Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov, whose best works are presented in this article, occupied a separate position in the literary life of the USSR. Feeling himself an heir to the literary tradition of the 19th century, he was equally alien to both socialist realism, instilled with the ideology of communism in the 1930s, and the spirit of avant-garde experimentation, characteristic of Russian literature of the 1920s. The writer sharply satirically, contrary to the requirements of censorship, portrayed a negative attitude towards the construction of a new society and revolution in the USSR.
Features of the author's worldview
Bulgakovās works reflected the worldview of the intelligentsia, which, in periods of historical breakdowns and a totalitarian regime, remained committed to traditional moral and cultural values. This position cost the author a lot: his manuscripts were forbidden for publication. A significant part of the legacy of this writer came to us only decades after his death.
We bring to your attention the following list of Bulgakov's most famous works:
- novels: "The White Guard", "The Master and Margarita", "Notes of the deceased;
- novels: āDevilāsā, āFatal eggsā, āDogās heartā;
- the play "Ivan Vasilievich".
The novel "The White Guard" (years of creation - 1922-1924)
The list of "best works of Bulgakov" opens the "White Guard". In his first novel, Mikhail Afanasevich describes events related to the end of 1918, that is, to the period of the Civil War. The work takes place in Kiev, more precisely, in the house where the writer's family lived at that time. Almost all characters have prototypes among friends, relatives and acquaintances of the Bulgakovs. The manuscripts of this work were not preserved, but, despite this, the fans of the novel, following the fate of the prototypes of the heroes, proved the reality and accuracy of the events described by Mikhail Afanasevich.
The first part of the book "The White Guard" (Mikhail Bulgakov) was published in 1925 in a magazine called "Russia". The work was fully published in France two years later. The opinions of the critics were not unanimous - the Soviet side could not accept the heroization of the class enemies as a writer, and the emigrant side - loyalty to the authorities.
In 1923, Mikhail Afanasevich wrote that such a work was being created that "the sky will become hot ...". The White Guard (Mikhail Bulgakov) later served as the source for the famous play Turbine Days. There was also a series of adaptations.
The Story of the Devil (1923)
We continue to describe the most famous works of Bulgakov. These include the story "The Devil". In the story of how the twins ruined the clerk, the writer reveals the eternal theme of the "little man" who fell victim to the bureaucratic machine of Soviet power, in the imagination of Korotkov, the clerk associated with a devilish, destructive force. Fired from work, unable to cope with bureaucratic demons, the employee eventually goes crazy. The work was first published in 1924 in the almanac "Nedra".
The story "Fatal Eggs" (year of creation - 1924)
Bulgakov's works include the story "Fatal Eggs". Her events take place in 1928. Vladimir Ipatievich Persikov, a brilliant zoologist, discovers a unique phenomenon: the red part of the light spectrum has a stimulating effect on embryos - they begin to develop much faster and reach sizes much larger than their āoriginalsā. There is only one drawback - these individuals are characterized by increased aggressiveness and the ability to quickly reproduce.
One state farm, led by a man with the surname Rokk, decides to use Persikovās invention to restore the population of chickens after chicken pest runs across Russia. He takes the irradiator cameras from the professor, but as a result of the error, instead of chicken, crocodiles, snake and ostrich eggs get to him. Reptiles, hatched from them, constantly multiply - they move to Moscow, sweeping away everything in its path.
The plot of this work echoes the "Food of the Gods" - a novel by G. Wells, written by him in 1904. In it, scientists invent a powder that causes significant growth of plants and animals. As a result of experiments in England, giant wasps and rats appear, and later chickens, various plants, as well as giant people.
Prototypes and adaptations of the story "Fatal Eggs"
According to the famous philologist B. Sokolov, the prototypes of Persikov can be called Alexander Gurvich, the famous biologist, or Vladimir Lenin.
Sergey Lomkin in 1995 made a film of the same name based on this work, including there such heroes of the master and margarita as Woland (Mikhail Kozakov) and the cat Hippo (Roman Madyanov). Oleg Yankovsky brilliantly played the role of Professor Persikov.
The story "Heart of a Dog" (1925)
This story was first published in London and Frankfurt in 1968. In the USSR, it was distributed in samizdat, and only in 1987 did an official publication take place.
The work, which was written by Mikhail Bulgakov ("Dog Heart"), has the following plot. Events take place in 1924. Filipp Filippovich Preobrazhensky, an outstanding surgeon, achieves incredible results in the field of rejuvenation and plans a unique experiment - to perform an operation to transplant a human pituitary to a dog. A homeless dog Sharik is used as an experimental animal, and the thief Klim Chugunkin, who died in a fight, becomes an organ donor.
Sharik's hair gradually begins to fall out, limbs are extended, a human appearance and speech appear. Professor Preobrazhensky will soon have to, however, bitterly regret the perfect.
