A dog's heart is the main problem. The problem of moral consciousness of the individual in Bulgakov’s story “The Heart of a Dog”

1. The story's path to the reader.
2. The creation of Sharikov.
3. The result of the experiment.

Realize that the whole horror is that he no longer has a dog, but human heart. And the lousiest of all that exist in nature!
M. A. Bulgakov

In January 1925, M. A. Bulgakov began a story and called it “Dog Happiness. Monstrous story”, but then changed the name to “Heart of a Dog”. “Heart of a Dog” stands among the works that were not published during the writer’s lifetime. L. B. Kamenev banned the publication of “Heart of a Dog”: “This is a sharp pamphlet on modernity, under no circumstances should it be published.”

The story was published only in 1987, which is not surprising - after all, there was a lot in Bulgakov’s book that could not be talked about, which in the post-revolutionary years could be regarded as a crime against the state, slander. After all, the author compares the experiment conducted by Professor Preobrazhensky with another experiment on all of humanity - the formation of the socialist system, that is, the homeless dog Sharikov personifies the people who were forcibly subjected to a very serious operation. Suppose you can force people to sing revolutionary songs and walk in leather jackets, to conduct propaganda, but this does not mean that you can make a man out of a dog - the usual way of life is not forgotten, the dog’s instincts make themselves felt even through the appearance of a revolutionary proletarian. The scale of this operation carried out by the state is dangerous.

The author is skeptical about what's new free man created by force. Violation of the natural and the forced introduction of the artificial can never end happily: the consequences can be completely unexpected. Bulgakov did not accept the revolution, could not accept it, because it destroyed culture. But it is pointless to resist the elements, which swept away everything in its path.

In many ways, the spokesman for the author’s opinion is Professor Preobrazhensky. This is a representative of the pre-revolutionary intelligentsia - an educated, cultured person, an expert in his field. He is a convinced supporter of the old order, when there was no devastation either in the heads or in the closets. The professor strives to teach Sharikov culture in everyday life, but cannot make him cultured person. Two weeks with Sharikov, he admitted, exhausted him more than the last fourteen years. Having turned into a man, Sharik no longer sees in the professor “a wizard, magician and sorcerer from a dog’s fairy tale,” but a bourgeois who occupies seven rooms. Animal instincts also do not go away; they are not eliminated either by harsh discipline or education. In addition, the genes of Klim Chugunkin, a drunkard and degenerate, speak in Sharik. Polygraph Poligrafovich drinks vodka, walks around taverns, and pesters women. His speech is more like the barking of a dog; he catches fleas with his teeth. From such a person it is impossible to raise a new person, a member of a socialist society - neither through the efforts of Preobrazhensky, nor through the propaganda work of Shvonder, who educates former dog in a Marxist spirit. As a result, Sharikov, chasing cats and biting, looks comical, talking about the correspondence of Engels with Kautsky and talking about his superiority over the bourgeoisie living in several rooms.

A sharp satire on modern society, the author's philosophy and science fiction, mysticism are intertwined in this story. Bulgakov's humor in the story is so sparkling that the work quickly became quotable, especially after the release of the film of the same name. Comic and grotesque are intended to show the tragic in the story. Part of what is happening is shown through the dog's eyes. And we can notice that Sharik is much nicer to us than Poligraf Poligrafovich, created from him. The dog is friendly, capable of being ashamed, affectionate - even if he had negative traits-becomes a rude and boor, impudently demanding to be called by his first name and patronymic, and whose image does not evoke in the reader positive emotions. He can now strangle cats with permission to do so! And he considers himself a proletarian who should receive respect and the blessings of life. This contrast and transformation " sweetest dog into scum” proves that society does not need revolution, but development - evolution. It is impossible to “become everything” from nothing if you have the psychology of a slave. Bormental chooses the surest way to subjugate Sharikov - he understands that Poligraph Poligrafovich obeys only force.

The experiment received an unexpected development and showed that neither society nor science will change what is inherent in a person. Sharikov informs on the professor, and then makes an attempt on his life. Feeling responsible for what he has done, Preobrazhensky is doing everything to return Sharik to his previous state. Final scene, when the professor is accused of killing Sharikov, contains an important idea: speaking does not mean being human. The ending of the story does not inspire optimism, although everything seems to fall into place. No one guarantees that such experiments will not continue. And failure to comply with moral and natural laws threatens disaster.

