Bulgakov, Mikhail Afanasevich

Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov was born on May 3 (15), 1891 (according to the diary ^{[2] of} Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova celebrated his birthday on May 16 ^[a] ) in the family of an associate professor (since 1902 - professor) of the Theological Academy of Afanasy Ivanovich Bulgakov (1859-1907) and his wife, a teacher of women's gymnasium, Varvara Mikhailovna (nee Pokrovskaya; 1869-1922), who began their life together in 1890, on Vozdvizhenskaya street, 28 ^[3] in Kiev .

Mikhail Bulgakov was baptized in the Holy Exaltation Church on Podil on May 18. His godmother was his grandmother Bulgakova Olympiada Ferapontovna ^[4] . The godfather was Nikolai Ivanovich Petrov.

The family had seven children: Mikhail (1891-1940), Vera (1892-1972), Nadezhda (1893-1971), Barbara (1895-1956), Nikolai (1898-1966), Ivan (1900-1969) and Elena ( 1902-1954).

In 1909, Mikhail Bulgakov graduated from the First Kiev Gymnasium and entered the medical faculty of Kiev University . The choice of the profession of a doctor was explained by the fact that both brothers of the mother, Nikolai and Mikhail Pokrovsky, were doctors, one in Moscow, the other in Warsaw , both earned well. Mikhail, a therapist, was a doctor of Patriarch Tikhon , Nikolai, a gynecologist, had an excellent practice in Moscow . Bulgakov studied at the university for 7 years - having been released for health reasons (renal failure), filed a report to serve as a doctor in the Navy and, after the medical commission refused, asked to send him as a Red Cross volunteer to the hospital . October 31, 1916 received a diploma of approval "to the degree of a doctor with distinction with all the rights and advantages, the laws of the Russian Empire assigned this degree" ^[5] .

In 1913, M. Bulgakov married Tatyana Lapp (1892-1982). Money difficulties began on the day of the wedding. This can be seen in Tatyana Nikolaevna’s memoirs: “Of course, I didn’t have any veils, I didn’t have a wedding dress either — I’ve done something about all the money my father sent. Mom came to the wedding - she was horrified. I had a pleated linen skirt, my mother bought a blouse. Crowned us about. Alexander ” ^[6] . Tatyana’s father sent 50 rubles a month, worthy at that time. M. A. Bulgakov did not like to save and was a man of impulse. If he wanted to take a taxi for the last money, he decided without hesitation at this step: “Mother scolded for frivolity. We’ll come to her dinner, she sees - no rings, no chains of mine. “Well, then everything is at the pawnshop!” ” ^[6]

After the outbreak of World War I, Bulgakov worked as a doctor in the frontline zone for several months. As part of the Russian army, he worked as a military doctor during the Brusilovsky breakthrough , staying in Kamenetz-Podolsky , and then in Chernivtsi . Then he was sent to work in the village of Nikolskoye ^{[7] in the} Smolensk province , after which he worked as a doctor in Vyazma .

Since 1917, Bulgakov began to use morphine , first with the aim of facilitating allergic reactions to the antidiphtheria drug, which he took, fearing diphtheria after the operation. Then, morphine intake became regular. In the spring of 1918, Bulgakov returned to Kiev, where he began private practice as a venereologist.

During the Civil War, in the last days of Getmanata (December 1918), he volunteered (according to other sources, was mobilized) in officer squads to protect Kiev from the Directory forces ^[8] . In February 1919, Bulgakov was mobilized as a military doctor in the army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic ^[9] . Then, according to his recollections, he worked as a doctor of the Red Cross . After the capture of Kiev by the Volunteer Army in August 1919, he left for the Armed Forces of the South of Russia and was appointed a military doctor in the 3rd Terek Cossack Regiment, in whose ranks he took part in military operations in the North Caucasus against the uprising mountain tribes ^[8] . He was published in newspapers (“Future Prospects”). During the retreat of the Volunteer Army in early 1920, he was ill with typhus and therefore was not forced to leave the country. After recovery, in Vladikavkaz , his first dramatic experiments appeared - he wrote to his cousin on February 1, 1921: "I was 4 years late with what I had to start doing long ago - to write."

