Yentl

Reb Mendel secretly teaches Yentl the Talmud, despite the community's ban on women studying. The clandestine lessons plant the seed for Yentl's future defiance of gender norms. The setting is Yentl's Ashkenazi shtetl of Yanev, Poland, in 1904.

After Mendel's death, Yentl resolves to seek formal study by disguising herself as a man. She shaves her hair, dresses like a boy, and takes her late brother's name, Anshel, to enroll in a yeshiva in Bychawa. This drastic change marks the beginning of her double life.

At the yeshiva, Yentl befriends Avigdor and meets his fiancée Hadass, complicating their arranged futures. The presence of a female student in disguise unsettles Hadass's engagement and heightens tension around the marriage. The stage is set for love and secrecy to collide with tradition.

Avigdor claims his brother died of pneumonia, but Hadass's family learns the truth that the death was a suicide, shaking their trust and tainting the family image. The revelation triggers fear that madness may stalk Hadass's lineage. Amid rumors, Hadass's marriage prospects become precarious.

Hadass's family insists she marry 'Anshel' instead of Avigdor, hoping to seal the match with someone she already knows. Avigdor pushes for the arrangement to keep Hadass within the family circle. The planned marriage underscores the tight web of loyalties and expectations.

Anshel begins teaching Hadass the Talmud inside the marriage, making their bound connection more complex. The ongoing education becomes a stage for Hadass's emotions and for the hidden life Yentl leads. Yentl remains in the shadows, watching the double life unfold.

Hadass develops romantic feelings for 'Anshel' while Yentl herself falls in love with Avigdor, deepening the conflict between duty and desire. The dual loves pull each character toward a crossroads where truth could unravel disguises. The emotional stakes intensify as secrecy tightens.

Yentl and Avigdor journey to the city for a few days. In their lodging, Yentl reveals her true identity to him, initially meeting disbelief. She proves she is a woman by showing him her womanhood, leading to a moment of vulnerability and a kiss.

Avigdor hesitates after the kiss and remembers Hadass, stepping away from Yentl. Yentl insists that their union would not be a valid marriage and that she cannot stay with him if it would derail her studies. The possibility of eloping lingers as they part with heavy hearts.

Yentl realizes that marrying Avigdor would end her studies and her broader ambitions. She chooses to part ways with Avigdor, accepting that their love cannot be the path she pursues. They part, knowing they will always care for each other.

It is implied that Hadass and Anshel's marriage is annulled since it was never consummated. Avigdor returns to Hadass and the two are reunited as they read a letter from Yentl explaining she has found a new life and will love them both. The ties of family and loyalty endure despite the upheaval.

Yentl leaves Europe on a boat bound for the United States, seeking a life with more freedom. She smiles, imagining a future where she can pursue knowledge and love on her own terms. The story closes with her singing 'Papa, watch me fly' as she sets course for the unknown.