The Door by Magda Szabo is a classic, haunting novel about the mutually dependent relationship between a writer and her longtime servant, Emerence. The novel tells the story of a 60-year-old writer living in post-war Hungary who is struggling to come to terms with her solitude and with the invisible walls that separate her from those around her.
The writer, who is never named in the novel, is living alone in a combined apartment-office in the city, with her servant and friend, the elderly Szabo. She has grown accustomed to their daily routine, in particular to the endless adjustments that she and Szabo make to each other’s needs and tastes. As their organization and interdependence deepens, their lives become increasingly intertwined, to the point where the writer sees Szabo as an extension, or even an extension of herself.
The title, The Door, serves to indicate the invisible, yet powerful barrier that the two possess between them. Szabo will open or close the door of her room in response to the wishes or commands of her employer, and this action is an indication of her strength and her unwavering loyalty. This loyalty is tested when the writer begins to experience a gradual loss of interest in her work and even starts to consider a change of direction in her life.
The relationship between the two characters is complex and sometimes strained, neither of them willing to elaborate on their individual needs or wants. They live in a world of silence, with Szabo anticipating her employer’s every need and the writer struggling to express her own and understand Szabo’s hidden life.
The novel is a powerful exploration of the nature of dependency and vulnerability in a post-war era. It captures the loneliness that each character feels and the difficulty of interdependence in a time of political and social upheaval. Magda Szabo’s writing is often poetic and she paints a vivid picture of both characters’ confused state of mind in the eye of the storm. Their inability to really know each other is an indication of the chaos and uncertainty that characterizes post-war Hungary.
The Door is beautifully written, and joins a number of other novels that explore the relationship between a servile and her master. With its psychological insights and subtle symbolism, it is a powerful and touching testimony to the power of loyalty, love and friendship. By turning a simple relationship into a study of human nature, Magda Szabo has created a timeless masterpiece.