In Moscow

In December 1917, Bulgakov first came to Moscow to visit his uncle, the famous Moscow gynecologist N. M. Pokrovsky, who became the prototype of Professor Preobrazhensky from the novel “Heart of a Dog”.

At the end of September 1921, M. A. Bulgakov finally moved to Moscow ^[10] and began working as a feuilletonist with metropolitan newspapers ( Gudok , Rabochiy) and magazines ( Medical Worker , Russia, Vozrozhdenie, “Red Journal for Everyone”). At the same time, he published some of his works in the newspaper Eve , which was published in Berlin . From 1922 to 1926, more than 120 stories, essays, and satirical articles by M. Bulgakov were published in the Gudok newspaper.

In 1923, Bulgakov joined the All-Russian Union of Writers . In 1924, he met with Lyubov Evgenievna Belozerskaya (1895-1987), who had recently returned from abroad, who in 1925 became his wife.

In 1926, the OGPU conducted a search of the writer, which resulted in the seizure of the manuscript of the novel “ Heart of a Dog ” and a personal diary. A few years later, the diary was returned to him, after which he was burned by Bulgakov himself. The diary has survived thanks to a copy taken in the Lubyanka.

Since October 1926, the play " Days of the Turbins " was a great success at the Moscow Art Theater . Her production was allowed only for a year, but was later extended several times later. The play was liked by I. Stalin . The widespread assertion that Stalin watched the play 15 times ^[11] does not find any documentary evidence and is doubtful ^[12] . In his speeches, I. Stalin said that “Turbin Days” is “an anti-Soviet thing, and Bulgakov is not ours” ^[13] , but when the play was banned, Stalin ordered it to be returned (in January 1932), and before the war it was no longer was forbidden. However, this permission did not apply to any theater except the Moscow Art Theater ^[11] . Stalin noted that the impression of the “Turbin Days” was ultimately positive for the Communists (a letter to V. Bill-Belotserkovsky published by Stalin himself in 1949 ^{[14] [15] [16] [17]} ).

At the same time, an intense and extremely harsh criticism of the works of M. A. Bulgakov takes place in the Soviet press. According to his own calculations, over 10 years there were 298 abusive reviews and 3 benevolent ^[11] . Among the critics were influential writers and literary officials ( Mayakovsky , Bezymensky , Averbakh , Shklovsky , Kerzhentsev , Kirshon and others) ^[11] .

At the end of October 1926 at the Theater. Vakhtangov with great success was the premiere of the play based on the play by M. A. Bulgakov “ Zoykina apartment ”.

In Moscow in 1928, the premiere of the play “ Crimson Island ” was held. M.A. Bulgakov came up with the idea of ​​the novel, later called "The Master and Margarita ." The writer also began work on a play about Moliere (The Cabal of the Holy ).

In 1929, Bulgakov met Elena Sergeyevna Shilovskaya , who became his third, last wife in 1932.

By 1930, Bulgakov’s works ceased to be printed, his plays were withdrawn from the repertoire of theaters. They were banned from staging the play " Run ", "Zoykina apartment", "Crimson Island", the play "Days of the Turbins" removed from the repertoire. In 1930, Bulgakov wrote to his brother Nikolai in Paris about the unfavorable literary and theatrical situation and the difficult financial situation. Then he wrote a letter to the USSR Government, dated March 28, 1930, with a request to determine his fate - either to give the right to emigrate, or to provide an opportunity to work at the Moscow Art Theater. On April 18, 1930, I. Stalin phoned Bulgakov, who recommended the playwright ask him to enroll in the Moscow Art Theater ^[19] .

