barbra Streisand

This paper proposes to show the different points of view on rather the masterpiece of
Isaac Bashevis Singer Yentl the Yeshiva Boy and the film, Yentl, directed by Barbra Steissand,
are concerned with issues like homosexuality and normality and how the boundaries between
these are blurred in the above mentioned short story and film. «“Yentl” is quite sympathetic and
sensitive portrayal of the woman who’s intellectual passions make her marginal to normative
shtetl life.» (Fishman 1992:140-141)
Yentl the Yeshiva Boy is the short story of Isaac Bashevis Singer, which was adapted to
the stage, but also represents Barbra Streisand’s debut as a movie director. To start with the
writes, he did enjoy the play, as he was its co-author, but he was not keen on the movie.
“«I did not find artistic merit neither in the adaptation, nor in the directing», Singer
wrote in an extraordinarily acerbic commentary in The New York Times, adding, «Miss Streisand
is always present, while poor Yentl is absent».” (Webber 2002: s.p.)
The whole story is placed in the 20th century Poland (in
1904). The ‘tale’ is about Yentl (‫ יֶענְטל‬- the significance of her name
being noble, aristocratic), who rejects the duties of a woman from
the Yiddish community in favor of scholarly life, as only the men had
the right to study in the traditional Yiddish community. Yentl is the
symbol of the supreme sacrifice; she becomes a martyr, a victim of
tradition which does not allow equality. She rejects her own identity
to reach happiness – education.
The story can be seen as the pursuit of happiness. The short
story is Yentl’s buildungsroman, her evolution, her change from Yentl to Anshel (the diminutive
of Asher – ‫ – אָ ׁשֵ ר‬meaning “happy” or “blessed”. In the Old Testament Asher is the son of
Jacob and Leah’s handmaid Ziplah, the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel). In a
symbolic manner she chooses a name that describes her in the moment Yentl turns to be

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 Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking for an Identity

Anshel: her world turns, she becomes a he and

she is happy studying. Her normality will be
now the yeshiva, books and comments with
her study partner.
We can observe how normality is re-
interpreted by the short story and the film
also: we only presume that in the short story
she had the duties of a Yiddish woman, after
the normal world is that of a man studying in the Yeshiva. The film shows the every days of
Yentl, after showing the every days of Anshel.

The short story and the film are concerned with important issues like sexuality,
gender, belief, marriage, equality between genders, God.
“Yentl – you have to soul of a man.»
«So why was I born a woman?»
«Even Heaven makes mistakes.»” (Singer 1992:141)

The short story debuts with the orphan

Yentl, who sells all she has, refusing all suitors.
“But Yentl didn’t want to get married. […]
«No!» What becomes of a girl when the
wedding’s over? […] Yentl much preferred
men’s activities to women’s. […] On Sabbath
afternoons, when her father slept, she would
dress up in his trousers, his fringed garment,
his silk coat, his skullcap, his velvet hat, and study her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a
dark, handsome young man. […] Only her thick braids showed her womanhood […].” (Singer
1992:141)
Yentl denies all she is: her gender, her role, her sexuality – this is her destiny. Her journey
is all about self-discovery, belonging, that will make stronger her belief that she was born in the

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 Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking for an Identity

wrong body. In the meanwhile, the traditions of the Orthodox Jews are revealed to the reader
(and to the watcher also). The film debuts with the image of a salesman – trading books for men
and books for women (which are placed in different places of his cart). Yentl is the only woman
who dares to buy a look for men, and she is allowed to do this, because she is the rabbi’s
daughter. In the following scenes we will assist to different traditional Yiddish behaviors, to the
moment when Yentl remains alone with her father and with closed curtains and closed door they
study together.

In the further scenes, the short story and the film also present the life as a Yeshiva boy of
the Yentl transformed to Anshel.
The main character is companioned by two others who define its destiny: Avigdor
(“=Father Protection” – ‫ – )אביגדור‬who supposed to be his best friend and Hadass (means
“myrtle tree” in Hebrew – ‫ – )הֲדַ ּסָה‬who becomes the wife of both Anshel and Avigdor.

Although, Yentl is decided to be Anshel, she has moments when a sort of identity
crisis occurs, as she starts to nourish feelings for his friend. Looking for an identity will be
the turning point is Yentl’s life, as she feels a woman when she is a man (mostly because she
falls in love with Avigdor), but she feels like a man when it comes the duties of a woman in
the Yiddish community. I do not know if we could talk about transsexuality in this case, all
because Yentl accepts her womanhood, just wants to enlarge the spectrum of duties and not
stick strictly to the tasks of women: everyone should be equal and have the right to study.
We could say that up to a certain point everything evolves normally, as Anshel is
accepted into the Yeshiva, how she studies with Avigdor. The situation gets out of control when

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 Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking for an Identity

Anshel is to marry Hadass, Avigtor’s former fiancé (Hadass was not allowed to marry Avigdor
because his suicidal brother) – “Because they found out a brother of his had hanged himself.”
(Singer 1992:146)
With the appearance of Hadass in the scene the un-normal normality takes a turn,
being increased by a marriage between a pseudo-man and a woman. We could ask ourselves
about the sexual orientation of the main character, as it is not clear for the reader if we can
state that it is about homosexuality or heterosexuality.
But still, homosexuality cannot occur in this equation, as the marriage with Hadass was
not consumed, it is presented even in a grotesque manner in the film. Anshel’s attraction to
Avigdor brings her back to the normality and morality, back to the duties of a woman, still she is
to reject Avigdor’s proposal.

