Death and Transfiguration: A Tragic Drama in Five Acts

By Istvan Hornyak

The romantic sweep of Death and Transfiguration greets the reader immediately, from the onset of the first verse of the play to its dramatic conclusion. Set in the stunning locale of the magnificent vistas of the Swiss Alps by the Viervaldstettersee, this play takes you on a breathtaking journey into the psychological worlds of its characters. Based partly on earlier stories and legends of Faust, more specifically, works by Christopher Marlowe and Wolfgang von Goethe, we find him in this version challenging the temptations of evil rather than embracing them. The cosmic conflict between good and evil, between the light and the darkness, is the central theme of this work. Can man withstand the temptations of the evil forces or will he eventually succumb to those desires? Can his will, his spirit withdraw from the constant knocking of Satan? Can love overcome the seeds of hate and anger? Faust, at the outset, resists the invitation to join Mephistopheles; and, in subsequent engagements with the amoral and immortal prevaricator, he attempts and continues to withstand the clever manipulations of the devil. As a result of this ongoing conflict, the plot intensifies as this singular antagonist unveils and harnesses his many talents and powers, relentlessly attempting to infuse his will into the characters. The touching love story between Faust and Margaret takes on new dimensions here. Her growing madness tests the very sanity of Faust himself who finds himself more and more incapable of action as the tragedy unfolds. Will he too join her in the darkness? Is there, or can there be any redemption or salvation from suffering?

Set throughout in poetry, the heart pounding pulse and rhythm of the work undeniably transports the reader or the spectator watching the play to new dimensions. Relish in a work that is unpredictable and unique, a play that will test your own convictions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781468508130

Istvan Hornyak

Dr. Istvan Hornyak was born in Salzburg, Austria of Hungarian parents fleeing the communist occupation of Hungary after WWII. He received most of his education in Colorado, earning a BM and an MA in piano performance from the University of Denver and later, a DMA in composition from the University of Colorado in Boulder. As an educator, in 1992 he won a Fulbright to teach at the Stenhus Gymnasium in Denmark for one year, and in 1996, he won the Colorado Teacher of the Year award for the state. During his tenure as Colorado’s representative, he met president Bill Clinton and has had many speaking engagements concerning education. He has worked with the Colorado Department of Education as well as the Colorado Education Association and has been a clinician and speaker at conventions and colleges. A passionate advocate for the arts, he feels that it is vital to keep the arts alive and active in our schools. As a performer, he has presented recitals in both the United States and in Europe. A winner of numerous awards and competitions, his compositions have been published by the Danish firm Edition Egtved, Twin Elm Publishing, Emerson Music and most recently by Hal Leonard Music Publishers. He states that: Nothing to me is more exciting than the premier of a new work, whether it be music or the publication of fine literature. It is only through the creative process wherein we have the chance to reach our potentials. Man is a creative force, an energy that is capable of light or darkness, of wonder or tragedy. We all need to discover, to seek the spiritual light that emanates around us and by creating beauty, share that precious gift with everyone.

Book preview

The Story

Act I

Prologue

The Poet Speaks

Scene One

By The Vierwaldstettersee

Scene Two

Early Easter Morning (The Next Day)

Scene Three

In Front Of The Cathedral

Scene Four

Auerbach’s Tavern

Act II

Prologue

Ceres’ Blessing

Scene One

In The Garden

Scene Two

At The Theatre Burlesque

Scene Three

At The Masked Ball

Scene Four

In The Drawing Room Of The Manor

Scene Five

At Auerbach’s Tavern

Scene Six

Back At The Manor And The Vierwaldstettersee

Scene Seven

A Walk To The Meadow

Act III

Prologue

Iphigenia’s Lament (Iphigenia Is Bound To The Altar)

Scene One

Alone In The Study

Scene Two

Morning

Scene Three

In The Bedroom

Scene Four

By The Lake

Act IV

Prologue

The Spirit Of The Lake

Scene One

The Meditations

Scene Two

A Brief Visit

Scene Three

Back Again At The Theatre Burlesque

Scene Four

Montage The Poet Speaks

Act V

Prologue

Cassandra’s Prophesy

Scene One

Alone In The Study

Scene Two

Walpurgis Night

Scene Three

Back In The Study

Scene Four

In Front Of The Cathedral

Author’s Preface

I

The inspiration for my story is grounded in the fascinating legends and stories of Faust, the archetype of the frustrated philosopher, the thinker who could no longer find any joy, worth or value from his books or from the knowledge he had acquired, and as a consequence, made a tragic bargain with the devil. During the course of my life I have grown to know some of the literature, works of art and music associated with those stories and legends. What comes to mind are literary works of Christopher Marlowe, The Tragicall History of D. Faustus (1604), based on an anonymous German prose text which was later translated into English as:

