Summary of The Agunah
“The Agunah” is a Yiddish novel by Chaim Grade about Merl, a woman whose husband went missing during the First World War. Since his body was never found, she is considered an ‘agunah’ under Jewish law, meaning she cannot remarry. Defying this ban, she secretly marries again, scandalising the Jewish community of Vilnius when the secret is revealed.
Reasons to read The Agunah
“The Agunah” provides a fascinating insight into the Jewish community and its customs in 1930s Vilnius. Chaim Grade, who grew up in a Jewish family in Vilnius, was one of the most important Yiddish writers of the 20th century. He won the Itzik Manger Prize in 1970 for his contributions to Yiddish literature.
Setting: Vilnius (Lithuania)
Original title: Di Agune (די עגונה)
Year of publication: 1961
Nr of pages: 265
