Nelly Sachs Criticism
Nelly Sachs (1891–1970) emerges as a significant figure in 20th-century literature, her work profoundly shaped by her experiences as a German Jew who narrowly escaped the Nazi concentration camps. Her poetic voice, celebrated for its lyrical and psalm-like quality, memorializes the Jewish suffering during the Holocaust and explores themes of death, redemption, and the search for peace, as observed in critical essays. After finding refuge in Sweden, thanks to the intervention of author Selma Lagerlöf, Sachs channeled her experiences and losses into her writing, creating a deeply personal and symbolic body of work.
Sachs's major works, such as the poetry collections In den Wonungen des Todes (In the Houses of Death) and Sternverdunkelung (Eclipse of Stars), along with the verse play Eli, are both an artistic catharsis and a tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. Her use of vivid and often violent imagery, influenced by the Bible and Jewish mysticism, underscores her commitment to giving voice to the silenced, as explored in 'Landschaft aus Schreien': the Shackled Leaps of Nelly Sachs and A Woman's View of the Holocaust: The Poetry of Nelly Sachs. Her poem "O die Schornsteine" ("O the Chimneys") is notably recognized for its emotional resonance and symbolic depth, depicting the passage of souls through concentration camp chimneys.
Sachs's work not only received acclaim in Sweden and Germany but also gained broader recognition in the English-speaking world after she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1966. This recognition is discussed in the review O the Chimneys. Her poetry, often compared to the works of Franz Kafka and Paul Celan, bravely confronts the challenges of representing the Holocaust in literature. Critics, as noted in essays by Lawrence L. Langer and William H. McClain, view her work as an essential interpretative response to the Holocaust, capturing themes of human and divine justice, transformation, and loss.
In exile, Sachs's poetic oeuvre, described by Stephen Spender as "apocalyptic hymns," resonates with profound imagery and expressionism, drawing on Jewish and Christian mystical traditions. Her poetry reflects the catastrophic events of her time while also serving as a spiritual testament to survival and hope, as Joseph Slater highlights the transformative journey from despair to rebirth, emphasizing themes of exile and the redemptive power of love. Sachs's work endures as a vital exploration of human resilience and the quest for peace.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Sachs, Nelly (Vol. 14)
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Catastrophe and Redemption
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In the following essay, Stephen Spender argues that Nelly Sachs's poetry profoundly captures the horrors of the Holocaust, transforming them into religious apocalyptic hymns which serve as a powerful testament to Jewish suffering and resilience through her vivid use of imagery and symbolism, rooted in Jewish mysticism.
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From Death to Rebirth
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In the following essay, Joseph Slater examines Nelly Sachs's poetry, noting its capacity for translation and its thematic journey from despair to rebirth, highlighting its expressionistic style and themes such as exile, love, and the transformation of suffering into spiritual resilience.
- Alvin H. Rosenfeld
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Catastrophe and Redemption
(summary)
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Sachs, Nelly (Vol. 98)
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Nelly Sachs
(summary)
In the following essay, she traces Sachs' poetry career from its beginnings in Sweden, noting the gradual growth of her popularity in Sweden and Germany and its culmination in the Nobel Prize for Literature.
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Journey into Dustlessness: The Lyrics of Nelly Sachs
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In the following essay, Kurz presents a deep analysis of Sachs's poetry, concentrating on her use of biblical imagery and of symbols including the butterfly.
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Nelly Sachs: A Characterization
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In the following essay, Kahn explores Sachs's unique place among modern poets.
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O the Chimneys
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In the following excerpt from a review of several authors' work, Carruth describes O the Chimneys as deeply moving, and notes the influence of the Nobel Prize in bringing Sachs's work to the attention of English-speaking readers.
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Selected Poems
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In the following review, the critic praises Selected Poems in spite of some 'signs of hurry' evident in the translation of the poems from German to English.
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Shoemaking as a Mystic Symbol in Nelly Sachs's Mystery Play Eli
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In the following essay, Bahr explains the elements of Jewish mysticism in Eli. Nelly Sachs' Eli: Ein Mysterienspiel vom Leiden Israels, one of her Szenische Dichtungen, has received much attention by the critics. Nevertheless, some important features of the play, such as the figure of the protagonist Michael, the motif of his trade as a shoemaker, and the central image of the joining of the upper leather to the sole of a shoe, have so far remained unexplained. This omission may be due to the fact that any meaningful interpretation of Nelly Sachs' lyric and scenic poetry cannot ignore certain basic concepts of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalism and Hasidism), especially with reference to religious promise and fulfilment. Analyzed in the light of these concepts, some of the problematical symbolism of Eli emerges in clearly understandable form.
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'Landschaft aus Schreien': the Shackled Leaps of Nelly Sachs
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In the following essay, Bosmajian presents a deep analysis of 'Landschaft aus Schreien,' emphasizing Sachs's use of imagery and symbolism.
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The Process of Renewal in Nelly Sachs' Eli
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In the following essay, Dodds examines Eli as a work representative of the influence of Hasidism on Sachs's writing. The piece includes a concise explanation of Hasidism and its place within Judaism.
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Nelly Sachs
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In the following essay, Langer discusses Sachs's treatment of divine and human justice in her writings.
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The Imaging of Transformation in Nelly Sachs's Holocaust Poems
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In the following essay, McClain examines the 'images of transformation' in Sachs's Holocaust poems, and discusses poems which provide insight into the personal losses the Holocaust imposed on her.
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Concrete (Literal) versus Abstract (Figurative) Translations in Nelly Sachs's Poetry
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In the following excerpt from her dissertation entitled "Nelly Sachs and Kabbala," Holzer discusses the problem of conveying in other languages the multiple meanings created in Sachs's highly symbolic poetry.
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A Woman's View of the Holocaust: The Poetry of Nelly Sachs
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In the following essay, Cervantes discusses Sachs's role as the 'voice of the silenced victims' of the Holocaust.
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Nelly Sachs and the Dance of Language
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In the following essay, Strenger examines Sachs's use of the body as a symbol in her work.
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Nelly Sachs
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- Further Reading