CARRIERS AND COMETS – JÁNOS ARANY AND MÓR JÓKAI

Abstract

The relationship between the two contemporaries moulding canons, has remained an enigma of 19th century Hungarian literature until today. Mutual respect, laconic and infrequent exchange of letters was all that their relationship came to: as if they were protagonists of two canons running parallel to each other. This strained relationship might have been caused by the fact that their relationship with Sándor Petőfi deteriorated, as well as Arany’s not very flattering review, criticism of Jókai following the views of Pál Gyulai, their clashing political views, or the parodies on Arany’s works in Jókai’s magazines (for example in Üstökös/The Comet) of humour and satire. The study also makes an attempt at giving an answer to the question why it happened that while their prestige was equally highly esteemed at the end of the 19th century, Arany’s canon became asymmetrically centralized and Jókai’s moved to the periphery in their 20th century history of interpretation.