“March Was But a Moment” — 15 March, the Day of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in Hungarian Poetry

from Petőfi to Petri

Abstract

The article traces the transformation of the way Hungarian poetry has treated one of Hungary’s main national holidays — 15 March, the Day of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 — starting from the late nineteenth century up to the early twenty-first century. Over this period, the Revolution of 1848 became a part of the national historical mythology while poets shifted from praising the heroic deeds of the past to reflecting on the role of this memorial day in national, as well as personal history. Such a shift might be explained not only by new political and ideological contexts that have emerged over time, but also through the way the concept of freedom has transformed at both the national and universal level. In terms of the historical scene, we see a shift from a remembrance day glorifying the past to a revolutionary “holiday of holidays” and later to a symbolic celebration of fighting against enemies which vary depending on the period; finally, national romanticism has been replaced with individual and family history.