201st Anniversary of Mór Jókai's birth – Interesting facts you may not know about him

Mór Jókai was born on February 18, 1825, and became known as one of the greatest Hungarian writers of the 19th century. Not only his prolific work, but also his extraordinary life contributed to his memory remaining alive and influential to this day. We have now compiled some interesting facts about his life that you may not have heard before.

... that his birth name was Móricz Ásvai Jókay? If we are to believe the stories surrounding this, it was Lőrinc Tóth who addressed a letter to him as "Mór Jókai." Jókai was initially annoyed by the name, but later, at the urging of his friend Petőfi, he began to use the name  Mór Jókai in his literary life as well. He changed the -y to an -i after the events of March 15, 1849, thus emphasizing that he did not wish to live off the advantages of his noble origins. 
... that he was a Knight of the Order of St. Stephen, member of Kisfaludy Society, member of the Board of Directors of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, an honorary member of Dugonics Society, and President of Petőfi Society for 27 years?

... that his personality was characterized by a vivid imagination even in his youth? This was often accompanied by shyness; for example, he was terrified of dogs. He did not have many friends and spent most of his time at home.

...that during his school years, he was convinced that he had tuberculosis because he often suffered from severe chest pain. After finishing school, he returned home to Komárom, and his mother sent him to Kecskemét, citing a change of air, where he began studying law. Jókai grew very fond of this region, about which he later wrote in his memoirs: "This is where I became a man! This is where I became a Hungarian writer!" His chest pain eventually disappeared completely.

... that after completing his legal studies, he also worked as a lawyer in Pest. Petőfi was already a celebrated poet at this time, who proudly showed his work to his friends and even wrote a poem about it entitled 'To Mór Jókai', which was published in the Pesti Divatlap magazine.

... that he soon abandoned his legal career, and in 1846 his first novel, entitled Seven Days, was published. The work was a success, after which Jókai devoted his life entirely to writing. His work was primarily inspired by the works of Victor Hugo and Eugène Sue.

... that in 1846, he edited the theater section of the Frankenburg newspaper and Pesti Füzetek, and after the newspaper was banned, he also edited  Életképek.

... not only did he play a significant role in the events of March 15, 1848, but he also participated in subsequent historical events? He appeared at rallies, demonstrations, and in the national guard, and he also supported the cause with his Life Pictures , which later became a political newspaper as a result of this.

He met his first wife, Róza Laborfalvi, on March 15, 1848, at the National Theater. The play Bánk bán was being performed on stage, and Jókai rushed to the stage just as the actress was playing the role of Queen Gertrude. They were married on August 29, which ended his long-standing friendship with Petőfi. Neither the poet nor Jókai's family approved of the marriage, as Róza was older than him and had a child (Róza Benke). Jókai lost his wife on November 20, 1886, and then his adopted daughter, Róza Jókai, who was the daughter of Róza Benke and thus the granddaughter of Róza Laborfalvi.

... Jókai married for the second time? He married Bella Nagy, who knocked on his door in 1897 saying she wanted to be an actress. Jókai helped Bella, but it soon became clear that he wanted to support the girl, who was 55 years younger than him, not only in her acting career, but also had tender feelings for her. In September 1899, he married Bella, which upset his relationship with his foster daughter, Róza, and the marriage caused a huge public outcry.

In addition to his literary work, his poetry also reached beyond state borders and received excellent reviews abroad. He was always a hard worker, rising at dawn and working late into the night. He wrote prolifically, even in one sitting, while living a healthy lifestyle, exercising and swimming. Nevertheless, danger was not absent from his life, and he took part in two duels: with a sword against Gyula Bulyovszky, who was wounded during the duel, and with a pistol against Ferenc Pulszky: both men emerged unscathed from the latter duel.

... that he excelled not only in drawing and painting, but also in woodcarving? He created his works of art from wood and ivory, having taught himself how to make them.

... that his works often contrasted romanticism and realism? His novels were characterized by action and an incredibly rich depiction of the environment and landscape, whether they were set in Hungary or abroad.

...that he often received negative criticism for not developing the characters in his novels sufficiently? However, he is known to have created excellent supporting characters, combining characteristics from several genres, ranging from folk tales through historical, adventure, and mystery novels, to picaresque and anecdotal genres.

In 1853, he bought a plot of land on Svábhegy, Buda, which he transformed into a beautiful garden, planted with vines, and built the house himself. Jókai first visited Balatonfüred in 1857 with his first wife, Róza, and they immediately fell in love with the beauty of the landscape and the atmosphere of the spa.

... often returned to Füred, and then 10 years later they bought a plot of land in the town? The author spent many summers in Füred, and it was here that he wrote one of his best-known and most widely read works, The Man With The Golden Touch. After the death of his wife, Róza Laborfalvi, he sold the summer house, which now operates as the Jókai Mór Memorial House.

Mór Jókai was considered one of the "great Hungarian storytellers," about whom Károly Eötvös perfectly described in his work Balatoni utazás (A Journey Around Lake Balaton), what made him one of the greatest Hungarian writers of his time.