“Running” is a play written by M. Bulgakov in 1926-1927. Many plays were created based on this play, which, unfortunately, were staged after the author’s death, because Stalin forbade all rehearsals.
The first performance took place in 1957 at the Stalingrad Theater. But in 1970, the magnificent film “Running” was directed by directors A. Alov and V. Naumov. The plot affects the time of the Civil War after the October Revolution, where the remaining White Army troops are in desperate resistance and are fighting with the Reds on the Crimean Isthmus.
“Running” is a play, which, as conceived by the author, consists of four actions and eight dreams. Why a dream? Because a dream is a dramatic convention, representing something unreal and implausible, which is very difficult to believe. Thus, the author himself expressed his attitude to what was happening then with Russia: everything is like a nightmare.
The fate of the Russian intelligentsia
Based on the recollections of his second wife, L. E. Belozerskaya about emigration, Bulgakov also wrote his “Run”. An analysis of the biography of this woman shows that she then fled with her first husband to Constantinople, and then lived in Paris, Marseilles and Berlin. The writer also used the memories of the white general Ya. A. Slashchev.
Mikhail Bulgakov “Run” dedicated to the fate of the Russian intelligentsia, which he considered the best layer of Russia. She was forced to leave the country and live in exile. The writer tried to talk about the fact that most emigrants wanted to live in Russia, but they needed to find a consensus with the Bolsheviks and even refuse to fight them, but without compromising on moral principles. The classic even wrote a letter about this to Stalin himself. He wanted to show that he was taller than white and red, but in the end he was considered the enemy of the White Guard. Therefore, the publication of "The White Guard" did not happen during the writer's life, as he did not see the scene and "Run." Bulgakov could not deliver the play “Days of the Turbins” only after a two-year ban, when he received a personal order from Stalin.
"Run". Bulgakov. Summary
So, October 1920. Northern Tavria. There is a battle between the red and white. The young St. Petersburg intellectual Golubkov is hiding from stray bullets and grenades in the narthex of the monastery with Serafima Korzukhina, a lady from St. Petersburg. Together with him, she flees to the Crimea to meet her husband there. Golubkov wonders where the reds came from in this area, because she was all in the hands of the whites.
Then a detachment of cavalrymen of Budyonny drove into the monastery to check people's documents. Priests and monks prayed in front of the images, there were many other people in the church, among them was pregnant Baranbanchikova, who suddenly started fighting. When the Reds left the cloister, they were followed by soldiers led by the white commander De Brizard and Lyuska, the campaign wife of General Charnothy. As it turned out later, General Charnota himself was hiding in the image of a pregnant lady, who, having heard her voices, could not be expressed in words as she was delighted. He hugged them all and began to tell how, instead of fake documents, his friend Drummers in a hurry mixed up everything and slipped him the documents of his pregnant wife.
Now they all begin to discuss the escape plan proposed by Charnoth. But soon it turns out that typhus begins at Seraphim, and Golubkov does not depart from it. Everyone is moving away.
Khludov
November 1920, Crimea. In the hall of the station is the headquarters of the White Guards. The buffet became the command post of General Khludov. He is constantly twitching and obviously sick of something. Here appears the husband of Seraphim, Korzukhin, a friend of the Minister of Commerce, and asks Khludov to help send convoys of smuggled goods to Sevastopol. But he orders everything to burn. Seraphim, Golubkov and Krapilin, the Western Charnos, appear. Seraphim attacks Khludov, that he would only hang people, but she was immediately mistaken for a communist. Seeing her husband, Seraphim rushes to him, but he pretends not to know her, fearing the general’s reaction.
In this episode, Bulgakov fills his “Run” with yet another tragedy. The summary continues with the fact that the guard Krapilin, being in a wild trance from everything that is happening around him, also accuses Khludov of atrocities, and then, having regained consciousness, kneels before him, but the general orders him to be hanged.
Arrest
Golubkov is interrogated by counterintelligence chief Tikhoi, who forces him to sign a document assuring that Seraphim is a communist. Quiet with a partner want to make money on the blackmail of her husband Korzukhin.
Seraphim during interrogation sees Golubkov’s testimony, knocks out a cabinet window and calls for help. Under the windows at this time was the cavalry of Charnothy, who appeared with a revolver and freed Seraphim.
