Instructor: Márta Siklós
 

The aim of this course is to give students an opportunity to explore certain aspects of Hungarian atti-tudes, thinking and cultural traditions, with a strong focus on 20th century Hungarian history and some outstanding representatives of Hungarian literature, film, music and art. Classes will be run primarily in a seminar form, with lectures reduced to the necessary minimum and independent research work encouraged.

Students will be required to

• read  poems and short stories (in handouts)
• drama (The Tragedy of Man by Imre Madách)  a novel (Anna Édes by Dezs? Kosztolányi
• do and present in class  the result of some individual research
• write a mid-term and final paper

A tentative program

1. Introduction – (Örkény, Kodály, Margit Kovács) – A brief overview of Hungarian history.
2. National character, national identity;  a children’s classic: Ferenc Molnár: The Paul Street Boys;  a film:   Pál Sándor: Football of the Good Old Days
3. The 19th century heritage: Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man
4. A special perspective of 20thcentury Hungarian history:     Isván Szabó’s film: Sunshine
5. Social conditions and human fates in between the two world wars: a novel: Dezsõ Kosztolányi: Anna Édes,    a poet: Attila József
6. Humanity and barbarism – a music that ‘speaks’ and a poet who “has no words” – Béla Bartók, János Pilinszky
7. Midterm paper
8. Hungarian art and architecture – students’ presentations
9. Life behind the ‘iron curtain’ and  the 1956 revolution     Excerpts from the works of István Örkény, Péter Esterházy and Péter Nádas
10. A lost generation – a film by Péter Gothár: Time Stands Still
11. Nobel Prize winner Imre Kertész
12. Hungary today – topics specified by students’ interests     Hungarian portraits – students’ presentations
13. Final paper

Optional programs:
A visit to the Opera House/ A visit to the National Gallery/ Events of the Budapest Spring Festival