MADÁCH, IMRE. - Hungarian dramatist, b. at Alsostregova on 21 Jan. 1823, d. there on 4 Oct. 1864.
His sole great work is Az ember tragédiája (“The Tragedy of Man”), which combines philosophical depth with rare poetic perfection. Its principal protagonists are Adam, Eve, and Lucifer; the work consists of a series of events in which Providence never allows evil to triumph. The Lord’s final words: “I have told thee, man, struggle and trust!” cast a light of hope upon the eternal human drama. This work, rightly described as the Hungarian Faust, despite its excessive length, is often performed in Hungary and sometimes abroad as well. M., who died relatively young, left many other important works in a preliminary stage.
BIBL.: V. Géza, M. I. e la tragedia dell'uomo, Budapest 1914; J. Barta, I. M., ivi 1942; W. Margendorff, I. M., die Tragédie des Menschen, Würzburg 1942. Alessandro Alessandrini