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Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel '' The Master and Margarita'', published posthumously, which has been called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. He is also known for his novel '' The White Guard''; his plays '' Ivan Vasilievich'', '' Flight'' (also called ''The Run''), and ''
The Days of the Turbins ''The Days of the Turbins'' (russian: Дни Турбиных, translit=Dni Turbinykh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov based upon his novel ''The White Guard''. It was written in 1925 and premiered on 5 October 1926 in Moscow Art Theatr ...
''; and other works of the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote mostly about the horrors of the
Russian Civil War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Russian Civil War , partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I , image = , caption = Clockwise from top left: {{flatlist, *Soldiers ...
and about the fate of Russian intellectuals and officers of the Tsarist Army caught up in revolution and Civil War.Bulgakov's biography on britannica
subject of Bulgakov's works (main part of the text starts from the "novel Belaya gvardiya (The White Guard)..."
Some of his works (''Flight'', all his works between the years 1922 and 1926, and others) were banned by the Soviet government, and personally by
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
, after it was decided by them that they "glorified
emigration Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanent ...
and
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
generals".Mikhail Bulgakov in the Western World: A Bibliography
Mikhail Bulgakov in the Western World: A Bibliography
On the other hand, Stalin loved ''
The Days of the Turbins ''The Days of the Turbins'' (russian: Дни Турбиных, translit=Dni Turbinykh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov based upon his novel ''The White Guard''. It was written in 1925 and premiered on 5 October 1926 in Moscow Art Theatr ...
'' (also called '' The Turbin Brothers'') very much and reportedly saw it at least 15 times.Shaternikova, Marianna
Why Did Stalin Loved The Days of the Turbuns.
Почему Сталин любил спектакль «Дни Турбиных». Опубликовано: 15 октября 2006 г.

Stalin’s secret love affair with The White Guard


Life and work


Early life

Mikhail Bulgakov was born on in
Kiev Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...
,
Kiev Governorate Kiev Governorate, r=Kievskaya guberniya; uk, Київська губернія, Kyivska huberniia (, ) was an administrative division of the Russian Empire from 1796 to 1919 and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1919 to 1925. It wa ...
of the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...
, into a Russian family. He was one of the seven children (the oldest of three brothers) of a
state councilor A state councillor () is a high-ranking position within the State Council, the executive organ of the Chinese government (comparable to a cabinet). It ranks immediately below the Vice-Premiers and above the ministers of various departments. ...
, a professor at the
Kiev Theological Academy The Kiev Theological Academy (1819—1919) was one of the oldest higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, situated in Kyiv, then in the Russian Empire (now Kyiv, Ukraine). It was considered as the most senior one among simil ...
, as well as a prominent Russian Orthodox essayist, thinker and translator of religious texts. His mother was Varvara Mikhailovna Bulgakova (''nee'' Pokrovskaya), a former teacher. Both of his grandfathers were clergymen in the
Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...
.Lesley Milne. ''Mikhail Bulgakov: A Critical Biography''. Cambridge University Press. 2009
p. 5
/ref> Afanasiy Bulgakov was born in
Bryansk Oblast Bryansk Oblast (russian: Бря́нская о́бласть, ''Bryanskaya oblast''), also known as Bryanshchina (russian: Брянщина, ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Bryansk. As of th ...
, Russia, where his father was a priest, and he moved to Kiev to study in the academy. Varvara Bulgakova was born in
Karachev Karachev (russian: Карачев) is an ancient town and the administrative center of Karachevsky District in Bryansk Oblast, Russia. Population: History First chronicled in 1146, it was the capital of one of the Upper Oka Principalities in ...
, Russia. According to Edythe C. Haber, in his "autobiographical remarks" Bulgakov stated that she was a descendant of
Tartar Tartar may refer to: Places * Tartar (river), a river in Azerbaijan * Tartar, Switzerland, a village in the Grisons * Tərtər, capital of Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar Island, South Shetland Islands, A ...
hordes, which supposedly influenced some of his works. From childhood, Bulgakov was drawn to theater. At home, he wrote comedies, which his brothers and sisters acted out. In 1901, Bulgakov joined the First Kiev Gymnasium, where he developed an interest in Russian and
European literature Western literature, also known as European literature, is the literature written in the context of Western culture in the languages of Europe, as well as several geographically or historically related languages such as Basque and Hungarian, an ...
(his favourite authors at the time being
Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...
,
Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...
,
Dostoyevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
, Saltykov-Shchedrin, and
Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...
), theatre and opera. The teachers of the Gymnasium exerted a great influence on the formation of his literary taste. After the death of his father in 1907, Mikhail's mother, a well-educated and extraordinarily diligent person, assumed responsibility for his education. After graduation from the Gymnasium in 1909, Bulgakov entered the Medical Faculty of
Kiev University Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ( uk, Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка), colloquially known as KNU ...
, which he finished with special commendation. He then took a position as a physician at the Kiev Military Hospital. In 1913, Bulgakov married Tatiana Lappa. At the outbreak of the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, he volunteered with the
Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
as a medical doctor and was sent directly to the front, where he was badly injured at least twice. Bulgakov's suffering from these wounds had deleterious long-term effects. To suppress chronic pain, especially in the abdomen, he injected himself with
morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies ('' Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. T ...
. Over the next year his addiction grew stronger. In 1918, he abandoned morphine and never used it again. ''Morphine,'' a book released in 1926, is his account of that trying period. In 1916, Bulgakov graduated from the Medical Department of
Kiev University Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ( uk, Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка), colloquially known as KNU ...
and after serving as a surgeon at
Chernovtsy Chernivtsi ( uk, Чернівці́}, ; ro, Cernăuți, ; see also other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this city, which is situated on the up ...
hospital, was appointed provincial physician to
Smolensk Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest ...
province. His life in those days is reflected in his '' A Country Doctor's Notebook.'' In September 1917, Bulgakov was moved to the hospital in
Vyazma Vyazma (russian: Вя́зьма) is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk, the administrative center of the oblast, and Mozhaysk. Thr ...
, near Smolensk. In February 1918, he returned to Kiev, Ukraine, where he opened a private practice at his home at Andreyevsky Descent, 13. Here he lived through the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
and witnessed ten coups. Successive governments drafted the young doctor into their service while two of his brothers were serving in the
White Army The White Army (russian: Белая армия, Belaya armiya) or White Guard (russian: Бѣлая гвардія/Белая гвардия, Belaya gvardiya, label=none), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (russian: Бѣлогв� ...
against the Bolsheviks. In February 1919, he was mobilised as an army physician by the
White Army The White Army (russian: Белая армия, Belaya armiya) or White Guard (russian: Бѣлая гвардія/Белая гвардия, Belaya gvardiya, label=none), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (russian: Бѣлогв� ...
and assigned to the Northern Caucasus. There, he became seriously ill with
typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure. ...
and barely survived. In the Caucasus, he started working as a journalist, but when he and others were invited to return as doctors by the French and German governments, Bulgakov was refused permission to leave Russia because of the typhus. That was when he last saw his family; after the Civil War and the rise of the Soviets most of his relatives emigrated to Paris.


