Interpreting Lúdas Matyi (Matthew the Gooseboy) According to it’s Narrative Structure and it’s 20th Century Film Adaptations

Abstract

In this paper I analyse Mihály Fazekasʹ epic poem Lúdas Matyi from a narratological perspective, drawing primarily on different narrative theories. First, the paper focuses on the multiplicity of interpretations intended by paratexts, the possibility of filling the gaps in the plot with metaleptical narratives, and the dynamism of the text based on sharp cuts and rhythmic montage. Next, I examine two 20thcentury film adaptations, the 1949 feature film and the 1977 cartoon, which repeat the same transformations, thereby they not only go back to Fazekasʹ work but also enter into dialogue with each other. The comparison of the narrative structure and the analysis of the film adaptations also reveals that the character of Matyi is best described as a picaresque figure in constant movement (both in physical and social sense), being always in disguise.