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Reading Group Guide - Book II:
Miriam
Introduction Discussion with Maggie Anton Discussion Questions
Introduction
In
the
latter half of the 11th century, the renowned scholar Salomon ben
Isaac, now known as Rashi, breaks with tradition by teaching each of
his three daughters, Joheved, Miriam, and Rachel, the intricacies of
the Talmud. When Miriam loses her betrothed and childhood study
partner, Benjamin, she feels as if her life has come to an end. And yet
familial and societal pressures demand that she move past his death and
choose a husband. So when handsome Judah ben Natan appears in the
French city of Troyes, seeking a wife who is both modest and a scholar,
it appears as if fate, or Le Bon Dieu, has only good fortune in store
for the apprentice midwife.
But while Judah is a devoted Talmud scholar and quickly becomes a
valued member of Salomon's yeshiva, he wrestles daily with desires that
conflict with his religion and the vocation he adores. Meanwhile,
Miriam faces censure from her community as she becomes the first woman
in Troyes, and one of the first in Europe, to perform brit milah -
ritual circumcisions.
Rashi's Daughters: Book II: Miriam picks up where its acclaimed
predecessor Rashi's Daughters: Book I: Joheved left off. In Book II,
Maggie Anton continues to follow this fascinating trio of sisters as
they defy the expectations and opinions that confine them, all while
studying and revering their heritage through their devotion to the
Talmud. This second installment of the Rashi's Daughters series raises
intriguing questions about women, sexuality, and tradition, while
presenting a vivid picture of medieval France, and giving us insight
into the timeless nature of loss, and of love.
A Discussion with Maggie Anton
How
did
you gain your expertise on medieval Jewish life and, in particular,
the lives of women during that period?
I did research for over seven years, and I'm lucky to be living in Los
Angeles. where we have two rabbinic schools, HUC and UJ, with excellent
Judaic libraries (where I found many fascinating scenarios in the
medieval Jewish responsa literature; it was like reading "Dear Abby" of
900 years ago). I also used UCLA's, USC's and the Claremont Colleges'
research libraries.
How many years did you have to research the lives of
Jews in medieval France, and specifically the lives of medieval Jewish
women, before you felt comfortable enough to write your books on
Rashi's daughters?
I started my research 3 years before beginning to write. However, I
have been constantly doing more research and incorporating what I’ve
learned into what I'm writing. I actually changed the ending of Book I:
Joheved the month before it went to the printer because I learned
something new about medieval brit milah.
What scene (or scenes) came to you first when you wrote
Joheved's story, and what scene(s) did you first visualize when you
began Miriam’s story? How did your experience of writing Book I:
Joheved differ from your experience of writing Book II: Miriam?
I first visualized what came to be the opening scene, with Joheved in
bed with the cat, and also the scenes where Leah accuses the servant of
stealing and where Rashi's family learn to make parchment. For Miriam,
I first visualized the night where she seduces Judah and he thinks
she's a demon. I had never written anything before Book I: Joheved, so
I had a huge learning curve and it took me ten drafts. Book II was
easier; I knew much more about plot and character development.
What is it like working on Book III: Rachel (which is
due out in bookstores in 2009), knowing that this is the last of
Rashi’s three unusual daughters, and therefore the end of the trilogy?
How hard will it be to leave this particular cast of characters and
their extraordinary narrative?
Actually, I'm still learning lots of interesting things about medieval
Jews as I research Rachel's story, perhaps more than I can use. So
depending on how successful the trilogy is, I may decide to write
Rashi's Granddaughters. In any case, I expect to keep studying Talmud
for many more years, so Rashi and his family will continue to speak to
me.
What other subjects are you interested in writing about?
Do you have any other historical figures or time periods, and any other
projects, in mind?
When I first decided to write Rashi's Daughters, I had in mind another
possibility, a historical novel about a woman mentioned many times in
the Talmud, Rav Chisda's daughter, who was married, in turn, to
scholars who headed the two great Talmud academies in Babylon. I think
the time period when the Talmud (500 CE) was redacted is also a
fascinating one that few people know about. So I still want to tell her
story.
Discussion Questions
1. The author, Maggie Anton, opens her novel with a
prologue that explains the social, political, and financial status of
Jewish men and women in 11th century Europe. Also, it summarizes events
that we might have read about, in detail, in Rashi's Daughters: Book I:
Joheved. For those who haven't yet read Book I: Was this prologue
enough? Did you find it difficult, or relatively easy, to jump right
into Miriam's story? (For those who have read Book I: Did you find any
of Book II helpful in refreshing your memory?)
2. Similarly, Anton includes a glossary of terms at
the end of her novel. Evaluate the glossary as a point of clarification
- was it essential to your comprehension and enjoyment of the novel?
Consider the ways in which Anton weaves the Hebrew words into her
characters’ dialogue, and determine how many (and which) of the terms
can be learned strictly through context. [1 & 2 are interesting
questions about editorial factors; do book groups usually discuss these
things?]
3. The Talmud is a collection of Jewish laws,
followed by detailed commentary on those laws by different
rabbis. For readers unfamiliar with Judaism, how did the
quotations from the Talmud's tractates aid your understanding of the
religion and its laws? Did any of the laws or customs surprise you?
Which of these did you ascribe to the time period (11th century) and
its tendency towards superstition?
4. While the narrative is set in Medieval France, its
subjects and themes are contemporary in nature. In particular, discuss
Miriam's multiple roles as midwife, mohelet, mother, and spouse, and
Judah’s conflict between his homosexual feelings and his religious
fervor. How can we (21st century society, not "we" specifically) relate
to their predicaments?
5. One of the novel's primary subjects is loss: loss
of loved ones; loss of choice; loss of reputation; loss of property;
etc. What is Anton saying about the nature of loss, based on the
different ways she presents it in this novel? Develop a statement of
theme by drawing on specific examples from the book.
6. Miriam's marriage to Judah is one of compromise,
but -as she observes at the end of the novel - out of her sisters, she
is the only woman who is able to live in the same house as her husband
throughout the year. In what additional ways is her marriage to Judah
positive, if not ideal?
7. Additionally, consider whether or not you believe
that Miriam was truly Judah's bashert, or fated companion. Discuss also
the betrothal of Isaac to Zipporah, daughter of Shemayah, and Joheved's
belief that if Isaac and Zipporah are bashert, there's nothing she can
do to stop them from marrying, and if they aren’t, there's nothing that
she needs to do. What does the rest of the book tell us about fate? In
particular, does fate have anything to do with love?
8. Compare Judah's relationship with Elisha to his
relationship with Aaron, and discuss your reaction as each relationship
progressed throughout the book. Was there a point when you believed
that Judah would act on his feelings for another man? Did you expect
Judah's story to end differently than it did - and tragically? Was
there a point when you believed that Judah would act on his feelings?
Do you think his ability to remain chaste (at least with men) Do you
think his final decision was made as a result?
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