A tér poétikája Tabéry Géza A Frimont-palota című regényében (Nagyvárad és az Érmellék)

Oradea is one of the most influential cities in Hungarian literary and cultural history, having served as an important center during several periods. This study focuses on the depiction of space in Géza Tabéry’s novels, with particular attention to the portrayal of Nagyvárad and the Érmellék region. The author frequently depicts the villages of the Partium region in his works, while Nagyvárad serves as a recurring and defining setting. The city serves not merely as a backdrop but as one of the organizing centers of the stories: the plot threads either begin here or return here. In contrast, smaller settlements tend to appear as complementary spaces, though they are organically linked to the city. Space takes on significance from a poetic perspective, as it is neither a backdrop nor a decorative element but rather a factor that defines the web of meaning in the works; furthermore, it shapes the development of the characters’ identities, social statuses, and networks of relationships. The methodology of the study consists of document analysis and close reading. The analysis covers novels such as A Frimont-palota (The Frimont Palace), Fekete ablak (The Black Window), and Cenci, a váradi lány (Cenci, the Girl from Oradea). The theoretical framework is based on approaches from literary history and spatial poetics, drawing on the works of Ágnes Klára Papp, Krisztina Kovács, and Gábor Gyáni.