The best works of Bulgakov: list and overview

Mikhail Afanasievich Bulgakov, whose best works are presented in this article, occupied a separate position in the literary life of the USSR. Feeling himself the heir to the literary tradition of the 19th century, he was equally alien to socialist realism, implanted by the ideology of communism in the 1930s, and to 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 toward the construction of a new society and revolution in the USSR.

Features of the worldview of the author

Bulgakov's works reflected the worldview of the intelligentsia, in times of historical demolitions and totalitarian regimes that remained adherent to traditional moral and cultural values. This position was much worth the author: his manuscripts were banned 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 the most famous works of Bulgakov:

- novels: "The White Guard", "Master and Margarita", "Notes of the deceased;

- novels: "The Devil," "Fatal Eggs," "The Dog's Heart";

- The play "Ivan Vasilyevich".

The novel "The White Guard" (the years of creation - 1922-1924)

The list of "best works of Bulgakov" is opened by the "White Guard". In his first novel, Mikhail Afanasyevich describes the events relating to the end of 1918, that is, to the period of the Civil War. The action of the work takes place in Kiev, more precisely, in the house where the writer's family lived at that time. Prototypes among friends, relatives and friends Bulgakov are available for almost all characters. Manuscripts of this work are not preserved, but despite this, the fans of the novel, tracing the fate of the prototypes of the heroes, proved the reality and accuracy of the events described by Mikhail Afanasyevich.

The first part of the book "The White Guard" (Mikhail Bulgakov) was published in 1925 in a magazine called "Russia". The whole work was published in France in two years. The opinions of the critics were not unanimous: the Soviet side could not accept the glorification of class enemies by the writer, and the emigrant side was loyal to the representatives of power.

In 1923 Mikhail Afanasyevich wrote that a work is being created that "the sky will become hot ...". "White Guard" (Mikhail Bulgakov) later served as a source for the famous play "Days of the Turbins." There was also a series of adaptations.

The story "The Devil" (1923)

We continue to describe the most famous works of Bulgakov. They include the story "The Devil's." In the story of how the twins ruined the accountant, 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, a clerk associated with a devilish, destructive force. Dismissed from work, unable to cope with bureaucratic demons, the employee eventually goes insane. The work was first published in 1924 in the almanac "Nedra".

The story "Fatal eggs" (the year of creation - 1924)

Bulgakov's works include the novel "Fatal Eggs". Its events take place in 1928. Vladimir Ipatevich 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 "originals". There is only one drawback - these individuals are distinguished by increased aggressiveness and the ability to rapidly multiply.

One state farm, headed by a man with the name Rock, decides to use the invention of Persikov to restore the number of chickens after the chicken moraine passes through Russia. He takes the irradiator chambers from the professor, but as a result of a mistake, instead of chicken, crocodiles, snake and ostrich eggs come to him. Reptiles, hatched from them, continually multiply - they move to Moscow, sweeping away everything in its path.

The plot of this work echoes the "Food of the Gods" - the novel by H. Wells, written by him in 1904. In it, scientists invent a powder that causes significant growth in plants and animals. As a result of experiments in England there are giant wasps and rats, and later chickens, various plants, and also giant people.

Prototypes and screen versions of the novel "Fatal eggs"

According to the famous philologist B. Sokolov, Persikov's prototypes can be called Alexander Gurvich, the famous biologist, or Vladimir Lenin.

Sergei Lomkin in 1995, based on the work of the same film, shot the same film, including such heroes of the work "Master and Margarita" as Woland (Mikhail Kozakov) and the cat Begemot (Roman Madyanov). Oleg Yankovsky with brilliance played the role of Professor Persikov.

The story "The 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 there was an official publication.

The work, written by Mikhail Bulgakov ("The Heart of a Dog"), has the following plot. Events take place in 1924. Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky, an outstanding surgeon, achieves incredible results in the field of rejuvenation and conceives a unique experiment - to perform an operation to transplant the human pituitary gland to a dog. Homeless dog The ball is used as a test animal, and the thief Klim Chugunkin, who died in a fight, becomes a donor of organs.

At the ball gradually begins to drop hair, stretch limbs, there is a human face and speech. Professor Preobrazhensky will soon have, however, bitterly regretting what has been done.