Career

After his illness, Bulgakov abandoned his medical practice to pursue writing. In his autobiography, he recalled how he began: "Once in 1919 when I was traveling at night by train I wrote a short story. In the town where the train stopped, I took the story to the publisher of the newspaper who published the story". His first book was an
almanac An almanac (also spelled ''almanack'' and ''almanach'') is an annual publication listing a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and othe ...
of
feuilleton A ''feuilleton'' (; a diminutive of french: feuillet, the leaf of a book) was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art critici ...
s called ''Future Perspectives'', written and published the same year. In December 1919, Bulgakov moved to
Vladikavkaz Vladikavkaz (russian: Владикавка́з, , os, Дзæуджыхъæу, translit=Dzæwdžyqæw, ;), formerly known as Ordzhonikidze () and Dzaudzhikau (), is the capital city of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia. It is located i ...
. He wrote and saw his first two plays, ''Self Defence'' and ''The Turbin Brothers'', being produced for the city theater stage with great success. After travelling through the Caucasus, Bulgakov headed for Moscow, intending "to remain here forever". It was difficult to find work in the capital, but he was appointed secretary to the literary section of Glavpolitprosvet (Central Committee of the Republic for Political Education). In September 1921, Bulgakov and his wife settled near
Patriarch's Ponds Patriarch's Ponds (russian: Патриаршие пруды, ''Patriarshiye prudy'') is park, pond and an affluent residential area in downtown Presnensky District of Moscow, Russia. For the last 200 years, there has been only ''one'' pond, altho ...
, on Bolshaya Sadovaya street, 10 (now close to Mayakovskaya metro station). To make a living, he started working as a correspondent and feuilletons writer for the newspapers ''Gudok'', ''Krasnaia Panorama'' and ''Nakanune'', based in Berlin. For the almanac ''Nedra'', he wrote ''Diaboliad'', ''
The Fatal Eggs ''The Fatal Eggs'' (russian: Роковые яйца, ) is a novella by Mikhail Bulgakov, a Soviet novelist and playwright whose most famous work is ''The Master and Margarita''. It was written in 1924 and first published in 1925. The novel beca ...
'' (1924), and '' Heart of a Dog'' (1925), works that combined bitter satire and elements of science fiction and were concerned with the fate of a scientist and the misuse of his discovery. The most significant features of Bulgakov's satire, such as a skillful blending of fantastic and realistic elements, grotesque situations, and a concern with important ethical issues, had already taken shape; these features were developed further in his most famous novel. Between 1922 and 1926, Bulgakov wrote several plays (including ''Zoyka's Apartment''), none of which were allowed production at the time. ''The Run'', treating the horrors of a fratricidal war, was personally banned by
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
after the Glavrepertkom (Department of Repertoire) decided that it "glorified emigration and
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
generals". In 1924, Bulgakov divorced his first wife and the next year married Lyubov Belozerskaya. When one of Moscow's theatre directors severely criticised Bulgakov, Stalin personally protected him, saying that a writer of Bulgakov's quality was above "party words" like "left" and "right". Stalin found work for the playwright at a small Moscow theatre, and next the
Moscow Art Theatre The Moscow Art Theatre (or MAT; russian: Московский Художественный академический театр (МХАТ), ''Moskovskiy Hudojestvenny Akademicheskiy Teatr'' (МHАТ)) was a theatre company in Moscow. It was f ...
(MAT). Bulgakov's first major work was the novel '' The White Guard'' (Belaya gvardiya �елая гвардия, serialized in 1925 but never published in book form.Mikhail Bulgakov's biography on britannica
Bulgakov's first work was Belaya gvardiya (The White Guard)
On 5 October 1926, ''
The Days of the Turbins ''The Days of the Turbins'' (russian: Дни Турбиных, translit=Dni Turbinykh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov based upon his novel ''The White Guard''. It was written in 1925 and premiered on 5 October 1926 in Moscow Art Theatr ...
'', the play which continued the theme of ''The White Guard'' (the fate of Russian intellectuals and officers of the Tsarist Army caught up in revolution and Civil war) was premiered at the MAT. Stalin liked it very much and reportedly saw it at least 15 times. His plays '' Ivan Vasilievich'' (Иван Васильевич), ''Don Quixote'' (Дон Кихот) and ''Last Days'' (Последние дни oslednie Dni also called ''Pushkin'') were banned. The premier of another, ''Moliėre'' (also known as ''The Cabal of Hypocrites''), about the French dramatist in which Bulgakov plunged "into fairy Paris of the XVII century", received bad reviews in ''
Pravda ''Pravda'' ( rus, Правда, p=ˈpravdə, a=Ru-правда.ogg, "Truth") is a Russian broadsheet newspaper, and was the official newspaper of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, when it was one of the most influential papers in the ...
'' and the play was withdrawn from the theater repertoire. In 1928, ''Zoyka's Apartment'' and ''The Purple Island'' were staged in Moscow; both comedies were accepted by the public with great enthusiasm, but critics again gave them bad reviews. By March 1929, Bulgakov's career was ruined when Government censorship stopped the publication of any of his work and his plays. In despair, Bulgakov first wrote a personal letter to Joseph Stalin (July 1929), then on 28 March 1930, a letter to the Soviet government. He requested permission to emigrate if the Soviet Union could not find use for him as a writer. In his autobiography, Bulgakov claimed to have written to Stalin out of desperation and mental anguish, never intending to post the letter. He received a phone call directly from the Soviet leader, who asked the writer whether he really desired to leave the Soviet Union. Bulgakov replied that a Russian writer cannot live outside of his homeland. Stalin gave him permission to continue working at the Art Theater; on 10 May 1930, he re-joined the theater, as stage director's assistant. Later he adapted
Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...
's ''
Dead Souls ''Dead Souls'' (russian: «Мёртвые души», ''Mjórtvyje dúshi'') is a novel by Nikolai Gogol, first published in 1842, and widely regarded as an exemplar of 19th-century Russian literature. The novel chronicles the travels and adve ...
'' for stage. In 1932, Bulgakov married for the third time, to Yelena Shilovskaya, who would prove to be inspiration for the character Margarita in his most famous novel, on which he started working in 1928. During the last decade of his life, Bulgakov continued to work on ''The Master and Margarita'', wrote plays, critical works, and stories and made several translations and dramatisations of novels. Many of them were not published, others were "torn to pieces" by critics. Much of his work (ridiculing the Soviet system) stayed in his desk drawer for several decades. The refusal of the authorities to let him work in the theatre and his desire to see his family who were living abroad, whom he had not seen for many years, led him to seek drastic measures. Despite his new work, the projects he worked on at the theatre were often prohibited, and he was stressed and unhappy.