In 1930, he worked as a director at the Central Theater of Working Youth (TRAM). From 1930 to 1936 - at the Moscow Art Theater as a director-assistant. In 1932, on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater, the production of the play “ Dead Souls ” by Nikolai Gogol based on the staging of Bulgakov took place. In 1934, Bulgakov was twice denied travel abroad, and in June he was admitted to the Union of Soviet Writers. In 1935, Bulgakov appeared on the Moscow Art Theater as an actor - in the role of Judge in the play " Pickwick Club " by Dickens . Work experience at the Moscow Art Theater was reflected in Bulgakov’s work “Notes of the Dead” (“Theatrical Novel”), the material for the images of which were many theater staff.

The performance “The Cabal of the Holy” (“Moliere”) was released in February 1936 - after almost five years of rehearsals. Although E.S. Bulgakova noted that the premiere on February 16 was a huge success, after seven performances the production was banned, and a devastating article about this “false, reactionary and worthless” play was posted in Pravda ^{[11] [ 20]} . After an article in Pravda, Bulgakov left the Moscow Art Theater and began working at the Bolshoi Theater as a librettist and translator. In 1937, M. Bulgakov worked on the libretto “Minin and Pozharsky” and “Peter I”. He was friends with Isaac Dunaevsky .

In 1939, M. A. Bulgakov worked on the libretto “Rachel”, as well as on the play about I. Stalin (“ Batum ”). The play was already being prepared for production, and Bulgakov and his wife and colleagues went to Georgia to work on the play when a telegram came to cancel the play: Stalin considered the production of the play to be inappropriate about himself.

From that moment (according to the memoirs of E. S. Bulgakova, V. Vilenkin, and others), M. Bulgakov's health began to deteriorate sharply, he began to lose his sight. Doctors diagnosed Bulgakov with hypertensive nephrosclerosis - a kidney disease. Bulgakov began to use morphine , prescribed to him in 1924, in order to relieve pain symptoms. Traces of morphine were found on the pages of the manuscript of the novel “The Master and Margarita” three quarters of a century after Bulgakov’s death ^[21] . In the same period, the writer began to dictate to his wife the latest version of the novel "The Master and Margarita ." The novel was first published in the journal Moscow in 1966, that is, 26 years after the death of the writer, and brought Bulgakov world fame.

Death and funeral

Since February 1940, friends and relatives were constantly on duty at the bedside of M. Bulgakov. March 10, 1940, at the 49th year of life, Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov died. On March 11, a memorial service was held in the building of the Union of Soviet Writers . Before the requiem, the Moscow sculptor S. D. Merkurov removed the death mask from the face of M. Bulgakov.

Bulgakov's body was cremated, the ashes were buried on March 12 at the Novodevichy cemetery . At his grave, at the request of the widow E. S. Bulgakova, a stone was erected, nicknamed the “ Calvary, ” which previously stood on the grave of N. V. Gogol ^{[22] [23]} .

Memoirs of V. Ya. Lakshin from the book by E. S. Bulgakova “Memoirs of Mikhail Bulgakov”:

Until the beginning of the 50s, there was no cross or stone on the grave of Bulgakov - only a rectangle of grass with forget-me-nots and young trees planted on the four corners of a tombstone. In search of a slab or stone, E. S. went to the cutters to the barn and made friends with them (she generally easily met ordinary people - painters, plasterers). Once he sees: in a deep pit among the fragments of marble, old monuments, a huge black nostril stone flickers. “And what is this?” - “Yes Golgotha.” “How is Golgotha?” They explained that Golgotha ​​stood with a cross on the grave of Gogol in the Danilovsky Monastery. Then, when a new monument was made for the Gogol anniversary of 1952, they threw Calvary into a pit as unnecessary. “I buy,” E.S. said without hesitation. “It is possible,” they answer her, “how to raise it?” “Do anything, I’ll pay for everything ... There will be bridges, make bridges from the shed to the grave itself ... Ten workers are needed - let there be ten workers ... "

The stone was transported, and he went deep into the ground above Bulgakov’s urn. A mowed top without a cross, with a downed line from the Gospel - he looked ugly. Then the whole block was turned upside down.