“Heart of a Dog” was written in early 1925. It was supposed to be published in the Nedra almanac, but censorship prohibited publication. The story was completed in March, and Bulgakov read it at the literary meeting of the Nikitsky Subbotniks. The Moscow public became interested in the work. It was distributed in samizdat. It was first published in London and Frankfurt in 1968, in the magazine “Znamya” No. 6 in 1987.

In the 20s Medical experiments on rejuvenating the human body were very popular. Bulgakov, as a doctor, was familiar with these natural science experiments. The prototype of Professor Preobrazhensky was Bulgakov’s uncle, N.M. Pokrovsky, a gynecologist. He lived on Prechistenka, where the events of the story unfold.

Genre features

The satirical story “Heart of a Dog” combines various genre elements. The plot of the story is reminiscent of fantastic adventure literature in the tradition of H. Wells. The subtitle of the story “A Monstrous Story” indicates the parodic flavor of the fantastic plot.

The science-adventure genre is an outer cover for satirical subtext and topical metaphor.

The story is close to dystopias due to its social satire. This is a warning about the consequences of a historical experiment that must be stopped, everything must be returned to normal.

Issues

The most important problem social story: this is an understanding of the events of the revolution, which gave the Sharik and Shvonders the opportunity to rule the world. Another problem is awareness of the limits of human capabilities. Preobrazhensky, imagining himself to be a god (he is literally worshiped by his family), goes against nature, turning a dog into a man. Realizing that “any woman can give birth to Spinoza at any time,” Preobrazhensky repents of his experiment, which saves his life. He understands the fallacy of eugenics - the science of improving the human race.

The problem of the danger of invasion in human nature and social processes.

Plot and composition

The science-fiction plot describes how Professor Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky decides to experiment with transplanting the pituitary gland and ovaries of the “semi-proletarian” Klim Chugunkin into a dog. As a result of this experiment, the monstrous Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov appeared, the embodiment and quintessence of the victorious proletariat class. Sharikov's existence caused many problems for Philip Philipovich's family, and, in the end, endangered the normal life and freedom of the professor. Then Preobrazhensky decided on a reverse experiment, transplanting the dog’s pituitary gland into Sharikov.

The ending of the story is open: this time Preobrazhensky was able to prove to the new proletarian authorities that he was not involved in the “murder” of Poligraf Poligrafovich, but how long will his far from peaceful life last?

The story consists of 9 parts and an epilogue. The first part is written on behalf of the dog Sharik, who suffers from the cold and a wound on his scalded side in the harsh St. Petersburg winter. In the second part, the dog becomes an observer of everything that happens in Preobrazhensky’s apartment: the reception of patients in the “obscene apartment”, the professor’s opposition to the new house management headed by Shvonder, the fearless admission of Philip Philipovich that he does not love the proletariat. For the dog, Preobrazhensky turns into a semblance of a deity.

The third part talks about ordinary life Philip Philipovich: breakfast, conversations about politics and devastation. This part is polyphonic, it contains the voices of both the professor, and the “chopped” (Bormenthal’s assistant from the point of view of Sharik who grabbed him), and Sharik himself, talking about his lucky ticket and about Preobrazhensky as a magician from a dog’s fairy tale.

In the fourth part, Sharik meets the rest of the inhabitants of the house: the cook Daria and the servant Zina, whom the men treat very gallantly, and Sharik mentally calls Zina Zinka, and quarrels with Daria Petrovna, she calls him a homeless pickpocket and threatens him with a poker. In the middle of the fourth part, Sharik's narrative is interrupted because he undergoes surgery.

The operation is described in detail, Philip Philipovich is terrible, he is called a robber, like a murderer who cuts, snatches, destroys. At the end of the operation, he is compared to a well-fed vampire. This is the author’s point of view, it is a continuation of Sharik’s thoughts.

The fifth, central and climactic chapter is the diary of Dr. Bormenthal. It starts in strictly scientific style, which gradually turns into conversational, with emotionally charged words. The case history ends with Bormenthal’s conclusion that “we have a new organism before us, and we need to observe it first.”

The next chapters 6-9 are history short life Sharikova. He experiences the world by destroying it and living the probable fate of the murdered Klim Chugunkin. Already in Chapter 7, the professor has the idea to decide on new operation. Sharikov's behavior becomes unbearable: hooliganism, drunkenness, theft, harassment of women. The last straw was Shvonder’s denunciation from Sharikov’s words against all the inhabitants of the apartment.