Last years

In the late 1930s, he joined the
Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, literally "Big Theater", p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈatər) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and ope ...
as a
librettist A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major litu ...
and consultant. He left after perceiving that none of his works would be produced there. Stalin's favor protected Bulgakov from arrests and execution, but he could not get his writing published. His novels and dramas were subsequently banned and, for the second time, Bulgakov's career as playwright was ruined. When his last play ''Batum'' (1939), a complimentary portrayal of Stalin's early revolutionary days, was banned before rehearsals, Bulgakov requested permission to leave the country but was refused. In poor health, Bulgakov devoted his last years to what he called his "sunset" novel. The years 1937 to 1939 were stressful for Bulgakov, veering from glimpses of optimism, believing the publication of his masterpiece could still be possible, to bouts of depression, when he felt as if there were no hope. On 15 June 1938, when the manuscript was nearly finished, Bulgakov wrote in a letter to his wife:
"In front of me 327 pages of the manuscript (about 22 chapters). The most important remains – editing, and it's going to be hard, I will have to pay close attention to details. Maybe even re-write some things... 'What's its future?' you ask? I don't know. Possibly, you will store the manuscript in one of the drawers, next to my 'killed' plays, and occasionally it will be in your thoughts. Then again, you don't know the future. My own judgement of the book is already made and I think it truly deserves being hidden away in the darkness of some chest..."
In 1939, Mikhail Bulgakov organized a private reading of ''The Master and Margarita'' to his close circle of friends. Yelena Bulgakova remembered 30 years later, "When he finally finished reading that night, he said: 'Well, tomorrow I am taking the novel to the publisher!' and everyone was silent", "...Everyone sat paralyzed. Everything scared them. P. (P. A. Markov, in charge of the literature division of MAT) later at the door fearfully tried to explain to me that trying to publish the novel would cause terrible things", she wrote in her diary (14 May 1939). In the last month of his life, friends and relatives were constantly on duty at his bedside. On 10 March 1940, Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov died from
nephrotic syndrome Nephrotic syndrome is a collection of symptoms due to kidney damage. This includes protein in the urine, low blood albumin levels, high blood lipids, and significant swelling. Other symptoms may include weight gain, feeling tired, and foamy ...
(an inherited kidney disorder). His father had died of the same disease, and from his youth Bulgakov had guessed his future mortal diagnosis. On 11 March, a civil funeral was held in the building of the
Union of Soviet Writers The Union of Soviet Writers, USSR Union of Writers, or Soviet Union of Writers (russian: Союз писателей СССР, translit=Soyuz Sovetstikh Pisatelei) was a creative union of professional writers in the Soviet Union. It was founded ...
. Before the funeral, the Moscow sculptor
Sergey Merkurov Sergey Dmitrievich Merkurov (russian: Серге́й Дми́триевич Мерку́ров, – 8 June 1952) was a prominent Soviet sculptor-monumentalist of Greek-Armenian descent. He was a People's Artist of the USSR, an academic at the ...
removed the death mask from his face. He was buried in the
Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery ( rus, Новоде́вичье кла́дбище, Novodevichye kladbishche) is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular touris ...
in Moscow.


