The 1960s witnessed an explosion of gifted songwriters and musicians. Bob Dylan ranks among the very top in this class. Over the course of a long and productive career, Dylan achieved a quality in his writing that elevated his work to the level of serious literature. Dylan has earned multiple literary awards in his career, most notably the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016. Dylan’s work reflects multiple influences. Arguably, his Jewish background represents one of the clearest and most important influences on his work. His lyrics and poetry reflect a deep connection with Jewish tradition and biblical sources, especially the Hebrew prophets. These lectures will examine the Jewish elements in his work and seek to demonstrate the value a Jewish perspective brings to our overall understanding of Bob Dylan’s art and influence. This two-part lecture will be taught using audio, video, and text analysis.

Week 1: Becoming Bob Dylan: from Obscurity to Icon

Week 2: Poet, Troubadour, and Prophet: The Many Faces of Bob Dylan

Clifford Wilcox, Ph.D., is a historian who focuses on American intellectual and cultural history and Jewish Studies. His courses concentrate on the intersection of culture, ideas, politics, and religion in American history. He is Director of Education and Operations at Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, CA and has taught in the CLU FAB program since 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in American intellectual history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.