The epilogue, describing the events 10 days after Bormental's fight with Sharikov, shows Sharikov almost turning into a dog again. The next episode is the reasoning of the dog Sharik in March (about 2 months have passed) about how lucky he was.

Metaphorical subtext

At the professor's speaking surname. He transforms the dog into a “new person.” This happens between December 23 and January 7, between Catholic and Orthodox Christmas. It turns out that the transformation occurs in some kind of temporary void between the same date in different styles. A polygrapher (who writes a lot) is the embodiment of the devil, a “massive” person.

Apartment on Prechistenka (from the definition of the Mother of God) of 7 rooms (7 days of creation). She is the embodiment of divine order amidst the surrounding chaos and devastation. A star looks out of the apartment window from the darkness (chaos), observing the monstrous transformation. The professor is called a deity and a priest. He officiates.

Heroes of the story

Professor Preobrazhensky– scientist, a figure of world significance. At the same time, he is a successful doctor. But his merits do not prevent the new government from frightening the professor with a seal, registering Sharikov and threatening to arrest him. The professor has an inappropriate background - his father is a cathedral archpriest.

Preobrazhensky is quick-tempered, but kind. He sheltered Bormenthal at the department when he was a half-starved student. He noble man, is not going to abandon a colleague in the event of a disaster.

Doctor Ivan Arnoldovich Bormental- son of a forensic investigator from Vilna. He is the first student of the Preobrazhensky school, loving his teacher and devoted to him.

Ball appears as a completely rational, reasoning creature. He even jokes: “A collar is like a briefcase.” But Sharik is the very creature in whose mind the crazy idea of ​​rising “from rags to riches” appears: “I am a master’s dog, an intelligent creature.” However, he hardly sins against the truth. Unlike Sharikov, he is grateful to Preobrazhensky. And the professor operates with a firm hand, mercilessly kills Sharik, and having killed, he regrets: “It’s a pity for the dog, he was affectionate, but cunning.”

U Sharikova nothing remains of Sharik except hatred of cats and love of the kitchen. His portrait was described in detail first by Bormenthal in his diary: this is a man vertically challenged with a small head. Subsequently, the reader learns that the hero’s appearance is unattractive, his hair is coarse, his forehead is low, his face is unshaven.

Jacket and striped pants he has a torn and dirty, poisonously heavenly tie and patent leather boots with white leggings that complete his costume. Sharikov is dressed in accordance with his own concepts of chic. Like Klim Chugunkin, whose pituitary gland was transplanted to him, Sharikov plays the balalaika professionally. From Klim he got his love for vodka.

Sharikov chooses his first and patronymic according to the calendar, and takes the “hereditary” surname.

The main character trait of Sharikov is arrogance and ingratitude. He behaves like a savage, and about normal behavior he says: “You torture yourself, like under the tsarist regime.”

Sharikov receives a “proletarian education” from Shvonder. Bormenthal calls Sharikov a man with a dog’s heart, but Preobrazhensky corrects him: Sharikov has a human heart, but the worst possible person.

Sharikov even makes a career in his own sense: he takes the position of head of the department for cleaning Moscow from stray animals and is going to sign with the typist.

Stylistic features

The story is full of aphorisms expressed different heroes: “Don’t read Soviet newspapers before lunch,” “The devastation is not in the closets, but in the heads,” “You can’t hurt anyone! You can influence a person or an animal only by suggestion” (Preobrazhensky), “Happiness is not in galoshes”, “And what is will? So, smoke, mirage, fiction, nonsense of these ill-fated democrats..." (Sharik), "The document is the most important thing in the world" (Shvonder), "I am not a master, the gentlemen are all in Paris" (Sharikov).

For Professor Preobrazhensky there are certain symbols normal life, which in themselves do not provide this life, but testify to it: a shoe rack in the front door, carpets on the stairs, steam heating, electricity.

In this work, the author raises many aspects that have no small importance for any person, including the themes of good and evil, the commission of a crime and subsequent punishment, the responsibility of the individual not only for his actions, but also for the fate of other living beings.

At the center of the story is the prominent scientist Preobrazhensky, who is very passionate about changing the physical nature of people for the better, and the episode associated with the stray dog ​​is for him only one of many stages in his activities aimed at making the inhabitants of the planet more worthy and happy .