Works

During his life, Bulgakov was best known for the plays he contributed to
Konstantin Stanislavski Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski ( Alekseyev; russian: Константин Сергеевич Станиславский, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin sʲɪrˈgʲejɪvʲɪtɕ stənʲɪˈslafskʲɪj; 7 August 1938) was a seminal Soviet Russian ...
's and Nemirovich-Danchenko's Moscow Art Theatre. Stalin was known to be fond of the play '' Days of the Turbins'' (Дни Турбиных, 1926), which was based on Bulgakov's novel '' The White Guard''. His dramatization of
Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
's life in ''
The Cabal of Hypocrites ''The Cabal of Hypocrites'' (russian: Кабала святош, translit=Kabala svyatosh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov also known as ''Molière''. Written in 1929 for the Moscow Art Theatre, it was read by Bulgakov for Stanislavski a ...
'' (Кабала святош, 1936) is still performed by the Moscow Art Theatre. Even after his plays were banned from the theatres, Bulgakov wrote a comedy about
Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Iva ...
's visit into 1930s
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. His play ''Batum'' (Батум, 1939) about the early years of Stalin was prohibited by the premier himself. Bulgakov later reflected his experience of being a Soviet playwright in ''
Theatrical Novel ''Theatrical Novel'' (''Notes of a Dead Man''), translated as ''Black Snow'' and ''A Dead Man's Memoir'' (russian: Театральный роман (Записки покойника), translit=Teatralnyy roman (Zapiski pokoynika) is an unfinished ...
'' (Театральный роман, 1936, unfinished). Bulgakov began writing novels with '' The White Guard'' (Белая гвардия) (1923, partly published in 1925, first full edition 1927–1929, Paris) – a novel about a life of a
White Army The White Army (russian: Белая армия, Belaya armiya) or White Guard (russian: Бѣлая гвардія/Белая гвардия, Belaya gvardiya, label=none), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (russian: Бѣлогв� ...
officer's family in
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
Kiev Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...
. In the mid-1920s, he came to admire the works of
Alexander Belyaev Alexander Romanovich Belyaev (russian: Алекса́ндр Рома́нович Беля́ев, ; – 6 January 1942) was a Soviet Russian writer of science fiction. His works from the 1920s and 1930s made him a highly regarded figure in Russia ...
and H. G. Wells and wrote several stories and novellas with elements of
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
, notably ''
The Fatal Eggs ''The Fatal Eggs'' (russian: Роковые яйца, ) is a novella by Mikhail Bulgakov, a Soviet novelist and playwright whose most famous work is ''The Master and Margarita''. It was written in 1924 and first published in 1925. The novel beca ...
'' (Роковые яйца) (1924) and '' Heart of a Dog'' (Собачье сердце) (1925). He intended to compile his stories of the mid-twenties (published mostly in medical journals) that were based on his work as a country doctor in 1916–1918 into a collection titled '' Notes of a Young Doctor'' (Записки юного врача), but the book came out only in 1963. ''
The Fatal Eggs ''The Fatal Eggs'' (russian: Роковые яйца, ) is a novella by Mikhail Bulgakov, a Soviet novelist and playwright whose most famous work is ''The Master and Margarita''. It was written in 1924 and first published in 1925. The novel beca ...
'' tells of the events of a Professor Persikov, who, in experimentation with eggs, discovers a red ray that accelerates growth in living organisms. At the time, an illness passes through the chickens of Moscow, killing most of them, and to remedy the situation, the Soviet government puts the ray into use at a farm. Due to a mix-up in egg shipments, the Professor ends up with chicken eggs, while the government-run farm receives the shipment of ostrich, snake and crocodile eggs ordered by the Professor. The mistake is not discovered until the eggs produce giant monstrosities that wreak havoc in the suburbs of Moscow and kill most of the workers on the farm. The propaganda machine turns on Persikov, distorting his nature in the same way his "innocent" tampering created the monsters. This tale of a bungling government earned Bulgakov his label of counter-revolutionary. '' Heart of a Dog'' features a professor who implants human testicles and a
pituitary gland In vertebrate anatomy, the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland, about the size of a chickpea and weighing, on average, in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain. The h ...
into a dog named Sharik (means "Little Balloon" or "Little Ball" – a popular Russian nickname for a male dog). The dog becomes more and more human as time passes, resulting in all manner of chaos. The tale can be read as a critical satire of liberal nihilism and the communist mentality. It contains a few bold hints to the communist leadership; e.g. the name of the drunkard donor of the human organ implants is Chugunkin ("chugun" is cast iron) which can be seen as a parody on the name of Stalin ("stal'" is steel). It was adapted as a comic
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
called ''The Murder of Comrade Sharik'' by William Bergsma in 1973. In 1988, an award-winning film version '' Sobachye Serdtse'' was produced by
Lenfilm Lenfilm (russian: link=no, Ленфильм) is a Russian production company with its own film studio located in Saint Petersburg (the city was called Leningrad from 1924 to 1991, thus the name). It is a corporation with its stakes shared betwe ...
, starring
Yevgeniy Yevstigneyev Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Yevstigneyev (russian: Евгений Александрович Евстигнеев; 9 October 1926 — 4 March 1992) was a prominent Soviet and Russian stage and film actor, theatre pedagogue, one of the founders of the ...
, Roman Kartsev and
Vladimir Tolokonnikov Vladimir Alexeyevich Tolokonnikov (russian: Влади́мир Алексе́евич Толоко́нников; June 25, 1943 – July 15, 2017) was a Soviet, Russian and Kazakh film and theater actor, Honored Artist of the Kazakh SSR. He was awa ...
.