Bulgakov was associated with friendly relations with V.V. Veresaev , M.A. Voloshin . Once, in the name day of the playwright Trenev’s wife, his writer’s neighbor, Bulgakov and B. L. Pasternak were at the same table. Parsnip, with some peculiar aspiration, read his translations of verses from Georgian. After the first toast to the hostess, Pasternak announced: “I want to drink for Bulgakov!” In response to the objection of the hostess's birthday: “No, no! Now we will drink for Vincent Vikentyevich, and then for Bulgakov! ”- Pasternak exclaimed:“ No, I want for Bulgakov! ” Veresaev, of course, is a very big man, but he is a legal phenomenon. But Bulgakov is illegal! ” ^[24] .

Parents

• Father - Afanasy Ivanovich Bulgakov (1859-1907), Russian theologian and church historian.
• Mother - Varvara Mikhailovna (1869-1922), in girlhood - Pokrovskaya.

Siblings

• Vera Afanasevna (1892-1972) - wife of the translator N.N. Davydov (son of N.N. Davydov and great-grandson of Denis Davydov ).
• Nadezhda Afanasevna (1893-1971) - in the marriage of Zemskaya .
• Varvara Afanasevna (1895-1956) - prototype of the character Elena Turbina-Talberg in the novel "The White Guard".
• Nikolai Afanasevich (1898-1966) - Russian scientist, biologist, bacteriologist, doctor of philosophy.
• Ivan Afanasevich (1900-1969) - balalaika musician, in exile since 1921, first in Varna, then in Paris.
• Elena Afanasevna (1902-1954) - a prototype of a “blue eye” in V. Kataev ’s short story “ My Diamond Crown ”.

Wives

• 1913-1925: Tatyana Nikolaevna Lappa (1892-1982) - the first wife. The marriage was concluded on April 23, 1913. It broke up no later than October 1924. The divorce was filed in March 1925. She was the prototype of the character of Anna Kirillovna in the story "Morphine".
• 1925-1931: Lyubov Evgenievna Belozerskaya (1895-1987) - second wife. The marriage was concluded on April 30, 1925. The divorce was filed on October 3, 1932. The author of the book about life with Bulgakov “Oh, honey of memories” ^[25] .
• 1932-1940: Elena Sergeyevna Shilovskaya (1893-1970) - third wife. The marriage was concluded on October 4, 1932. Widow since March 10, 1940. She never married again. Under the conditions of the will of October 10, 1939, she was the sole heiress of the property and copyright of Mikhail Bulgakov. It is considered the main prototype of the character of Margarita in the novel "The Master and Margarita."

Others

• Bulgakov, Nikolai Ivanovich - uncle, taught at the Tiflis Theological Seminary.
• Zemskaya, Elena Andreevna (1926-2012) - niece, Russian linguist, researcher of Russian colloquial speech.

Stories and novels

• “ The Adventures of Chichikov ” (poem at 10 points with a prologue and epilogue, October 5, 1921)
• The White Guard (novel, 1922-1924)
• The Devil ’s (novel, 1923)
• “ Notes on the Cuffs ” (novel, 1923)
• Crimson Island (a novel published in Berlin in 1924)
• The Fatal Eggs (novel, 1924)
• “ Dog Heart ” (novel, 1925, published in the USSR in 1987)
• “ Grand Chancellor. Prince of Darkness ”(part of the draft version of the novel“ The Master and Margarita ”, 1928-1929)
• The Hoof of an Engineer (novel, 1928-1929)
• “ Secret friend ” (unfinished novel, 1929, published in the USSR in 1987)
• "The Master and Margarita " (novel, 1929-1940, published in the USSR in 1966-1967, the second version in 1973, the final version in 1990)
• “The Life of M. de Moliere ” (novel, 1933, published in the USSR in 1962)
• “ Theatrical novel ” (“Notes of the deceased”) (unfinished novel (1936-1937), published in the USSR in 1965)

