Svengali


Svengali is a fictional character in George du Maurier's 1895 novel Trilby. Svengali is a man who seduces, dominates, and exploits Trilby, a young Irish girl, and makes her a famous singer.

Definition

The word "" has come to refer to a person who, with evil intent, dominates, manipulates and controls another.
In court, a Svengali defence is a legal tactic that purports the defendant to be a pawn in the scheme of a greater and more influential, criminal mastermind.

Novel

In the novel, Svengali transforms Trilby into a great singer by using hypnosis. Unable to perform without Svengali's help, Trilby becomes entranced.

Portrayals

Svengali was first portrayed by the English actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree in London and by the actor Wilton Lackaye in the United States, in the 1895 stage play Trilby. The story has also been used in several movies. The character was portrayed in the following films, all titled Svengali: by Paul Wegener in the 1927 German silent film, by John Barrymore in 1931, by Donald Wolfit in 1954, and by Peter O'Toole in a 1983 made-for-television modernised version co-starring Jodie Foster. In the 1983 movie, the names of the characters were changed.