''The Master and Margarita''

The novel '' The Master and Margarita'' is a critique of Soviet society and its literary establishment. The work is appreciated for its philosophical undertones and for its high artistic level, thanks to its picturesque descriptions (especially of old Jerusalem), lyrical fragments and style. It is a
frame narrative A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (co ...
involving two characteristically related time periods, or plot lines: a retelling in Bulgakov's interpretation of the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chris ...
and a description of contemporary Moscow. The novel begins with
Satan Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehoo ...
visiting Moscow in the 1930s, joining a conversation between a critic and a poet debating the most effective method of denying the existence of
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
. It develops into an all-embracing indictment of the corruption of communism and Soviet Russia. A story within the story portrays the interrogation of Jesus Christ by
Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of ...
and the
Crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...
. It became the best known novel by Bulgakov. He began writing it in 1928, but the novel was finally published by his widow only in 1966, twenty-six years after his death. The book contributed a number of sayings to the Russian language, for example, "Manuscripts don't burn" and "second-grade freshness". A destroyed manuscript of the Master is an important element of the plot. Bulgakov had to rewrite the novel from memory after he burned the draft manuscript in 1930, as he could not see a future as a writer in the Soviet Union at a time of widespread political repression.


Legacy


Exhibitions and museums

*Several displays at the One Street Museum are dedicated to Bulgakov's family. Among the items presented in the museum are original photos of Mikhail Bulgakov, books and his personal belongings, and a window frame from the house where he lived. The museum also keeps scientific works of Prof. Afanasiy Bulgakov, Mikhail's father.


Mikhail Bulgakov Museum, Kyiv

The
Mikhail Bulgakov Museum Mikhail Bulgakov Museum (officially known as Literature-Memorial Museum to Mikhail Bulgakov, commonly called the Bulgakov House or Lystovnychyi House) is a museum in Kyiv, Ukraine, dedicated to Kyiv-born Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov. Commen ...
(Bulgakov House) in
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...
has been converted to a literary museum with some rooms devoted to the writer, as well as some to his works. This was his family home, the model for the house of the Turbin family in his play


The Bulgakov Museums in Moscow

In Moscow, two museums honour the memory of Mikhail Bulgakov and ''The Master and Margarita''. Both are situated in Bulgakov's old apartment building on Bolshaya Sadovaya street nr. 10, in which parts of ''The Master and Margarita'' are set. Since the 1980s, the building has become a gathering spot for Bulgakov's fans, as well as Moscow-based
Satanist Satanism is a group of Ideology, ideological and Philosophy, philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 19 ...
groups, and had various kinds of
graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
scrawled on the walls. The numerous paintings, quips, and drawings were completely whitewashed in 2003. Previously the best drawings were kept as the walls were repainted, so that several layers of different colored paints could be seen around the best drawings. There is a rivalry between the two museums, mainly maintained by the later established official Museum M.A. Bulgakov, which invariably presents itself as "the first and only Memorial Museum of Mikhail Bulgakov in Moscow".


=The Bulgakov House

= The Bulgakov House ( Russian: Музей – театр "Булгаковский Дом") is situated at the ground floor. This museum has been established as a private initiative on 15 May 2004. The ''Bulgakov House'' contains personal belongings, photos, and several exhibitions related to Bulgakov's life and his different works. Various poetic and literary events are often held, and excursions to ''Bulgakov's Moscow'' are organised, some of which are animated with living characters of ''The Master and Margarita''. The ''Bulgakov House'' also runs the ''Theatre M.A. Bulgakov'' with 126 seats, and the ''Café 302-bis''.


=The Museum M.A. Bulgakov

= In the same building, in apartment number 50 on the fourth floor, is a second museum that keeps alive the memory of Bulgakov, the Museum M.A. Bulgakov ( Russian: Музей М. А. Булгаков). This second museum is a government initiative, and was founded on 26 March 2007. The Museum M.A. Bulgakov contains personal belongings, photos, and several exhibitions related to Bulgakov's life and his different works. Various poetic and literary events are often held. Mikhail Bulgakov Museum, Kyiv


Other places named after him

*A
minor planet According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
, 3469 Bulgakov, discovered by the Soviet astronomer
Lyudmila Georgievna Karachkina Lyudmila Georgievna Karachkina (russian: Людмила Георгиевна Карачкина, born 3 September 1948, Rostov-on-Don) is an astronomer and discoverer of minor planets. In 1978 she began as a staff astronomer of the Institute for ...
in 1982, is named after him.


Works inspired by him


Literature

*
Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and ...
said that ''The Master and Margarita'' was an inspiration for his novel ''
The Satanic Verses ''The Satanic Verses'' is the fourth novel of British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie. First published in September 1988, the book was inspired by the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. As with his previous books, Rushdie used magical realism ...
'' (1988). * John Hodge's play '' Collaborators'' (2011) is a fictionalized account of the relationship between Bulgakov and
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as Ge ...
, inspired by ''The Days of the Turbins'' and ''The White Guard.''


