BOOK REVIEW OF “THE DANCE OF SATAN”

László Krasznahorkai’s “The Dance of Satan” is a postmodern masterpiece, depicting the spiral of decay and madness in a post-communist Hungarian village. With its lengthy and haunting prose, the work challenges readers to confront religious illusions and human isolation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR LÁSZLÓ KRASZNAHORKAI

László Krasznahorkai, born in 1954 in Gyula, Hungary, is one of Europe’s most outstanding contemporary writers, renowned for his lengthy, complex, and haunting writing style.

He studied philosophy at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest and began his writing career with "The Satanic Dance," published in 1985, a work that immediately established his name in postmodern literature. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the 2013 National Book Award for "Seiobo Going Down to Earth" and the 2015 Man Booker International Prize for his entire career. His other works, such as "The Melancholy of Resistance," "War and War," and "Irminsul," often explore themes of civilizational decay, human isolation, and religious illusions, with verbose, repetitive language flowing like a never-ending stream.

He is renowned for his challenging writing style, where sentences can stretch for pages, creating a suffocating yet captivating atmosphere, reflecting the inner turmoil of his characters. The author also collaborated closely with director Béla Tarr, who adapted "The Dance of Satan" into a seven-hour film, a cinematic masterpiece that won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1994. Although writing about post-communist Hungary, his works possess a universal scope, touching upon the inherent fears of humanity. With "The Dance of Satan," he not only launched his career but also laid the foundation for a dark literary world where geography and psychology intertwine in an inescapable vortex.

CONTENT OF "THE DANCE OF SATAN"

"The Dance of Satan" is set in a remote Hungarian village in the 1980s, where a group of impoverished farmers live amidst the decay of the communist system, awaiting the return of their former leader, Irimias – a con artist who claims to be a prophet. The story begins with strange omens: a mass migration of rats, an alcoholic doctor discovering the carcass of a cow, and rumors of the return of Irimias, who once tricked them into investing in a failed scheme. The characters, from Futaki – a lonely man with recurring dreams – to the elderly Mrs. Schmidt with her religious delusions, are all drawn into a spiral of waiting and decadence, leading to tragic and fantastical events.

The author guides the story through long, repetitive lines, creating a suffocating feeling that reflects the heavy atmosphere of the village. Irimias's return, along with his friend Schmidt, brings false hope, promising salvation, but in reality, it's a new deceptive scheme leading to the complete disintegration of the community. The book doesn't have a linear plot but rather a continuous flow of thoughts, dreams, and events, where time seems to stand still amidst the incessant rain and the echoing church bells. Through this, the author portrays the disintegration of post-communist society, where faith is exploited and people are immersed in isolation, awaiting a savior that never appears.

The work concludes with a loop, where the remaining characters continue to live in illusion, emphasizing the themes of hopelessness and the repetition of history. Krasznahorkai doesn't offer a clear ending but leaves the reader to ponder the cycle of existence, where hope and despair intertwine.

THEMES OF SOCIAL DECAY AND RELIGIOUS ILLUSION

The theme of social decay is the red thread running through "The Dance of Satan," depicted by the author through a remote village in post-communist Hungary, where the economic system has collapsed and social faith has disintegrated. The village becomes a symbol of a rotten society, where poor farmers live in hunger and despair, waiting for a non-existent savior. Krasznahorkai describes this decay through specific details: dilapidated houses, mass rat migrations, and hopeless conversations about the future. He not only criticizes the communist system but also points out the moral decay of humanity, where trust is exploited and the community disintegrates because of Irimias's empty promises.

Religious illusion is a parallel theme, evident in the character of Schmidt, who awaits the return of his deceased son as a savior. Krasznahorkai portrays this blind faith as a way of escaping reality, leading to tragic actions, such as Schmidt's suicide based on a false prophecy. He criticizes how religion is exploited for manipulation, as Irimias uses religious language to deceive villagers, causing them to sacrifice everything for an illusion. This theme is not only critical but also thought-provoking, reflecting on the spiritual isolation of humanity, where faith becomes a poison for suffering.

