Mark Walton
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Yente's name in Yiddish means busybody, and she certainly acts the part. The mere sight of her struck raw terror into Tzeitel's heart; she was secretly engaged to Motel. Not until after Tevye had arranged the marriage to Lazar Wolf did Tzeitel and Motel come out (Motel having blown one earlier attempt at asking for Tzeitel's hand). As word got out, the shock waves spread through Anatevka with an impact in those days roughly equal to 9/11 today. Yente got drawn into the argument that broke out at the wedding reception. Perchik blew the whistle by telling the truth, but his attempt backfired, creating even more controversy.
Later, Yente spread "The Rumor" about Perchik's arrest, having got the news by opening his letter to Hodel, then telling Tzeitel: "So it happened to be open!". The rumor of course got embellished and/or mangled a little more at each successive hand.
Finally Yente brought the prospective husbands for Shprintze and Bielke, but that was interrupted by the Constable bringing the eviction order. She then told Golde she was going to the Holy Land, where she would continue to ply her trade. She and Golde were good friends and confidantes.
I like to think that in Motel and Tzeitel's case, Yente got her comeuppance at the hands of the Matchmaker-in-Chief. Tevye dropped a clue to His identity in his monologue about Hodel and Perchik: "Did Adam and Eve have have a matchmaker? Yes, they did - and it seems these two have the same Matchmaker!"
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