What does the title Fiddler on the roof mean?

Answer 1

In the film "Fiddler on the Roof," Tevya, a father of five daughters tries to keep his traditional world from spinning out of control in the midst of constant change. Not helping is the fact that his first three daughters defy tradition in their marriage choices, each increasingly less traditional than the last. The Fiddler on the Roof title of the movie is an analogy. Tevya (and others in the village) are likened to fiddlers on a roof because of the difficulty in keeping their balance while trying to live out their simple lives. According to Tevya, their traditions are the way they keep their balance. From the movie: "A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!" "Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as, as... as a fiddler on the roof!"

The first scene of the movie shows a man dancing around on the roofs of the village, playing a fiddle. Tevye, the main character, says "A fiddler on the roof? Sounds crazy, no? But every one of us is a fiddler on the roof!"