TranquilityTranquility is a living seismograph of the internal quakes and ruptures of a mother and son trapped within an Oedipal nightmare amidst the suffocating totalitarian embrace of Communist Hungary. Andor Weér, a thirty-six-year-old writer, lives in a cramped apartment with his shut-in mother, Rebeka, who was once among the most celebrated stage actresses in Budapest. Unable to withstand her maniacal tyranny but afraid to leave her alone, their bitter interdependence spirals into a Sartrian hell of hatred, lies, and appeasement. Then Andor meets the beautiful and nurturing Eszter, a woman who seems to have no past, and they fall wildly in love at first sight. With a fulfilling life seemingly within reach for the first time, Andor decides that he is ready to bring Eszter home to meet Mother. Though Bartis’s characters are unrepentantly neurotic and dressed in the blackest humor, his empathy for them is profound. A political farce of the highest ironic order, concluding that "freedom is a condition unsuitable for humans," Tranquility is ultimately, at its splanchnic core, a complex psychodrama turned inside out, revealing with visceral splendor the grotesque notion that there’s nothing funnier than unhappiness. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
A-ha afraid already anyway apartment asked began better Budapest cigarette coat Comrade Fenyő Coriolanus course credenza dare dead door drawer dress Endre Ady Esteemed Mother Eszter exactly eyes face father felt fingers five hundred forgot forints front fucking garbage girl glass Greater Hungary Gypsy half hand happened hate Hotel Gellért Hungarian János Kádár Jolika Judit Kerepesi cemetery King's Indian Defense kitchen knew least leave live look Mangalia Mare Tranquillitatis MÁV minutes month covers everything morning Népszabadság never nice night play pretty priest probably Rebeka remember screamed shit short shoved sitting smell spritzer standing stop story Szabadság Bridge talk tell theater thought threw throw told tomorrow took train turned understand violin vodka waiting walked watch Weér Wherehaveyoubeenson whole thing window woman write yelled