Dramaturgiai dolgozatok (2. kötet, 1864-1881)

A lively collection of essays offers a window onto Hungarian theatre during the pivotal years of 1864‑1881. The writer surveys the bustling world of stage competitions, where playwrights vied for gold‑valued prizes and judges measured success against fleeting audience applause. Along the way he questions whether public taste, critical opinion or institutional habit should hold sway, reminding listeners that every generation revises its own standards of good drama.

The volume blends broad cultural commentary with close readings of specific works, such as a one‑act comedy first performed at the National Theatre in December 1863. In that case study the author dissects the play’s thin plot, its modest inventiveness, and the tension between forced cleverness and natural development. By tracing these debates over genre, originality and reception, the essays illuminate how theatrical art was debated, judged and ultimately reshaped for future audiences.