Plays, libretto, movie scripts

• “ Zoykina's apartment ” (play, 1925, staged in the USSR in 1926, released in mass circulation in 1982)
• Days of the Turbins (a play written on the basis of the novel The White Guard, 1925, staged in the USSR in 1925, released in mass circulation in 1955)
• “ Running ” (play, 1926-1928)
• “ Crimson Island ” (play, 1927, published in the USSR in 1968)
• “The Cabal of the Holiness ” (the play, 1929, (staged in the USSR in 1936), in 1931 was allowed by the censorship to set up a series of bills called “Moliere,” but the production was postponed in this form)
• Dead Souls (staged novel, 1930) ^[26]
• “ Adam and Eve ” (play, 1931)
• “ Mad Jourdain ” (play, 1932, published in the USSR in 1965)
• “ Bliss (dream of an engineer Rhine) ” (play, 1934, published in the USSR in 1966)
• The Examiner (film script, 1934)
• “ The Last Days (Pushkin) ” (play, 1935; staged in the USSR in 1943, published in 1955)
• “ An Extraordinary Event, or Examiner ” (a play based on the comedy of Nikolai Gogol, 1935)
• " Ivan Vasilievich " (play, 1936)
• “ Minin and Pozharsky ” (libretto of the opera, 1936, published in the USSR in 1980)
• The Black Sea (libretto of the opera, 1936, published in the USSR in 1988)
• " Rachelle " (the libretto of the opera based on the story of "Madmoiselle Fifi" by Guy de Maupassant, 1937-1939, published in the USSR in 1988)
• “ Batum ” (a play about the youth of I.V. Stalin, the original name “Shepherd”, 1939, published in the USSR in 1988)
• Don Quixote (opera libretto based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes, 1939)

Stories

Journalism and feuilleton

• Anna Akhmatova after the death of the writer wrote a poem "In memory of M. A. Bulgakov" in March 1940.
• In honor of M. A. Bulgakov, the employee of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory L. G. Karachkina named the small planet 3469 Bulgakov ^[29] , discovered on October 21, 1982. In several cities of Russia and Ukraine, there are streets named after M. A. Bulgakov .
• Monument to Mikhail Bulgakov, Kiev .
• Monument to Mikhail Bulgakov, Moscow.
• Bulgakov and Hippo, Kharkov.
• Monument to Mikhail Bulgakov in the city of Vladikavkaz (2012, sculptor S. T. Tavasiev ^[30] )
• On June 2, 2017, in Kiev, on the house on T. Shevchenko Boulevard No. 14, where the First Kiev Gymnasium, in which the writer studied, was located, a memorial plaque (sculptor Vasily Markush) was opened.

Museums

• The State Museum of M. A. Bulgakov in Moscow “ Bad Apartment ”.
• Cultural Center " Bulgakov House " (Moscow, B. Sadovaya, 10).
• House of Turbins , literary and memorial museum to them. M. Bulgakova in Kiev : Andreevsky descent , d. 13 ^[31] .
• One Street Museum (Museum of St. Andrew's Descent ) - part of the exhibition is dedicated to the life of Mikhail Bulgakov and his work.
• May 15 at 22:40 on the TV channel " Culture " was shown the feature film "Theatrical novel."

120th Anniversary

• On May 15, 2011, Kiev celebrated the 120th anniversary of the birth of M. Bulgakov ^{[32] [33]} .
• In Moscow, in the museum-apartment on Bolshaya Sadovaya, three new exhibitions were prepared ^[34] :
  • "New Arrivals";
  • "In a desk drawer";
  • “Eight dreams. Running ” ^[35] .
• In the park of the Bulgakov estate in Bucha, Kiev region, the 120th anniversary of the birth of M. Bulgakov was celebrated. They unveiled a monument to the writer, laid a garden and held an international theater festival ^[36] .