The Historie of the damnable life, and deserved death of Doctor John Faustus, Newly imprinted and in convenient places imperfect matter amended… . and translated in to English by P. F. Gent(leman) . . . 1592;

Germany’s Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust: Eine Tragedie (Part I, 1808: Part II, 1831), the numerous anonymous German Faust Books (circa, 1587) from the latter sixteenth century; and more recently, Paul Valery, Mon Faust (1946), and Thomas Mann, Dr. Faustus (1950). The Jewish poet, Heinrich Heine also wrote Doktor Faust: Ein Tanzpoem, Nebst Kuriosen Berichtenuber Teufel, Hexen und Dichtkunst (1851).

Composers flocked to these stories. The opera by Charles Gounod, Faust (1859), is often performed today as well as the dramatic cantata by Hector Berlioz, The Damnation of Faust, which incidentally, features only three singers: Faust, Mephistopheles and Marguerite. Franz Liszt composed A Faust Symphony (1854) as well as the stunning Mephisto Waltzes. His famous son-in-law, Richard Wagner, composed the Faust Overture and 7 Compositions from Goethe’s Faust.

There is a wealth of paintings and art work depicting the Faust story such as Rembrandt’s Faust. Goethe’s drawings illustrating his poem can be seen at the Goethe National Museum in Weimar. Murals and engravings exist in Europe, especially in Germany (at the Historical Institute in Leipzig for example), portraying scenes from the stories. More recently, a series of approximately 100 paintings were created by Nabil Kanso between 1976-1979 describing scenes from Goethe’s work. And, there are countless ballets. After Marlowe’s work had been presented numerous times, John Rich staged a ballet pantomime, The Necromancer or the History of Dr. Faustus at the Lincolns Inn Fields Theater in London. Later, the King’s Theater and the Empire Theater presented ballets. In the nineteenth century, the Royal Danish Ballet as well as companies throughout Europe continued choreographing the story. In the last century, the Prague National Theater resurrected the Heinrich Heine work in 1926 as a ballet which in turn inspired the Australian National Ballet to stage the work in 1948.

Obviously, the Faust story is intriguing and continues to captivate and fascinate all genre of artists today. And so it was and still is with me. Affected by philosophical, psychological and personal experiences, I felt something was missing, especially in the earlier adaptations of this strange story. In Marlowe’s play, (and in The Damnable Life) Faust deteriorates into a simple trickster and, in my opinion, a buffoon. In Goethe’s work, particularly in the second part of the tragedy, Faust appears to me shallow and uninspiring. There seems to be no scope to his character in these works. Hence, I could not resist the temptation to write my own. It has been daunting for me to assume that what I was writing could in any way add something of value to this vast and intricate mosaic. Nonetheless, the words came to me and not having any choice in the matter, I created my own unique version: Death and Transfiguration.

I chose the play format since the immediacy and drama of theater is very powerful. Many of the characters are new, yet the main characters retain their names: Faust, Mephistopheles and Margaret. Margaret (also occasionally called Gretchen) was first introduced by Goethe and has remained a pivotal character especially in works of music. I keep her in my text although, in my work, she assumes a totally different persona from the one described by Goethe.

The original stories place the setting in Germany. I chose to place my setting by the Vierwaldstettersee in central Switzerland. I kept the scene names for Auerbach’s Tavern as well as Goethe’s Walpurgis Night celebration, but depict that rite in Switzerland atop Mt. Pilatus which has its own ghostly legends and stories. Otherwise, Faust (also referred to as Henry) and Margaret emerge as completely different characters from any in other works, and the introduction of Engel and Elise add the final touch.

I relied on the poetic format for many reasons: I wanted to revisit some of the poetic forms of an earlier style, an earlier era; and so, you may find elements of classicism or romanticism in my work. Nevertheless, a modern voice was needed; in essence, a story that has meaning in today’s world. I have tried to communicate this through the language in the verses. My background in music dictated the poetry and I felt that poetry, like the pulse and beat of the heart, is more primordial than prose. This pulse and rhythm is what I wanted to resonate throughout the work.

