Népszínház a nemzetépítésben. A szakmai diskurzus kialakulása (1861–1881)
Popular Theatre in Nation-Building: The Establishment of a Professional Discourse (1861–1881)

Summary/Abstract: The term ‘popular theatre’, existing from the time of the French Revolution onwards, can be interpreted as an actual type of theatre, an aesthetic theory, a communal practice, or as a social/political function. This study focuses on a single aspect of this field: it explores concepts of popular theatre in the second half of the nineteenth century in relation to the Hungarian theatrical profession, specifically through the writing of the actor and director György Molnár. In the framework of discourse analysis, this study is aimed at exploring some categories and arguments that the founder of the Popular Theatre of Buda used in order to elevate this new type of institution to the ranks of the other national institutions that were in the making at the time. The sole focus on the pamphlets and two relevant monographs by Molnár is justified by the fact that as the leader and ’theoretician’ of the Popular Theatre (operating between 1861–64 and 1867– 70), he established the discourse of popular theatre in the tasks of the building programme. Elements of this discourse existed at least until 1945, primarily in theatre press. The social historical significance of this subject is also suggested by the fact that the forms of popular theatrical entertainment had the biggest impact on the masses before motion pictures. Consequently, their role in the ‘creation of traditions’, which happened parallel to nation-building in the second half of the nineteenth century, was of crucial importance.

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