Az ördög by Ferenc Molnár is a stage comedy written in the early 20th century. Set among Budapest’s artists and the nouveau riche, it centers on a suave, insinuating “Devil” who stirs temptation and jealousy between the painter János and the elegant, married Jolán while needling their circle’s pretensions. The play blends romantic intrigue with sharp social satire as an urbane tempter pits human restraint against charm, wit, and desire.The opening of the play shows János preparing to paint Jolán’s portrait when her husband László leaves them alone, and their carefully buried, youthful tenderness briefly resurfaces. As Jolán readies for the sitting, a mysterious dandy—the “Devil”—rises from an armchair, coolly manipulates appearances, and secures an invitation to that evening’s housewarming where János is to meet his prospective bride, Elza. The Devil toys with László’s business anxieties, exposes the danger of scandal, and goads János by vowing to seduce Jolán that very night, driving the painter to the brink of violence. The scene then shifts to the László villa, where amid the buzz of guests the Devil clears space with barbed charm and positions himself to continue his unsettling game. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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