Perhaps fate had something to do with József Katona’s final resting place being here. This is Katona sír. It marks the grave of a man whose work only achieved fame after his death.
József Katona was born in Kecskemét in 1791. He became a lawyer. But he also had a passion for the stage. Katona wrote several plays. Most had little lasting impact.
In 1815, Katona penned Bánk bán. He entered it for a literary prize. In 1820, he had it printed. But it remained unnoticed. Disappointed, Katona focused on law. He spent his last years as attorney general of Kecskemét.
Katona died in 1830. He suffered a heart attack in front of his office. He was only 38. No one knew they had lost Hungary’s best playwright.
Ironically, Bánk bán is now considered the finest Hungarian drama of the 19th century. An opera based on it is still popular. The play tells the story of Bánk. He was the highest dignitary at the court of Andrew II. The king was away. Bánk tries to stop a rebellion against the German-born Queen Gertrude. Gertrude’s brother, Otto, tries to seduce Bánk’s wife. He eventually rapes her. Bánk suspects Gertrude is involved. He kills her.
Bánk’s revenge is fueled by his wife’s madness. A serf named Tiborc also influences him. Tiborc complains about exploitation by Gertrude’s German entourage. Bánk’s complex character is the heart of the drama. The conflict between duty and personal grief makes it poignant.
Bánk bán was written during a time of political tension. Hungarian intellectuals opposed Habsburg rule. The drama mirrored medieval times. It depicted Hungary’s nobility fighting foreign usurpers. The government blacklisted the play. In 1848, the Hungarian National Theater staged a performance of Bánk bán. It was on the evening of March 15. This was a symbolic event. It became part of the Hungarian Revolution.
Katona’s interest in theatre started at the University of Pest. He acted under an assumed name. He translated and adapted plays. He fell in love with an actress. This was Mme Déry.
Katona’s play met the competition’s requirements. But it was not mentioned when the results were announced. Katona rewrote the play. He published it privately in 1820.
Katona’s drama is essentially a tragedy of conflicting loyalties. Katona was fascinated by revolt. He was puzzled by intrigues against royal power. Bánk is a loyal subject. But he takes justice into his own hands. He kills the queen. The drama explores how a loyal subject turns against the queen. She represents the king’s authority.
Katona lived a comfortable life in his final years. He studied local history. He went hunting. But he never wrote for the stage again.
Katona’s language is powerful. His diction is from the 18th century. Some find his language clumsy. But it never lacks dignity. His dialogues have exclamations. They show romantic excess. Katona conveys that his heroes are reluctant to speak. They fear the impact of their words.
Here at Katona sír, remember the playwright. His work captured the Hungarian spirit. It only gained recognition after his death.