The professor is an intelligent, insightful and at the same time truly highly moral and truly moral individual. He is deeply outraged by everything that happens on Russian territory immediately after the revolution. In his opinion, one should live completely differently, and honest, honest man must, first of all, do his job and do it as diligently as possible.

Among intellectuals and scientists, Philip Philipovich really enjoys considerable respect and authority, but he receives a significant lesson from fate, which makes him subsequently think about a lot.

The experimenter's surname is associated with the great miracle of the Transfiguration, and it was before Christmas that the professor began an amazing operation to transplant a human pituitary gland into the dog Sharik. He himself is firmly convinced that he is doing a truly holy deed, but the writer looks at the situation differently, and when reading this episode, Preobrazhensky resembles an ordinary butcher or robber, but not the real righteous man that he feels himself to be. The operation goes well, and Bormenthal, the professor’s student, sincerely predicts a brilliant future for the new discovery.

Next, readers see how Sharik actually turns into a human being, masters speech, and even “joins the proletarian class.” But the professor soon realizes that in fact he did not achieve his goal at all, that he only managed to transform a “kind and sweet” dog into an ordinary “scum.”

Preobrazhensky is unable to evict the disgusting Sharikov from his own living space due to the then “ housing issue" Seeing that he has created a genuine monster, the scientist immediately returns the original, original canine appearance to the object of his experiment, and from now on vows to himself never to conduct such experiments again, not to interfere with the natural laws of nature.

According to Bulgakov, it’s exactly the same in social life there must be a gradual " great evolution”, and not at all a hasty breakdown of everything that had developed over the centuries, as happened after the revolution. The representative of the new government, Shvonder, looks simply ridiculous, pitiful and inspiring hostility, who can only join the new Sharikovs to his supporters and fight such “irresponsible citizens” as Preobrazhensky, who refuses to give up the square meters that belong to him.

The ending of the story turns out to be successful. Sharik returns to his existence as a “sweet dog”; Philip Philipovich also continues to study science and hardly remembers this story. He never thinks about the fact that the intelligentsia, to which Preobrazhensky belongs, is partly to blame for the difficult situation that has arisen in the country.

Revolutionaries experiment on society, just as the professor previously experimented on “natural creatures.” But it does not even occur to the scientist that he actually does not know real life, spending days and nights in his cozy apartment “behind heavy curtains.” The writer gradually leads readers to the idea that there are no innocent people in the changes taking place in the world, that everyone is responsible not only for themselves, but also for the fate of all humanity.

This work is still very relevant today. Any person should know that it is impossible to make anyone happy by force, against their will, as Preobrazhensky tried to do. The laws of morality and ethics always remain unchanged and unshakable, and anyone who allows himself to violate them is responsible for such actions not only to own conscience, but also before the era in which he happens to live.

Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov was born in Kyiv, in the family of Afanasy Ivanovich Bulgakov, a teacher at the Theological Academy. According to his relatives, he began composing early. Basically it was short stories, satirical poems, dramatic scenes. Gradually, interest in Bulgakov's works increases. It becomes obvious that Bulgakov’s talent as an artist was, as they say, from God. The writer’s fame was brought to him by the novel “ White Guard”, later reworked into the play “Days of the Turbins”. Big success had the comedy “Zoyka’s Apartment” and humorous collection stories “The Diaboliad” (1925). However, starting from 1928, a climate of persecution was created around Bulgakov’s name, and the writer’s very name became, as it were, outlawed. The plays “Running”, “Ivan Vasilyevich”, “Crimson Island”, the novel “The Master and Margarita” are far from full list works that did not see the light of day during the author’s lifetime. The story “Heart of a Dog” is also on the same list. This work, written in 1925, was published only in 1987 in the magazine “Znamya”. The story is based on a risky experiment. Bulgakov’s choice of such a plot is not accidental. Everything that happened then and what was called the construction of socialism was perceived by the author of “Heart of a Dog” precisely as an experiment - huge in scale and more than dangerous. Bulgakov was also skeptical about attempts to create a new perfect society using revolutionary, that is, not excluding violence, methods, and to educating a new, free person using the same violent methods. For the author of the story, this was unacceptable interference in the natural course of things, the consequences of which could be disastrous for everyone, including the “experimenters” themselves. “Heart of a Dog” warns the reader about this.