Music

*According to
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, ''Master and Margarita'' was the inspiration for
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...
' "
Sympathy for the Devil "Sympathy for the Devil" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones and the opening track from the band's 1968 album ''Beggars Banquet''. The song is a product of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' songwriting partnership. It is consi ...
" (1968). *The lyrics of
Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...
's song "Pilate", featured on their album '' Yield'' (1998), were inspired by ''Master and Margarita''. The lyrics were written by the band's bassist
Jeff Ament Jeffrey Allen Ament (born March 10, 1963) is an American musician and songwriter who is best known as the bassist of the American rock band Pearl Jam, which he co-founded alongside Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. Prior to his wo ...
. *
Alex Kapranos Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley (born 20 March 1972) is a Scottish musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and author. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand. He has also been a part of the ...
from Franz Ferdinand based "Love and Destroy" on the same book.


Film

*'' The Flight'' (1970) — a two-part historical drama based on Bulgakov's '' Flight'', '' The White Guard'' and ''Black Sea''. It was the first Soviet adaptation of Bulgakov's writings directed by
Aleksandr Alov Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Alov (russian: Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович А́лов) (September 26, 1923  – June 12, 1983) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter, he was granted the honorary title of People's Artist o ...
and
Vladimir Naumov Vladimir Naumovich Naumov (russian: Влади́мир Нау́мович Нау́мов; 6 December 1927 – 29 November 2021) was a Russian film director and writer. Naumov was named People’s Artist of the USSR in 1983. He was a schoolmate o ...
, with Bulgakov's third wife Elena Bulgakova credited as a "literary consultant". The film was officially selected for the 1971 Cannes Film Festival. *'' The Master and Margaret'' (1972) — a joint Yugoslav-Italian drama directed by Aleksandar Petrović, the first adaptation of the novel of the same name, along with ''Pilate and Others''. It was selected as the Yugoslav entry for the
Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
at the
45th Academy Awards The 45th Academy Awards were presented Tuesday, March 27, 1973, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California, honoring the best films of 1972. The ceremonies were presided over by Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Charlton Heston ...
, but was not accepted as a nominee. *''
Pilate and Others Pilate and Others (german: Pilatus und andere - Ein Film für Karfreitag) is a 1972 German drama film directed by Andrzej Wajda, based on the 1967 novel '' The Master and Margarita'' by the Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, although it focuses on th ...
'' (1972) — a German TV drama directed by
Andrzej Wajda Andrzej Witold Wajda (; 6 March 1926 – 9 October 2016) was a Polish film and theatre director. Recipient of an Honorary Oscar, the Palme d'Or, as well as Honorary Golden Lion and Honorary Golden Bear Awards, he was a prominent member of the ...
, it was also a loose adaptation of '' The Master and Margarita'' novel. The film focused on the biblical part of the story, and the action was moved to the modern-day
Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
. *'' Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future'' (1973) — an adaptation of Bulgakov's science fiction/comedy play '' Ivan Vasilievich'' about an unexpected visit of
Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Iva ...
to the modern-day Moscow. It was directed by one of the leading Soviet comedy directors
Leonid Gaidai Leonid Iovich Gaidai (russian: Леонид Иович Гайдай; 30 January 1923 – 19 November 1993) was a Soviet and Russian comedy film director, screenwriter and actor who enjoyed immense popularity and broad public recognition in the fo ...
. With 60.7 million viewers on the year of release it became the 17th most popular film ever produced in the USSR. *''
Dog's Heart ''Cuore di cane'' (german: Warum bellt Herr Bobikow?, International title - ''Dog's Heart'') is a 1976 in film, 1976 joint Italian-German comedy film directed by Alberto Lattuada based on a Heart of a Dog, novel ''Heart of a Dog'' by Mikhail Bul ...
'' (1976) — a joint Italian-German science fiction/comedy film directed by
Alberto Lattuada Alberto Lattuada (; 13 November 1914 – 3 July 2005) was an Italian film director. Career Lattuada was born in Vaprio d'Adda, the son of composer Felice Lattuada. He was initially interested in literature, becoming, while still a student, a ...
. It was the first adaptation of the '' Heart of a Dog'' satirical novel about an old scientist who tries to grow a man out of a dog. *''
The Days of the Turbins ''The Days of the Turbins'' (russian: Дни Турбиных, translit=Dni Turbinykh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov based upon his novel ''The White Guard''. It was written in 1925 and premiered on 5 October 1926 in Moscow Art Theatr ...
'' (1976) — a three-part Soviet TV drama directed by
Vladimir Basov Vladimir Pavlovich Basov (russian: link=no, Владимир Павлович Басов; 28 July 192317 September 1987) was a Soviet Russian actor, film director and screenwriter. People's Artist of the USSR (1983). Biography Vladimir Basov was ...
. It was an adaptation of the play of the same name which, at the same time, was Bulgakov's stage adaptation of ''The White Guard'' novel. *'' Heart of a Dog'' (1988) — a Soviet black-and-white TV film directed by
Vladimir Bortko Vladimir Vladimirovich Bortko (russian: Владимир Владимирович Бортко; born 7 May 1946) is a Russian film director, screenwriter, producer and politician. He was a member of the State Duma between 2011 and 2021, and was aw ...
, the second adaptation of the novel of the same name. Unlike the previous version, this film follows the original text closely, while also introducing characters, themes and dialogues featured in other Bulgakov's writings. *''
