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.

During the term, students will be required to:

· read  poems and short stories (in handouts)
          a drama (The Tragedy of Man by Imre Madách)
          3 (short) novels (The Paul Street Boys by Ferenc Molnár Anna Édes by Dezso Kosztolányi and  Fateless by Imre Kertész)
· write a mid-term paper (home assignment)
· give 2 presentations

1.   Introduction  – A brief overview of Hungarian history.
2.  National character, national identity a children’s classic: Ferenc Molnár: The Paul Street Boys
     emblematic poems from the 19th century
     a film:   Pál Sándor: Football of the Good Old Days
3.  The 19th century heritage:
     Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man,
     The music of Franz (Ferenc) Liszt
4.  A brief overview of  20thcentury Hungarian history, from a special perspective: Sunshine, a film by István Szabó
5.  Social conditions and human fates  between the two world wars: a novel of  Dezso Kosztolányi: Anna Édes
     The poetry of  Attila József
6.  Religion – Faith and Doubt: 20th c. religious poetry
       An urban myth in dance and music:  Béla Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin
7 Life behind the “iron curtain” and the 1956 revolution: Excerpts from the works of  István Örkény, Péter Esterházy and Péter Nádas
8.  Hungary in the 60s – A lost generation: Time Stands Still, a film by Péter Gothár
9.  Hungarian art and architecture – students’ presentations
10.       Hungary during  and after the change of regime - Stories by Sándor Tarr, poems by Zsuzsa Rakovszky and György Petri
11.  Imre Kertész: Fateless
       The music of Béla Bartók
12.   A film by Benedek Fliegauf: Forest –
13.         Hungarian portraits – students’ presentations
14. Final session –  Wind-up;

Optional programs:
A visit to the National Gallery
A visit to the Opera House
Current cultural events of interest