One of the main characters, the spokesman for the author's thoughts in the story, is Professor Preobrazhensky. This is a major scientist-physiologist. He appears as the embodiment of education and high culture. By conviction, he is a supporter of the old pre-revolutionary order. All his sympathies are with the former homeowners, factory owners, factory owners, under whom, as he says, there was order and he lived comfortably and well. Bulgakov does not analyze Political Views Preobrazhensky. But the scientist expresses very definite thoughts about the devastation, about the inability of the proletarians to cope with it. In his opinion, first of all, people need to be taught basic culture in everyday life and at work, only then will things get better, devastation will disappear, and there will be order. People will become different. But this philosophy of Preobrazhensky also fails. He cannot raise in Sharikovo reasonable person: “I have been more exhausted in these two weeks than in the last fourteen years...”

What is the reason for the failure of Preobrazhensky and Dr. Bormental? And it's not just about genetic engineering. Preobrazhensky is confident that the purely animal instincts reflected in the behavior of the former dog Sharikov can be overcome: “Cats are temporary... It’s a matter of discipline and two to three weeks. Trust me. Just another month and he will stop attacking them.” The question is not about physiology, but about the fact that Sharikov is a type of a certain environment. The dog becomes a man, but his actions are determined by genes received from the drunkard and boor Klim Chugunkin: “...he no longer has a dog’s heart, but a human heart. And the lousiest of all that exist in nature!” The contrast between the intellectual principle embodied in intelligent people, physiologists Preobrazhensky and Bormenthal, and the dark instincts of the “homunculus” Sharikov (with a low, sloping forehead) is so striking that it creates not only a comic, grotesque effect, but also colors it in tragic tones.

Shvonder also plays an important role here. He is trying to influence and educate Sharikov. This either a dog or a man, in a conversation with Preobrazhensky, literally repeats Shvonder’s words and phrases not only about rights, but also about his superiority over the bourgeoisie: “We didn’t study at universities, we didn’t live in apartments with 15 rooms with baths... “Naturally, the attempt to educate a new person in yesterday’s Sharikov is a satirical attack by the writer against the Shvonders. It is worth noting that Bulgakov’s satire and humor in this story reach highest degree skill. Suffice it to recall the brilliantly written scene with a rejuvenated old man boasting of his love affairs, or the scene with a “passionate lady” of not her first youth, who is ready to do anything to keep her lover. These scenes are depicted through the dog's perception. “To hell with you,” he thought dully, putting his head on his paws and dozing off from shame.” The image of Shvonder, who decided to educate Sharikov in the “Marxist spirit”, is also comical: the very process of humanizing Sharikov is depicted in sharp satirical and humorous tones. The plot is structured by contrast - an intelligent and affectionate dog becomes a rude, ill-mannered boor, in which the inherited properties of Klim Chugunkin are more and more clearly manifested. This character's vulgar speech is fused with his actions. They are gradually becoming more outrageous and intolerant. Either he scares a lady on the stairs, then he rushes like crazy after the cats running away, then he disappears through taverns and taverns. As a result, there is a humorous scene with the criminal police, who came in the epilogue of the story, following Shvonder’s denunciation, to look for Sharikov; The professor explains a lot. He presents the dog as proof of his innocence and explains: “That is, he said... This does not mean being a man...”

The innovation of the story “Heart of a Dog” lies not only in Bulgakov’s satirical and humorous skill, but also in the complex philosophical concept of this work. According to the author of “Heart of a Dog,” humanity turns out to be powerless in the fight against the dark instincts awakening in people. The tragedy was that the Sharikovs quickly multiplied in life. And they, in the words of Poligraf Poligrafych, “strangled and strangled”... Thus, we understand that Bulgakov in the story “Heart of a Dog” with enormous impressive force, in his favorite manner of grotesque and humor, raised the question of the power of dark instincts in human life. His satire against the Sharikovs, Shvonders, and Klimov Chugunkins reached the highest degree of skill and expressiveness. Bulgakov's sympathies are on the side of Preobrazhensky. But the writer does not have this faith that the dark instincts in people’s lives can be eliminated either with the help of science or with the help of the general efforts of the team. We can say that the story is painted in pessimistic tones.

Bulgakov quickly burst into the wide and diverse stream of literature of the twenties and took a prominent place in it. He created a series classical works in many genres. Mikhail Afanasyevich became one of the founders of the new satire. He defended universal human ideals, denounced vices that, unfortunately, have not yet been eliminated...