The Devil

by Ferenc Molnr̀

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Plays

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1907

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, this was a disappointment. I am giving up after Act One. I need a play to capture me from the first line, and this one simply did not.

The plot is trite, even for its day, and nowhere near as captivating as Liliom, another play written by this author. That one eventually became the movie Carousel, and was stunning. This one is boring.

An artist, an old friend, her husband, and the Devil. Temptations, intrigues, the danger of losing wealth and security, not to mention (gasp) being embarrassed in front of Society. Sigh.

Not for me.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This 1908 play by the author of The Play’s the Thing, The Devil lacks the latter’s charm. I don’t know if that’s because Molnár was still searching for his voice when he wrote The Devil or if this is an example of how much a translator / adaptor can make or break a work (I read the Oliver Herford translation), but The Devil doesn’t wear its age well.

The plot is more or less that the devil comes and mucks with a bunch of people’s lives. It’s a conflict that’s been done in other stories with more success, so I can’t say I’m shocked The Devil isn’t well known over a century later. Not recommended.