These two themes intertwine, creating a bleak picture of the decay of post-communist society, where people are immersed in illusion to cope with harsh reality. Krasznahorkai does not offer solutions but leaves the reader to ponder the vicious cycle of despair, making the work a profound indictment of the era.

Writing Style and Novelistic Art

László Krasznahorkai's writing style in "The Satanic Dance" is the most striking feature of the work, with its lengthy, repetitive, and haunting sentences, creating a suffocating atmosphere reminiscent of the village itself. He employs an extended stream-of-consciousness technique, where a single sentence can span pages, repeatedly rehashing images of rain, migrating rats, or church bells, reflecting the stagnation and cyclical nature of life. This style is not easy to read, requiring patience, but it is this repetition that creates a mesmerizing rhythm, drawing the reader into a spiral of decay.

The author's novelistic art is also evident in his construction of space and time. The village becomes a living character, with its damp terrain, fog, and dilapidated houses, reflecting the spiritual decay of its inhabitants. He employs a multi-person perspective, switching between Futaki's inner thoughts, Irimias's lies, and Schmidt's delusions, creating a multi-dimensional picture of isolation. Krasznahorkai avoids linear plotlines, instead using bizarre events like rat migrations or prophecies to build tension, turning the novel into a somber symphony about existence.

This distinctive style has been adapted into a film by Béla Tarr, with its slow pace and elongated imagery, demonstrating its power in conveying a sense of suffocation. Krasznahorkai not only writes novels but also creates a challenging reading experience, forcing readers to confront the hopelessness of the world while contemplating the power of words in depicting human suffering.

LITERARY AND CULTURAL VALUE

"The Dance of Satan" holds immense literary value, representing Hungarian postmodern literature with its challenging writing style and themes of post-communist social decay. Krasznahorkai not only depicts a village but also exposes the disintegration of entire social systems, where beliefs are exploited and people are mired in isolation. This value is widely recognized internationally, with the work being translated into many languages and adapted into a film, winning the Silver Bear in Berlin in 1994.

Culturally, the work reflects the decadence of post-Stalinist Eastern Europe, where religious and political illusions intertwine, leading to personal tragedy. Krasznahorkai criticizes the manipulation of beliefs, making the work a symbol of social critique literature. Its cultural value transcends time, reminding us of the fragility of faith and the isolation of people in modern society.

Furthermore, "The Dance of Satan" is valuable in its ability to challenge the reader. The lengthy and repetitive writing style confronts hopelessness, but at the same time, allows them to find power in the language. The work is not just a novel but a profound literary experience, contributing to the literary heritage of 20th-century Europe.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BOOK

The greatest highlight of "The Dance of Satan" is the author's unique writing style, with its lengthy, repetitive sentences creating a suffocating yet captivating atmosphere, reflecting the decay of the village. He transforms language into a tool to portray existential pain, allowing the reader not only to receive the words but also to feel the sense of helplessness. The repetition of images of falling rain or migrating rats becomes symbolic of the hopeless cycle of life.

The work also stands out for its multi-dimensional character development, from the lonely Futaki to the deceitful Irimias, making them not just symbols but complex human beings. The author avoids one-dimensional portrayal, allowing characters to appear with their full strengths and weaknesses, giving the work vitality and humanity. The shifting perspectives between characters create a comprehensive picture of social disintegration.

The book also scores points for its critical value, exposing post-communist decadence through religious and political illusions. The author does not offer solutions but leaves it up to the reader to reflect, transforming the work into a profound indictment of the era. The combination of literary value and social critique makes "The Dance of Satan" a postmodern masterpiece.

CONCLUSION

"The Dance of Satan" by László Krasznahorkai is a postmodern masterpiece, painting a grim picture of social decay through a spiral of illusion and isolation. With its haunting writing style and multifaceted characters, the work challenges readers to confront the pain of existence. It is a profound literary journey where humanity and the times are reflected in a cruel yet contemplative way.