Fraternity-Testvériség, 1955 (33. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1955-12-01 / 12. szám
14 TESTVÉRISÉG I see the meadows overcome With dark consuming blight; The vocal grove today is dumb, The sun gives place to night. I cannot tune this trill o’mine! My thoughts are all at sea! Ah, heart! Ah, hope! Ah, Lilia mine! May God remember thee! In poems for “public occasion,” such as “A harc templomának örömnapja” (The Joyful Day of the Church of Strife) and other poems of related subject matter, Csokonai sings with nationalistic fervor. As the spokesman of patriotic feelings and ideas, he is not strictly a poet, but a poetic patriot. Among his odes “A magánossághoz” (To Solitude), and “A tihanyi echóhoz” (To the Echo of Tihany) are the most outstanding; of his philosophical poems “A lélek halhatatlansága” (The Immortality of the Soul), represents him in his full creative power. These poems show a high degree of excellence, a reflective nature, a proper distribution of thoughts and emotions. In contrast to his lofty poems one must refer to the anacreontic songs, such as “A búkergető (The Chaser of Sorrow), or to folksongs, such as “Szerelmi dal a csikóbőrös kulacshoz” (Love Song to the Coltskin Flask) or “Parasztdal” (Peasant Song). In several poems genuine comedy is on the verge of buffoonery. “Dorottya, vagyis a dámák diadalma a farsangon” (Dorothy, or the Victory of the Dames over Prince Carnival) is Csokonai’s major work in the genre of the comic epic. Influenced by Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Loch, the Hungarian poet “did not adopt his satirical style, but displayed the burlesque and at times rude comic character of the society with which he was acquainted.”18 In a foreword he explains the reasons for the epic which is in four parts and written in twelve syllable, double rhymed lines. This epopoea comica tells the story of Prince Carnival, who visits the castle of Prince Eszterházy, where he acquires the list of names of newly married women and young women eager to be married. Dorothy and her friends are not included in this list. Some of her acquaintances laugh at her. With the help of old maids and aged married women she forms a conspiracy against Prince Carnival. Even the young women are willing to participate in the “game,” as they feel neglected by the men. The purpose is to humble Prince Carnival, by stealing the birth-register and destroying it. Led by Doro- thjq the plot culminates in a battle between the men and women. One of the men, Opor, hoping to outsmart the discontented ladies, declares that he is ready to marry that woman who is the first to kiss him. Upon this, there is no more “cooperation” between the grumbling women; they all run towards Opor and, of course, behave ludicrously. Dorothy is in despair, but the news reaches her that her friends have disarmed Prince Carnival and his assistant Hymen and are in possession of the birth-register. The battle is renewed. At dawn the goddess Venus descends with the Graces and Cupid and establishes peace. The young women are promised a long carnival next year, and the Graces rejuvenate the older women. Dorothy, magically transformed, feels the effects of Cupid’s arrow; so does Opor, and the two fall in love with each other. The dominant aspects of this epic are the portrayal of the imperfection of human beings, their need of affection, and feminine strategy for the attainment of love which makes every device permissible. Indignation becomes ridiculous; fair play is unknown; favors are sought by childishly transparent means. The thread of the plot is simple; there is a consistent relation between the parts and the whole but little subtlety; the prevailing tone is amusing, the confict droll. The work evidences Csokonai’s playful spirit, and his ability to be humorous, and somewhat ironic. There are skillfully presented situations and scenes that produce hearty laughter, and absurdities that gain in effect by Csokonai’s clever verbal manipulation. Occasionally one is reminded of the satirical attitude of Giuseppe Parini, the Italian rococo poet, in his little epic II giorno, although this work is directed against the empty existence of the aristocrats. Of his other versified narratives Békaegérharc (The Battle of the Frog and the Mouse) must be mentioned. It is an adaptation of an animal fable attributed to Homer. Csokonai planned to write a heroic epic about Árpád, who guided the Magyars from the East to their present land, but he wrote only a few cantos. He was without distinction as a playwright. His satirical plays, Kárny óné (Mrs. Karnyó), Tempefői and Gereon du Malheureux show the method of exaggeration originated with Plautus; the corrective aim that he pursued was too obvious; his workmanship faulty, indicating lack of stage practice. IV. The Hungarian poet was surrounded not so much by an unfriendly, but an uninformed world to poetry, which witli a few exceptions, was unaware of Horace’s apophthegm about poets who are honored people and have no cause to be ashamed of song. He should not be solely identified with his times, on the other hand what he had to say was in manner and matter relevant to his environment. He achieved a sort of popularity by jocular means, but also admiration because of artistic qualities. In his principal works creative discipline is evident. 18 Frederick Riedl, op. cit., p. 85.
