The White Stag | Literary Qualities

The White Stag Literary Qualities

The White Stag is based on two early epic stories of the origin of the Magyars, The Miraculous Stag and The Lay of the White Steed. The Miraculous Stag recalls that the stag was the totem animal of the Magyars, while The Lay of the White Steed tells of the Magyars' conquest of their homeland. There is some question, however, whether in fact the Magyar people are to be identified with Attila and the Huns. Most scholars believe that the Magyars entered Hungary not in the fifth century, but in the ninth century, following the paths taken earlier by the Huns.

Traditionally, Prince Geza and his son Vajk, who later converted to Christianity and became St. Stephen, first king of Hungary, are considered the founders of the modern Hungarian nation. Seredy's portrayal of Attila the Hun as the founder of Hungary, then, must be considered more as fantasy...
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