elbeszélése

Elbeszélése is a Hungarian term referring to the act and manner of narration in a literary work. It concerns not only what is told but how it is told—the narrative voice, point of view, and organizing principles that shape the reader’s experience. The word derives from elbeszélni, “to tell,” with the nominal suffix -ése, marking the process or result of telling.

A key aspect of elbeszélése is the narrating voice, produced by an elbeszélő (narrator). Narrators can be internal, such as a character within the story who relates events in the first person, or external/omniscient, reporting from outside the characters’ minds. The standpoint may be subjective or more objective, and the narrator’s reliability or distance often becomes a field of analysis.

The temporal organization of elbeszélése is another central dimension. Narration may be linear, following a straightforward timeline, or it may employ non-linear structures such as flashbacks (analepisz) and foreshadowing or flash-forwards (prolepsis). Techniques like stream of consciousness or varying focalization can also influence what and how things are known to the reader.

Functions of elbeszélése include shaping interpretation, mood, and emotional engagement. The chosen mode affects intimacy with characters, the perceived truth of events, and the overall tempo of the narrative. In literary studies, the analysis of elbeszélése often centers on questions of perspective, reliability, and how form supports meaning.

In practice, elbeszélése is foundational to prose fiction; in drama, narration is typically limited to dialogue and stage directions, though some dramatic prose may include narrative commentary.