Meanwhile, there is a conversation between Khludov and the commander-in-chief, whom he hates because he involved him in a meaningless business. After all the clarifications, they break up. Khludov has a mental disorder, he constantly sees the ghost of the soldier Krapilin hanged by him. But here comes Golubkov, who is in a panic because of the arrest of Seraphim and wants the general to help free her. Khludov orders his adjutant, Esaul Golovan, to deliver Seraphim to him and immediately adds that she may have already been shot. After a while, he returns and reports that she is at Charnota, who took her to Constantinople. Khludov is also waiting on the ship. A ghost of a messenger comes to him periodically. Golubkov begs him to take with him to find Seraphim.
Emigration
Summer 1921, Constantinople. Bulgakov does not end with this play “Running”. The summary goes on to describe how, on one of the streets of Constantinople, the drunk and moneyless Charnota wants to make a bet on credit on cockroach races. Arthur Arturovich nicknamed Tarakaniy Tsar refuses him. Chornota yearns for Russia, he sells toys and silver ghazyr on the street. As a result, he puts everything on the main favorite, the Yanichar cockroach. In the midst of the contest, it turns out that Arthur drank the Janissary. The fight began.
Lucy and Charnota
Charnota returns home and quarrels with Lucy, because she is lying to her that a box with toys and ghazyrs was stolen from him. She understands that on the run he lost the last. Seraphim lives with them. Lyuska confesses to him that she is forced to engage in prostitution due to the fact that they already have nothing to eat and nothing to pay for the room. She reproaches him for having defeated the counterintelligence headquarters, then fled the army and now they live in poverty far from Russia. Charnotha constantly objected and justified himself by saving Seraphim. And then suddenly Lucia declares that she is leaving with a friend of the Frenchman in Paris. Seraphim, having heard this whole conversation, decides not to sit on anyone else’s neck anymore, but also to go make money on the panel.
On the same day, Charnota meets Golubkov playing the barrel organ on the street. He is looking for Seraphim, who has already found a Greek client and goes with him to the room. After them, Charnoth and Golubkov run in and drive the Greek away. Golubkov confesses his love to Seraphim, but she refuses him, because she does not want to spoil his life.
Then Khludov appears. He was demoted from the army, and now he is entrusted with the task of watching Seraphim. He gives Golubkov a medallion and two liras, because he goes to Paris to ask for money from Korzukhin, whose wife is sick. Charnotha decides to ride with him.
Korzukhin
Autumn 1921, Paris. Golubkov appears on the threshold of Korzukhin's apartment and asks to give him a thousand dollars in debt. But he assures that he has no wife, and refuses to give money. In addition, he states that he wants to marry his secretary. Golubkov accuses him of heartlessness. However, here Charnota meets in business and, having seen cards at Korzukhin's table, invites him to play and puts the Khludov medallion. As a result, he wins $ 20,000 from Korzukhin and buys the medallion back from him for $ 300.
Korzukhin is drunk and furious, he screams and demands the police. The climax comes. A secretary runs out of the room to scream (she turned out to be Lyuska). She, realizing what was happening and seeing Charnota, tells Korzukhin that the money will not be returned to them, since they are lost. In parting, she asks Golubkov to protect Seraphim.
It should be noted that "Running" (Bulgakov's work) with extraordinary touch and understanding tells about each hero.
Seraphim
In Constantinople, Khludov is still in a mental disorder and often communicates with the ghost of the messenger. Seraphim enters and confesses to him that she is ready to accept Khludov’s offer and return to Peter with him. Khludov says that he will also return to Russia even under his last name. Here the long-awaited and already wealthy Golubkov and Charnota appear. The latter understands that he already does not want to fight with the Bolsheviks and that he does not have hatred for them, so he remains and runs to the Cockroach Tsar Arthur.
Denouement
Seraphim and Khludov return to their homeland. Khludov remains alone in the room and, going to the window, shoots himself.
This is how Bulgakov finished his tragic play “Running”. Its summary is just a small part of all the events, so it is better to read the play in the original. And for a better presentation of all the events experienced by the Russian intelligentsia and the Russian people in general, it is advisable to watch this play, because it is best to watch the plays, rather than read the plays. However, if this is not possible, the magnificent film “Running” (1970) will tell you everything best.