“«What will you do now? »

«I’ll go away to a different yeshiva. »
«What? If you had only told me earlier, we could have…»
«No – it wouldn’t have been good. […] I wasn’t crated for plucking feathers and
chattering with females. »
«Would you rather lose your share in the world to come? »
«Perhaps. […] I wanted to study with you the Gemara and Commentaries with you, not
darn your socks. »
«Nevertheless, if you’re willing…»
«No, Avigdor. It wasn’t destined to be…»” (Singer 1992:155, 156, 157, 158)

Singer’s story leaves an open ending, leaving space for speculations’ over Yentl’s destiny.
But the film clearly places the whole story into an intercultural space: the main character is on
the board of a ship going to the new place – which can be translated as America. Also, the final
of the film is a sign of evolution, when in the letter to Avigdor Yentl emphasizes her wish: she
hopes that Hadass will continue her studies started during their marriage. Also, we have a close-
up with a Jewish book held by a little girl – and she is also heading to America.
“Let's imagine a scriptwriter who decides that Mme. Bovary should end up taking a
cruise along the Riviera or that Anna Karenina should marry an American millionaire instead of
committing suicide, and Dostoyevski's Raskolnikov should become a Wall Street broker instead
of going to Siberia. This is what Miss Streisand did by making Yentl, whose greatest passion

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 Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking for an Identity

was the Torah; go on a ship to America, singing at the top of her lungs. Why would she decide to
go to America? Weren't there enough yeshivas in Poland or in Lithuania where she could
continue to study? Was going to America Miss Streisand's idea of a happy ending for Yentl?
What would Yentl have done in America? Worked in a sweatshop 12 hours a day where there is
no time for learning? Would she try to marry a salesman in New York, move to the Bronx or to
Brooklyn and rent an apartment with an ice box and a dumbwaiter? This kitsch ending
summarizes all the faults of the adaptation. It was done without any kinship to Yentl's character,
her ideals, her sacrifice, her great passion for spiritual achievement. As it is, the whole splashy
production has nothing but a commercial value.” (Singer in The New York Times 1984: s.p.)
It is strange, how even the audience perceived the film, as the leading actress was
nominated to the Golden Globe and also to the Academy Award, but also to Razzie, regarding the
worst actors – Amy Irving was a nominee to the Golden Globe and Razzie also for the Best and
Worst acrtress in a supporting role, and Barbra Streisand for worst actress).

Even Singer’s attitude toward the movie supports the Razzie nominalizations: “I am
sorry to say I did not [enjoy the film]. I did not find artistic merit neither in the adaptation, nor in
the directing. I did not think that Miss Streisand was at her best in the part of Yentl. I must say
that Miss Tovah Feldshuh, who played Yentl on Broadway, was much better. She understood her
part perfectly; she was charming and showed instinctive knowledge of how to portray the
scholarly Yentl I described in my story. Miss Streisand lacked guidance. She got much, perhaps
too much advice and information from various rabbis, but rabbis cannot replace a director. The
Talmudic quotations and allusions did not help. […] Music and singing are not my fields. I did
not find anything in her singing which reminded me of the songs in the studyhouses and
Hasidic shtibls, which were a part of my youth and environment. As a matter of fact, I never
imagined Yentl singing songs. The passion for learning and the passion for singing are not much
related in my mind. There is almost no singing in my works. One thing is sure: there was too
much singing in this movie, much too much. It came from all sides. As far as I can see the
singing did nothing to bring out Yentl's individuality and to enlighten her conduct. The very
opposite, I had a feeling that her songs drowned the action. My story, Yentl the Yeshiva Boy, was
in no way material for a musical, certainly not the kind Miss Streisand has given us. Let me say:

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 Heterosexuality and Normality – Looking for an Identity

one cannot cover up with songs the shortcomings of the direction and acting.” (Singer in The
New York Times 1984: s.p.)

Works Cited

1. Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Yentl the Yeshiva Boy (1992) in Follow My Footprints. Ed.
Sylvia Barack Fishman. Hanover, New England: Brandeis University Press
2.  Singer, Isaac Bashevis. “I.B. Singer Talks to I. B. Singer About the Movie Yentl”.
The New York Times. 29th of January 1984. Onine publication.
http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/04/27/reviews/streisand-singer.html?_r=1

3. Webber, Bruce. “A Yeshiva Boy Trapped in a Nice Pious Girl’s Body”. The New York
Times. 2nd of November 2002. Online publication.
http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?
_r=1&id=1077011432068&html_title=&tols_title=&byline=&fid=NONE

4. Yentl. Dir. Barbra Steisand. Perf. Barbra Steisand, Mandy Patinkin, Amy Irving. United
Artists. 1983. Film