Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/161

Rh Vörösmarty was a great poet, but not a great dramatist, because he lacked two important qualifications. He had not enough psychological knowledge to construct real, life-like characters, nor could he invent probable incidents. Why then did he attempt to write for the stage? For both internal and external reasons. To take the latter first, it wa white Vörösmarty was at the height of his activity that the drama began to assume an increasingly important positi on in the poetry of the nations nearest to Hungary, and in Hungary, where the stage was becoming an importat factor, there was a great scarcity of original plays. But there was an inner motive too. Vörösmarty loved to give expression to grand passions for which the drama was the most suitable vehicle.

The influence of Shakespeare's historical plays can easily be detected in some of Vörösmarty's dramas, par­ ticularly those based upon the early history of Hungary. In Csongor és Tünde, he was very happily inspired by Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. Others again like The Treasure Seekers clearly show the influence of the German Fate-tragedies (Schicksaltragoedien). The most noteworthy, however, are the dramas which were modelled on the Freneh dramatic school, like The Bánus Marót. The play of The Bánus Marót is based upon a pathetic incident. When Hungary was under the Turkish yoke the Turks carried off a number of young boys whom they trained to be soldiers. The Janizari army was largely composed of Christian youths. Vörösmarty wove around this a tragic plot, full of startling incidents. The drama is a story of revenge, crime and retaliation. A Turkish Bey in revenge steals the son of a Hungarian nobleman, brings him up as a Turk, and employs the youth in securing inmates for his harem.