A Psychopathological Study of Franz Molnar's Liliom

When Liliom1 first appeared in 1909 the play was a failure. Bewildered audiences rejected it, although it was the product of a favorite playwright whose other works, some tinged with fantasy, they thought they understood. Here, as in other plays, the author has blended fantasy and reality with such skill that at first glance it is difficult to separate them, a state of affairs frequently encountered in the mind of the neurotic.

I shall divide the play into two distinct parts, a separation which at first may seem arbitrary. We shall see that when Liliom at a certain point in his life is confronted by problems which seem to be insurmountable he goes into a profound retreat. Examples of similar situations are seen in the neuroses. Again we see that sleep is frequently utilized as a hiding place from reality. One hears the expression, “I sleep to get away from my problems.” So we can look upon Liliom's method of escape as we like—sleep, neurosis, or just a projected fantasy. At a certain period in the play we find him out of work, his wife is going to have a baby, and his pal, Ficsur, proposes that they commit robbery. He sees his way out of the problem, yet he has not the courage. This is the situation at the end of the third scene, when he lies down on the couch and buries his head in a pillow. From this point on we can look upon the play as a fantasy of Liliom's. We can follow him attempting to fulfill his wishes, encountering obstacles and even creating a fantasy heaven. We can call it a dream, for many dreams are not unlike this one. After noting this division, I shall handle the material in the play as a whole and analyze certain points as they appear and present some of the underlying motives, cravings, and dynamic factors. Certain acts and situations shall be considered as symbolic. From this point of view many obscurities are clarified and the entire play gains coherence.