The Master and Margarita ''The Master and Margarita'' (russian: Мастер и Маргарита) is a novel by Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940 during Stalin's regime. A censored version, with several chapters cut by ...
'' (1989) — a Polish TV drama in four parts directed by Maciej Wojtyszko. It was noted by critics as a very faithful adaptation of the original novel. *''After the Revolution'' (1990) – a feature-length film created by András Szirtes, a Hungarian filmmaker, using a simple video camera, from 1987 to 1989. It is a very loose adaptation, but for all that, it is explicitly based on Bulgakov's novel, in a thoroughly experimental way. What you see in this film is documentary-like scenes shot in Moscow and Budapest, and New York, and these scenes are linked to the novel by some explicit links, and by these, the film goes beyond the level of being but a visual documentary which would only have reminded the viewer of The Master and Margarita. *'' Incident in Judaea'', a 1991 film by Paul Bryers for Channel 4, focussing on the biblical parts of The Master and Margarita. *''
The Master and Margarita ''The Master and Margarita'' (russian: Мастер и Маргарита) is a novel by Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940 during Stalin's regime. A censored version, with several chapters cut by ...
'' (1994) — Russian film directed by
Yuri Kara Yuri Viktorovich Kara (Russian: Юрий Викторович Кара), born on 12 November 1954 in Stalino, is a Russian film director, screenwriter and producer. Biography Yuri Kara was born on 12 November 1954 in the Stalino, which is now c ...
in 1994 and released to public only in 2011. Known for a long, troubled post-production due to the director's resistance to cut about 80 minutes of the film on the producers' request, as well as copyright claims from the descendants of Elena Bulgakova (Shilovskaya). *''
The Master and Margarita ''The Master and Margarita'' (russian: Мастер и Маргарита) is a novel by Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940 during Stalin's regime. A censored version, with several chapters cut by ...
'' (2005) — Russian TV mini-series directed by Vladimir Bortko and his second adaptation of Bulgakov's writings. Screened for
Russia-1 Russia-1 (russian: Россия-1) is a state-owned Russian television channel, first aired on 14 February 1956 as Programme Two in the Soviet Union. It was relaunched as RTR on 13 May 1991, and is known today as Russia-1. It is the flagship ch ...
, it was seen by 40 million viewers on its initial release, becoming the most popular Russian TV series. *''
Morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies ('' Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. T ...
'' (2008) — Russian film directed by
Aleksei Balabanov Aleksei Oktyabrinovich Balabanov (russian: Алeксeй Oктябpинoвич Балабанoв; 25 February 1959 – 18 May 2013) was a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer, a member of European Film Academy. He started from cre ...
loosely based on Bulgakov's autobiographical short stories ''Morphine'' and '' A Country Doctor's Notebook''. The screenplay was written by Balabanov's friend and regular collaborator
Sergei Bodrov, Jr. Sergei Sergeyevich Bodrov (russian: Сергей Сергеевич Бодров; December 27, 1971 – September 20, 2002), also known as Sergei Bodrov Jr., was a Russian actor who had lead roles in the films ''Brother'', ''Prisoner of the Mounta ...
before his tragic death in 2002. *''
The White Guard ''The White Guard'' (russian: links=no, Белая гвардия) is a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, first published in 1925 in literary journal ''Rossiya''. It was not reprinted in the Soviet Union until 1966. Background ''The White Guard'' fir ...
'' (2012) — Russian TV mini-series produced by
Russia-1 Russia-1 (russian: Россия-1) is a state-owned Russian television channel, first aired on 14 February 1956 as Programme Two in the Soviet Union. It was relaunched as RTR on 13 May 1991, and is known today as Russia-1. It is the flagship ch ...
. The film was shot in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...
and released to mostly negative reviews. In 2014 the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture banned the distribution of the film, claiming that it shows "contempt for the Ukrainian language, people and state".Ukraine Bans Russian Films for Distorting Historical Facts
by
Moscow Times ''The Moscow Times'' is an independent English-language and Russian-language online newspaper. It was in print in Russia from 1992 until 2017 and was distributed free of charge at places frequented by English-speaking tourists and expatriates su ...
, 29 July 2014.
*'' A Young Doctor's Notebook'' (2012—2013) — British mini-series produced by BBC, with
Jon Hamm Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series '' Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Televis ...
and
Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor. He rose to fame at age twelve, when he began portraying Harry Potter in the film series of the same name; and has held various other film and theatre roles. Over his career, Rad ...
playing main parts. Unlike the Morphine film by Aleksei Balabanov that mixed drama and thriller, this version of ''A Country Doctor's Notebook'' was made as a
black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to disc ...
.


Medical eponym

After graduating from the Medical School in 1909, he spent the early days of his career as a venereologist, rather than pursuing his goal of being a pediatrician, as
syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium '' Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, a ...
was highly prevalent during those times. It was during those early years that he described the symptoms and characteristics of syphilis affecting the bones. He described the abnormal and concomitant change of the outline of the crests of the shin-bones with a pathological worm-eaten like appearance and creation of abnormal osteophytes in the bones of those suffering from later stages of syphilis. This became known as "Bulgakov's Sign" and is commonly used in the former Soviet states, but is known as the "Bandy Legs Sign" in the west.


