Hungarian Conservative

‘To discover this need to escape the darkness, one must first descend. One of the themes of Kontroll is descent, in both a literal and figurative sense. Another tale featuring this theme is La Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy) by Italian writer and poet Dante Alighieri (1265–1321). In many ways, Kontroll is a re-telling of The Divine Comedy, with a message of redemption that can be applied to the individual, and to Hungary itself.’

Karinthy is best remembered for his comedic masterpieces, such as the collection of literary parodies, Így írtok ti (That’s How You Write!), and the collection of sketches about secondary school life, Tanár úr, kérem! (Please, Sir!). Every year, the best comedian in Hungary is rewarded with the Karinthy Ring. However, the man himself was not the exuberant, fun-seeking personality his best-known works may suggest.