Image Gallery

Comments

• Cossack V. Lexicon of Russian literature of the XX century = Lexikon der russischen Literatur ab 1917 / [trans. with him.]. - M .: RIC "Culture", 1996. - XVIII, 491, [1] p. - 5,000 copies. - ISBN 5-8334-0019-8 .
• Chudakova M.O. Biography of Mikhail Bulgakov. - 2nd ed., Ext. - M .: Book , 1988. - 669, [2] p. - (Writers about writers). - ISBN 5-212-00075-0 .
• Memoirs of Mikhail Bulgakov / Comp. E. S. Bulgakova, S. A. Lyandres; Entry Art. V. Ya. Lakshin, S. 7-37; After M.O. Chudakova, S. 483-524. - M .: Soviet writer , 1988. - 525, [1] p. - ISBN 5-265-00316-0 .
• Filatiev E.N. Mystery of Bulgakov’s “master ...”. - SPb. : ABC , 2011 .-- 559 p. - 5,000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-389-02084-9 .
• Bogdanov N. Kiev reminiscences in the Moscow work of Bulgakov
• Bykov D. Three temptations of Mikhail Bulgakov // Ogonyok , 2002.
• Gasparov B. M. From observations of the motive structure of M. A. Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita”
• Boris Sokolov . Encyclopedia of Bulgakov. - M .: Lokid; Myth, 1996 .-- 586 p. - ISBN 5-320-00143-6 ; ISBN 5-87214-028-3
  • 2nd ed. 2000. - ISBN 5-320-00385-4
• Zerkalov A. Ethics of Mikhail Bulgakov. - M .: Text , 2004 .-- 237 p. - (Collection / Text). - ISBN 5-7516-0409-1
• Zerkalov A. The Gospel of Mikhail Bulgakov: an experience. Yershalaim. chapters of the novel "The Master and Margarita." - 3rd ed. - M .: Text, 2006. - 188, [3] p. - (Collection / Text). - ISBN 5-7516-0574-8
• Yanovskaya L. M. Notes on Mikhail Bulgakov. - M .: Parallels, 2002. - 413, [2] p. ISBN 5-93273-068-4
• Varlamov A.N. Mikhail Bulgakov. - M.: Young Guard , 2008. - 838, [2] p. - (The life of wonderful people : Issue 1339 (1139)). - ISBN 978-5-235-03132-6
• Michael Bulgakov. Kiev echo. Memories, letters. / Comp. A.P. Konchakovsky , S.P. Nozhenko . - Kiev: ADEF-Ukraine, 2015. - ISBN 978-617-7156-42-9
• Krivonosov Yu. M. Mikhail Bulgakov. Photograph of life and work. - M .: Eksmo , 2011 .-- 258 p. - (VIPs). - ISBN 978-5-699-43462-6
• Varlamov A.N. Mikhail Bulgakov. Biography (in 2 volumes) - St. Petersburg: Vita Nova , 2008. - (Biographies) - T. 1. - 512 p. - ISBN 978-5-93898-312-0 - T. 2. - 528 s. - ISBN 978-5-93898-314-4
• Andrzej Dravich . Following Bulgakov in Kiev ... and in Moscow. - S. 129-145. / Kiss in the frost. / Per. from pol., entry Art. and approx. M. Malkova . - SPb .: 2013, electr. ed., rev. and add.
• Shaposhnikova N.V. Bulgakov // Orthodox Encyclopedia . - M .: Church Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" , 2003. - V. VI. - S. 338-340. - 752 s. - 39,000 copies. - ISBN 5-89572-010-2 .
• Trunin K.M. Bulgakov. Criticism and analysis of literary heritage. - 2019 .-- 170 s. - ISBN 9785449679673

• Site "Bulgakov Encyclopedia"
• Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov in the Open Directory Project link catalog (dmoz)