seeceeread's review against another edition
5.0
đź’ "What is the purpose of this trial? We know perfectly well that the outcome won't change anything: the dead will not rise from their graves. We judge because we wish to know. To understand."
I've lost count of how many times I've read this! Wiesel pulls from a critical experience as a teen interned at Auschwitz: Three rabbis put God on trial, declared divinity guilty, then "after an infinity of silence," reminded witnesses to go pray.
Here, we revisit his memory in a heightened atmosphere: In 17th century Ukraine, three drunk traveling dramatists plan to celebrate the Purim holiday ... until they learn they've come to a town where a pogrom last year eliminated all but two Jews. The distraught innkeeper whose spirits they've imbibed is one, as is his daughter. Berish, the proprietor, demands they perform: a trial of God. After deliberation on roles, responsibilities and past events, the play gets underway — only to be interrupted by Berish's "silenced" daughter, Hanna, and more significantly, a priest who warns another mob is forming against the adherents. The ending is dramatic and damning.
One must believe in God to denounce Her; must have faith to question or deepen it. By placing the play during Purim, a sort of carnaval, Wiesel heightens this tension: "The earth is inhabited by assassins and clowns." Characters lament that their faith is not protective, satisfying or mitigating — indeed, their oppressors cite their faith as a root cause of both personal and communal tragedy. His tavern setting comes alive with farce, violence, despair and uncertainty to distill critical questions on the human experience. And while the trial never concludes, "Our judgment may prove useless but not meaningless!"
I've lost count of how many times I've read this! Wiesel pulls from a critical experience as a teen interned at Auschwitz: Three rabbis put God on trial, declared divinity guilty, then "after an infinity of silence," reminded witnesses to go pray.
Here, we revisit his memory in a heightened atmosphere: In 17th century Ukraine, three drunk traveling dramatists plan to celebrate the Purim holiday ... until they learn they've come to a town where a pogrom last year eliminated all but two Jews. The distraught innkeeper whose spirits they've imbibed is one, as is his daughter. Berish, the proprietor, demands they perform: a trial of God. After deliberation on roles, responsibilities and past events, the play gets underway — only to be interrupted by Berish's "silenced" daughter, Hanna, and more significantly, a priest who warns another mob is forming against the adherents. The ending is dramatic and damning.
One must believe in God to denounce Her; must have faith to question or deepen it. By placing the play during Purim, a sort of carnaval, Wiesel heightens this tension: "The earth is inhabited by assassins and clowns." Characters lament that their faith is not protective, satisfying or mitigating — indeed, their oppressors cite their faith as a root cause of both personal and communal tragedy. His tavern setting comes alive with farce, violence, despair and uncertainty to distill critical questions on the human experience. And while the trial never concludes, "Our judgment may prove useless but not meaningless!"
dear_old_world's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Worth re-reading
hanwithabook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
rubys_bookshelf's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
sploack's review
3.0
I'm disappointed. I love Wiesel and Night is one of my favourite books of all time. When I heard about this play and what it was about, I expected so much... instead, the first act could be eliminated and nothing would change, the second act should be way shorter. The play is titled "The trial of God" but the actual trial doesn't start until the third and final act, and when it does, it's not very interesting. There is so much that could be said and yet both the prosecution and the defense only express a few weak arguments. Too much time is spent on irrelevant stuff, and ultimately, there is no verdict.
This play was born from a great idea, but the execution was questionable to say the least.
This play was born from a great idea, but the execution was questionable to say the least.
yossikhe's review against another edition
5.0
This play is a testament to the depth and complexity of Elie Weisel. I liked two particular elements of the story, the historical and the theological. The author, a survivor of the Holocaust, analyzes Jewish tragic history as a continuum by placing the Trial of God (itself a result of feelings of abandonment) after a Medieval Pogrom instead of in Auschwitz, where it actually happened. Secondly, the characters examine the figure of God in his humanity, channeling the Bible on the “image and likeness” (therefore being unclear if they’re judging humanity or if they’re judging God). Lastly, the philosophical aspect is also interesting: A plot where Satan can provide logical arguments and show compassion sends a message that even the darkest have a human (and therefore godly) side to them.
sapphox's review against another edition
4.0
A great book. Everyone should give it a try
I really liked the afterword by Matthew Fox
I really liked the afterword by Matthew Fox