Hungary and Hungarians in Catalan Literature: The Case of Violant of Hungary

Identifier:  TFM:51

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM51

Authors:  Ildikó Piroska, POSZTÓS

Abstract:
This study examines Hungary and Hungarians in Catalan literature, with a special focus on the figure of the second wife of James I the Conqueror, Violant of Hungary. First we take a look at medieval Catalan literature and show some examples of Hungarians appearing in literary texts like The Book of Facts, written by King James I himself, The Story of Jacob Chalabi and Tirant lo Blanch. Then we mention some examples of Catalan writers in the novels of whom Hungarians appear: Francesc Trabal, Pere Calders, Joan Perucho, Salvador Espriu, Montserrat Roig, Baltasar Porcel, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, Jaume Cabré, Albert Salvadó i Mònica Batet. Later on, we focus on and examine the figure of Violant of Hungary. First we get to know the point of view of some historians of the 19th and 20th centuries; then we examine a legend attributed to the daughter of the Hungarian king and similar legends in other countries; then we follow the lines that the most competent Hungarian person in the field, Olivér F. Brachfeld wrote on the figure of Violant of Hungary. Following all this comes a detailed description of Violant of Hungary in the tales of Mallorca and in children and adolescents’ literature as well as in other terrains of Catalan culture.