II

Having read Soren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling, an in depth study and analysis of the Abraham story concerning the sacrifice of Isaac, I sensed that Death and Transfiguration was in some ways modeled after the story of Abraham being tempted by God to sacrifice Isaac, his beloved son. After comparing varying translations of the Abraham story, I uncovered a puzzling feature: the words tempt and test. In the King James translation, tempt is used whereas in later versions, test replaces the earlier term tempt. I felt that tempt was better than test since test implies a pre-ordained expectation: either you pass or you fail. Tempt, on the other hand, implies choice: best defined by the Hebrew word timshel, which was described by John Steinbeck in his masterpiece, East of Eden.

Through temptation, Abraham is given a choice: to follow God’s mandate or decide otherwise. We know that he obeys God’s wishes. If this task were a test, the Lord would be watching whether Abraham would pass or fail. This seems shallow. And, what would have been the consequences of failure? With tempt, had Abraham decided not to follow God’s request, the opportunity to continue tempting Abraham would exist generating an environment where making choices would still be possible. Regardless, the word tempt is also associated with Satan and so, I feel later translators did not like the connection.

Much is lost in the word test. I cannot believe that God needs to test anyone since He probably knows the outcome anyway. Therefore, I agree with the earlier versions and translations as published by the King James Bible. For this play, I develop the concepts and ideas of the word tempt rather than, what I have come to believe, the shallow, trite and unassuming implications of the term test. The conflict between tempt and test therefore becomes a critical mainstay in this work.

III

The main point concerning the Abraham story occurs when the voice of an angel commands Abraham to stop what he is about to do: slay his son with a knife and then burn him as an offering to the Lord. It is interesting to note that if God tempted Abraham at the beginning of the story, He personally avoids telling him what to do at the crucial moment when Abraham, arm lifted, is ready to plunge the knife into his son. This is the decisive moment! From this point, a profound event occurs if one attains such complete hopelessness, as Abraham must have felt the split second before he was about to sacrifice his son. If he does what is asked of him during that final moment, only complete despair, anguish and desperation would well in his heart and soul for the coming deed. It is then that God sends a miracle: His emissary, in the guise of an angel, who commands Abraham to stop.

And now, the transfiguration! It is only when the angel calls to Abraham that he immediately stays his hand and drops the knife and, at that precise moment, understands completely—at the pinnacle of revelation—the most profound of all lessons: overwhelming love and respect for life. When all seems hopeless and someone that is valued and loved beyond comprehension is threatened to be taken away, a profound transfiguration may be experienced when that love is given back, when it is returned, as in Abraham’s case, at the last possible moment. In my view, God through temptation has taught Abraham (because he was offered true choice) the greatest of all lessons: complete and all-consuming love. It is no wonder then that he is blessed as the Father of Many Nations.

Rather than write a jeremiad of woe, I felt the need to resolve some of the psychological conflicts through concepts of salvation and redemption—somewhat as Abraham experienced when the angel spoke to him. Yet, I am not Abraham nor in any way, have I ever known such a miraculous spiritual experience as when an angel of the LORD (YHWH) commanded Abraham to stop. Nonetheless, the notions of salvation and redemption are not new but rather, have been with us always and will be with us forever. These cannot be exhausted by any single work or body of knowledge; they are eternal.

I cite part of the Abraham story from Genesis, Chapter 22, verses 1-12, based on the translation from the King James Bible.

IV

. . . God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, behold, here I am.

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

And when they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

And an angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, here am I.

And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him.

The Characters

A Poet

Faust in mid life

Faust as a young man

Margaret

Elise as a young woman, a tavern maid

Elise as a young girl, an orphan

Engel, Faust’s friend and trusted servant since childhood

Count Albert, a patron and friend of Faust

Count Albert’s guests at the ball

The Stranger, (Mephistopheles)

Mephistopheles

An Usher

A Jester

Two Clowns, Three Mimes, (Chess player, Stranger and a Servant)

Patrons of the Theater Burlesque

Elsa, a midwife and servant

Innkeeper

Drunken Tavern patron

Ceres, goddess of the seasons

Iphigenia, Agamemnon’s daughter

Cassandra, a prophetess

Ganymede, a cupbearer

Helen of Troy

A Father, a Mother and a Child

Easter morning worshippers

Spirit of the Lake (The Vierwaldstettersee)

Chorus of Spirits and:

Pythagoras, Theon (Father of Hypatia) and

Tatit or Matiya (Father of Dahia al-Kahina)

Chorus of Demons

Townspeople:

A Mother,

Men, Women and Children

A Veteran,

An Officer

For Karen

Csak egy kislany van a vilagon

Az en kedves rozsam, galambom.

A jo Isten be nagyon szeret,

Hogy ennekem adott tegedet.

Szep virag az ego szerelem.

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