Bibliography


Novels

*'' The White Guard'' (1925/1975) *'' The Master and Margarita'' (1940/1967) *''
Theatrical Novel ''Theatrical Novel'' (''Notes of a Dead Man''), translated as ''Black Snow'' and ''A Dead Man's Memoir'' (russian: Театральный роман (Записки покойника), translit=Teatralnyy roman (Zapiski pokoynika) is an unfinished ...
'' (1936/1967, aka ''Black Snow'')


Novellas and short stories

* '' Notes on the Cuffs'' (1923) *'' Diaboliad'' (1924) *''
The Fatal Eggs ''The Fatal Eggs'' (russian: Роковые яйца, ) is a novella by Mikhail Bulgakov, a Soviet novelist and playwright whose most famous work is ''The Master and Margarita''. It was written in 1924 and first published in 1925. The novel beca ...
'' (1925) *'' A Young Doctor's Notebook'' (1926/1963) *'' Heart of a Dog'' (1925/1968) * "
Morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies ('' Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. T ...
" (1927) * " The Murderer" (1928) ---- *''Great Soviet Short Stories'' (1962) *''The Terrible News: Russian Stories from the Years Following the Revolution'' (1990) *''Diaboliad and Other Stories'' (1990) *''Notes on the Cuff & Other Stories'' (1991) *''The Fatal Eggs and Other Soviet Satire, 1918–1963'' (1993)


Theatre

* ''
The Days of the Turbins ''The Days of the Turbins'' (russian: Дни Турбиных, translit=Dni Turbinykh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov based upon his novel ''The White Guard''. It was written in 1925 and premiered on 5 October 1926 in Moscow Art Theatr ...
'' (1926) * '' Flight'' (1927) * ''
The Cabal of Hypocrites ''The Cabal of Hypocrites'' (russian: Кабала святош, translit=Kabala svyatosh) is a four-act play by Mikhail Bulgakov also known as ''Molière''. Written in 1929 for the Moscow Art Theatre, it was read by Bulgakov for Stanislavski a ...
'' (1929) * '' Ivan Vasilievich'' (1936)


Biography

*''Life of M. de Molière'', 1962


Footnotes


References

* Voronina, Olga G.,
Depicting the Divine: Mikhail Bulgakov and Thomas Mann
', Studies In Comparative Literature, 47 (Cambridge: Legenda, 2019).
Townsend, Dorian Aleksandra, ''From Upyr' to Vampire: The Slavic Vampire Myth in Russian Literature'', Ph.D. Dissertation, School of German and Russian Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, May 2011.


Sources


Biographies of Bulgakov

* Michalopoulos, Dimitris, 2014, ''Russia under Communism: Bulgakov, his Life and his Book'', Saarbruecken: Lambert Academic Publishing. *Drawitz, Andrzey 2001. ''The Master and the Devil''. transl. Kevin Windle, New York: Edwin Mellen. *Haber, Edythe C. 1998. ''Mikhail Bulgakov, the early years''. Harvard University Press. *Milne, Leslie 1990. ''Mikhail Bulgakov: a critical biography''. Cambridge University *Press. *Proffer, Ellendea 1984. ''Bulgakov: life and work''. Ann Arbor: Ardis. *Proffer, Ellendea 1984. ''A pictorial biography of Mikhail Bulgakov''. Ann Arbor: Ardis. *Wright, Colin 1978. Mikhail Bulgakov: life and interpretation. University of Toronto Press.


Letters, memoirs

*Belozerskaya-Bulgakova, Lyubov 1983. ''My life with Mikhail Bulgakov''. transl. Margareta Thompson, Ann Arbor: Ardis. *Curtis J.A.E. 1991. ''Manuscripts don't burn: Mikhail Bulgakov: a life in letters and diaries''. London: Bloomsbury. *Vozvdvizhensky, Vyacheslav (ed) 1990. ''Mikhail Bulgakov and his times: memoirs, letters''. transl. Liv Tudge, Moscow: Progress. *Vanhellemont, Jan, 2020, ''The Master and Margarita - Annotations per chapter'', Vanhellemont, Leuven, Belgium, 257 pp., , https://www.masterandmargarita.eu/en/10estore/bookse.html .


External links

*
Full English text of The Master and MargaritaFull English text of The Heart of a DogFull English text of The Fatal EggsFull English translation of "Future Prospects" and "In the Café"''Master and Margarita''
profile and resources *
Chris Hedges Christopher Lynn Hedges (born September 18, 1956) is an American journalist, Presbyterian minister, author, and commentator. In his early career, Hedges worked as a freelance war correspondent in Central America for '' The Christian Science M ...

Welcome to Satan's Ball
Truthdig Truthdig is an American news website that provides a mix of long-form articles, blog items, curated links, interviews, arts criticism and commentary on current events delivered from a politically progressive, left-leaning point of view. The site of ...
, 10 March 2014. A comparison of the Soviet society described in ''Master and Margarita'' and modern society in the United States and Russia
Mikhail Bulgakov in the Western World: A Bibliography
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...
, European Reading Room
"Remembering Gudok" by M.Bulgakov.
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulgakov, Mikhail 1891 births 1940 deaths Writers from Kyiv Physicians from Kyiv Theatre people from Kyiv People from Kiev Governorate Russian male novelists Russian satirists Russian male dramatists and playwrights Magic realism writers Russian surgeons Russian medical writers People of the Russian Civil War Russian male short story writers Russian military doctors Russian science fiction writers Soviet novelists Soviet male writers 20th-century Russian male writers Soviet short story writers 20th-century Russian short story writers Soviet dramatists and playwrights Moscow Art Theatre Modernist writers Russian fantasy writers Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv alumni Deaths from nephritis Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery 20th-century Russian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Russian novelists