Jókai a Bolond Istók című vicclapban. Bosznia okkupációjától a bécsi pohárköszöntőig
Jókai in the Humor Magazine ‘Bolond Istók’. From the Occupation of Bosnia to the Viennese Toast

Summary/Abstract: Humor magazines build on the preexistent knowledge of their readers. Something that people generally understand in a certain way suddenly shows itself in a different light. The reason we don’t understand the humor of old comic magazines is that we don’t understand the references they make. But if we decipher the jokes, we discover what was in the limelight of trivial knowledge at the time. The pages of the daily newspapers contain the knowledge that determined the readers’ horizon of expectations. And the humor magazines show what people found impactful: what was found deserving of ridicule was without a doubt general knowledge. Mór Jókai was a constant target of the humorous press of his time. If we decipher the hidden references in the satirical texts and caricatures based on him, we can shed light on the assessment of his actions and his mentality as a person, writer and politician. This can add nuance to our previous understanding of him, formed by the complexity reductions of history and literary history.

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