When conducting a search in the apartment of Mikhail Afanasyevich, in 1926 the manuscripts of the "Dog's Heart" were confiscated and returned to him only after M. Gorky's petition for him.

Prototypes and screen versions of the work "A Dog's Heart"

Many researchers of Bulgakov's work adhere to the point of view that the writer portrayed in this book Lenin (Preobrazhensky), Stalin (Sharikov), Zinoviev (assistant Zina) and Trotsky (Bormental). It is believed, in addition, that Bulgakov predicted the massive repression that occurred in the 1930s.

Alberto Lattuada, the Italian director, in 1976, took down the book of the same name, in which Professor Preobrazhensky plays Max von Sydow. Of particular popularity, however, this film adaptation did not have, in contrast to the cult picture of director Vladimir Bortko, published in 1988.

The novel "Master and Margarita" (1929-1940)

Fars, satire, mysticism, fantasy, parable, melodrama, myth ... Sometimes it seems that the work that created Mikhail Bulgakov, "Master and Margarita", combines all these genres.

Satan in the image of Woland reigns in our world with only one well-known goal, stopping from time to time in different villages and cities. One day, during the spring full moon, he gets to Moscow in the 1930s - that time and place where no one believes in God or Satan, denies the existence of Jesus Christ.

All those who come into contact with Woland, pursue well-deserved punishment for inherent in each of them 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 literary men. Margarita, his mistress, dreams only of finding the Master and bringing him back to him. Azazello gives her the hope that this dream will come true, but for this the girl should render one service to Woland.

History of the work

The original version of the novel contained a detailed description of the appearance of Woland, which was placed on fifteen manuscript pages created by Mikhail Bulgakov. "Master and Margarita", thus, has its own history. First the Masters were called Astaroth. In the 1930s, in the newspapers and Soviet journalism, after Maxim Gorky, the title "master" was fixed.

According to Elena Sergeevna, widow of the writer, Bulgakov before his death said such words about his novel "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 a shortened version, with bills. The novel immediately gained popularity among representatives of the Soviet intelligentsia, up to the point that in 1973 an official publication took place. Copies of the work were reprinted manually and thus distributed. Elena Sergeevna managed to keep the manuscript for all these years.

Great popularity was enjoyed by numerous performances based on works by Valery Belyakovich and Yury Lyubimov, films by Alexander Petrovich and Andrzej Wajda and television series by Vladimir Bortko and Yuri Kary were also made.

"Theatrical novel", or "Notes of the deceased" (1936-1937)

Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich wrote the work until his death in 1940. The book "The Theatrical Novel" remained unfinished. In it on behalf of Sergei Leontievich Maksudov, a certain writer, tells of the writer's world and theatrical backstage.

On November 26, 1936, work was begun on the book. Bulgakov on the first page of his manuscript indicated two titles: "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 Afanasievich. It was created in one breath, without sketches, drafts and corrections. The wife of the writer recalled that while she was setting the dinner, waiting for her husband to return at night from the Bolshoi Theater, he sat down at his desk and wrote a couple pages of this work, after which, satisfied, rubbing his hands, went out to her.

The play "Ivan Vasilyevich" (1936)

The most famous creations are not only novels and novels, but also Bulgakov's plays. One of them, "Ivan Vasilyevich", is offered to your attention. Her plot is the following. Nikolay Timofeev, an engineer, makes a time machine in Moscow, in his apartment. When the manager Bunsha comes to him, he turns the key, and between the apartments the wall disappears. A thief Georges Miloslavsky, who is sitting in Shpak's apartment, is found. The engineer opens a portal, leading during the 16th century Moscow. Ivan the Terrible, frightened, throws himself into the present, and Miloslavsky and Bunsha fall into the past.

This story began in 1933, when Mikhail Afanasyevich agreed to write a "gay play" with a music hall. Originally the text was called otherwise, "Bliss", in it the time machine left in the communist future, and Ivan the Terrible appeared only in one episode.

This creation, like other plays of Bulgakov (the list of them can be continued), during the life of the author was not published and was not put up until 1965. Leonid Gaidai in 1973 on the motives of the work made his famous film called "Ivan Vasilievich changes his profession."

These are only the main creations that Mikhail Bulgakov created. The works of this writer are not exhausted by the above. To continue studying the work of Mikhail Afanasievich, you can include some others.