During a search in the apartment of Mikhail Afanasevich in 1926, the manuscripts of āDogās Heartā were seized and returned to him only after the request of M. Gorky for him.
Prototypes and adaptations of the work "Dog Heart"
Many researchers of Bulgakov's work adhere to the point of view that the writer depicted in this book Lenin (Preobrazhensky), Stalin (Sharikov), Zinoviev (assistant Zina) and Trotsky (Bormental). It is believed, in addition, that Bulgakov predicted the mass repressions that occurred in the 1930s.
Alberto Lattuada, an Italian director, made a film of the same name in the book in 1976, in which Max von Sjudov plays Professor Preobrazhensky. However, this film adaptation did not have much popularity, unlike the cult film directed by Vladimir Bortko, released in 1988.
The novel "The Master and Margarita" (1929-1940)
Farce, satire, mysticism, science fiction, parable, melodrama, myth ... Sometimes it seems that the work created by Mikhail Bulgakov, āThe Master and Margaritaā, combines all these genres.
Satan in the image of Woland reigns in our world with only one purpose known to him, stopping from time to time in different villages and cities. Once, during the spring full moon, he finds himself in Moscow in the 1930s ā the time and place where no one believes in God or in Satan, the existence of Jesus Christ is denied.
All those who come into contact with Woland are persecuted with well-deserved punishments for their sins: drunkenness, bribery, greed, selfishness, lies, indifference, rudeness, etc.
The master who created the novel about Pontius Pilate is in a madhouse, where he was driven by harsh criticism from fellow writers. Margarita, his mistress, only dreams of finding the Master and returning him to her. Azazello gives her hope that this dream will come true, but for this, the girl must do one thing to Woland.
History of the work
The original edition of the novel contained a detailed description of Woland's appearance, placed on the fifteen manuscript pages created by Mikhail Bulgakov. "Master and Margarita", therefore, has its own story. First, the Masters were called Astaroth. In the 1930s, in the newspapers and Soviet journalism, following Maxim Gorky, the title "master" was entrenched.
According to Elena Sergeevna, the widow of the writer, before his death Bulgakov said such words about his novel "The Master and Margarita": "To know ... To know."
The work was published only after the death of the writer. For the first time it was born only in 1966, that is, 26 years after the death of its creator, in an abridged version, with banknotes. The novel immediately gained popularity among representatives of the Soviet intelligentsia, even to the extent that in 1973 an official publication took place. Copies of the work were manually reprinted and thus distributed. Elena Sergeevna managed to save the manuscript during all these years.
Numerous performances based on the work staged by Valery Belyakovich and Yuri Lyubimov were very popular, films of Alexander Petrovich and Andrzej Wajda and television series of Vladimir Bortko and Yuri Kara were also shot.
"Theatrical novel", or "Notes of the deceased" (1936-1937)
Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasevich wrote works until his death in 1940. The book "Theatrical novel" remained unfinished. In it, on behalf of Sergei Leontyevich Maksudov, a certain writer, the story of the writer's world and theatrical backstage is narrated.
On November 26, 1936, work on the book began. Bulgakov on the first page of his manuscript indicated two names: "Theatrical novel" and "Notes of the deceased." The latter was twice emphasized by him.
According to most researchers, this novel is the most ridiculous creation of Mikhail Afanasevich. It was created in one breath, without drafts, drafts and corrections. The writerās wife recalled that while she was laying dinner, waiting for her husband to return from the Bolshoi Theater in the evening, he sat down at the writing desk and wrote a couple of pages of this work, after which, contentedly, rubbing his hands, he went out to her.
The play "Ivan Vasilievich" (1936)
The most famous creations include not only novels and novels, but also Bulgakovās plays. One of them, "Ivan Vasilievich", is brought to your attention. The plot is her next. Nikolai Timofeev, an engineer, makes a time machine in Moscow in his apartment. When the manager Bunsha comes to him, he turns the key, and the wall disappears between the apartments. Thief Georges Miloslavsky is found sitting in the apartment of Shpak, his neighbor. An engineer opens a portal leading to Moscow during the 16th century. Frightened, Ivan the Terrible throws himself into the present, while Miloslavsky and Bunsha fall into the past.
This story began in 1933, when Mikhail Afanasevich agreed to write a "fun play" with a music hall. Initially, the text was called differently, "Bliss," in it a time machine went into the communist future, and Ivan the Terrible appeared in only one episode.
This creation, like Bulgakov's other plays (the list can be continued), was not published during the lifetime of the author and was not put up until 1965. Leonid Gaidai in 1973 based on the work made his famous film entitled "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes the Profession".
These are only the basic creations that Mikhail Bulgakov created. The works of this writer by the above are not exhausted. You can continue to study the work of Mikhail Afanasevich by including some others.