Movie Review: Yentl Essay -- essays research papers

Movie Review Yentl     Everyone at one time or another has felt come to the fore of place. Feeling faintheartedof ones place in society is an experience that every spring chicken adult faces butdeals with differently. Some rebel while others comply with whatever has beenset out for them by society or their parents, or both. The employment of the woman insociety is forever changing. Where women were once obligated to stay in thehome and maturate on their husbands, they are now working in the same types of jobsas their husbands. What was typically the male role has been blurred andpractically obliterated. Religious roles have followed societys tether in theirevolution. For example, since its creation over five thousand years ago, theJewish religion has evolved in some movements to involve women and men equallyin ceremonies. The Orthodox movement has always remained traditional in itsbelief that women have their place in the home, cooking and raising children, and serving their husbands. Education remains the mans duty. The movie Yentl feature Barbara Streisand, shows this traditional belief through its plot,characterization, music, lights, camera angles, and symbolism.     Set in Eastern Europe in 1904, Yentl captures the essence of the Jewishwomans eternal struggle. It is the story of a young girl, in love withlearning but forbidden to do so by Jewish tradition. Upon her fathers death,Yentl disguises herself as a boy to attend a yeshiva (religious school) andcontinue her studies. She befriends Avigdor, a male scholar at the yeshiva,and falls in love with him. Driven by her love for him, Yentl will do all thatshe disregard to ensure that he is near her and that her secret is not revealed.Yentl struggles with her secret until the day she can no longer remain silent.She tells Avigdor what she has done, and of her love for him, but he cannot go for a woman who refuses to act as a traditional woman should. So Yentldepar ts for America in hope of a different mentality, but never forgetting herlove for Avigdor and all that she has learned.     Based on Isaac Bashevis Singers acclaimed short story, "Yentl, theYeshiva Boy," the story is somewhat unrealistic but serves its purpose inproving a meridian the point being that women have always been just as capable asmen in studying and education, an... ...ebird, is able to soar - through the prejudices of her traditions and through the universe of knowledge for which she so longs. She displays this thought in thelast line of the movie when she sings "Papa watch me fly." As well, when Yentltransforms herself into Anshel, the boy, she looks at herself in a cracked reflect and cuts her hair. This displays her uncertainty of herself and herplace in Jewish society, and the cutting of her hair symbolizes hertransformation and the beginning of a new life for her. Symbolism throughoutthe film, contributes to the films theme of self-discovery and role reversal.     The plot, characterization, lighting, camera angles, and symbolismreveal thoroughly the plot of this highly thought-evoking film. The plot mainlycontributes to proving that a womans place is not solely in the home. That"story books for women, spiritual books for men", as the bookseller says at thebeginning of the story, is not an accurate assessment of a womans intellectualcapabilities. Because of Barbara Streisands fabulous and completecharacterization of Yentl, this movie comes to life and touches the hearts ofits viewers.