Werckmeister Harmonies - Characters & Cast

János is motivated by a simple, almost childlike curiosity about the world and a deep-seated sense of duty and compassion. He wants to understand the mysteries of the universe, like the eclipse and the whale, and he feels a responsibility to care for his 'uncle' György. He is not driven by ambition or ideology, but by a gentle desire to observe, learn, and help.

János begins the film as a wide-eyed innocent, a pure and curious soul who finds wonder in the cosmos and seeks to care for those around him. He is a passive observer, drifting through the escalating tensions of the town. His arc is one of tragic disillusionment. As he witnesses the brutal, senseless violence of the mob—a force he is powerless to stop—his spirit is broken. The horrors he sees strip him of his innocence, culminating in his commitment to a mental institution where he is left in a catatonic state, staring blankly, his connection to the world severed.

His primary motivation is the intellectual and philosophical pursuit of a 'purer,' more natural truth, which he seeks through music theory. He is driven by a conviction that modern society is built on a fundamental 'lie' or compromise, and he resists this by retreating into his studies, hoping to rediscover a lost, authentic harmony.

György Eszter starts as a principled recluse, an intellectual who has withdrawn from a society he sees as fundamentally flawed, symbolized by his rejection of Werckmeister's musical harmonies. He is dedicated to his theoretical work, representing a belief in a higher, natural order. However, the tide of real-world chaos, instigated in part by his estranged wife, forces him out of his isolation. By the end, the violence and the subsequent imposition of a new, brutal order leave him defeated. His final act of re-tuning his piano to the conventional system is a gesture of complete capitulation, an abandonment of his ideals in the face of overwhelming force.

Tünde is motivated by a naked hunger for power and control. She is pragmatic and cynical, viewing people and events as instruments to be used for her own advancement. Her goal is to dismantle the old, stagnant order and replace it with a new one that she can lead, under the guise of bringing 'cleanliness' and 'order' to the town.

Tünde is a ruthless and ambitious woman who appears at the outset as merely estranged from her husband. Her arc is one of ascending power. She sees the growing social unrest not as a disaster but as a perfect opportunity to seize control. She manipulates János, pressures her husband, and collaborates with the police chief to form a committee that will restore 'order' after the chaos she helps to orchestrate. By the end of the film, she has successfully exploited the violence to install herself and her allies in a position of authority, demonstrating a chillingly effective path from manipulation to authoritarian rule.