« dog's heart" - story by M.A. Bulgakov. The story was created in January-March 1925 and was intended for the almanac “Nedra”, but was not published for censorship reasons. Nevertheless, the existence of the story was known to the Moscow public, since Bulgakov read it in March 1925 at the literary meeting of the Nikitsky Subbotniks. Later it was distributed in samizdat. First published: “Student” (London, 1968, nos. 9 and 10), “Fringes” (Frankfurt, 1968, no. 69). The first domestic publication is “Banner” (1987, No. 6).

Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog” completes the cycle of satirical stories of the 20s, which included the “Diaboliad” (1924) and “Diaboliad” (1924) written a little earlier. Fatal eggs"(1925). The story is connected in different ways with numerous literary and extra-literary sources; it combines various genre elements. First of all, Bulgakov’s story “The Heart of a Dog” fits into the parameters of the genre of fantastic adventure, the plot reminiscent of such a work as the novel by the English science fiction writer H. Wells “The Island of Doctor Moreau” (1896), where an experiment is carried out to breed a “hybrid” of man and animal. This side of the story enters the mainstream of the actively developing in the 20s. genre science fiction(A.N. Topstoy, A. Belyaev).

With all this, one cannot help but take into account the obvious parodic overtones of the fantastic plot, which is indicated by both the title itself and the subtitle - “A Monstrous Story”. The experiment of the hero of the story, Professor Philip Filippovich Preobrazhensky, which led to an unpredictable result, the appearance of a man-dog, is closely related to the widespread in the 20s. natural science experiments and medical practice on rejuvenation human body. Bulgakov, being a doctor, was well acquainted with publications on this topic. In addition, it is also important that the prototype of Professor Preobrazhensky was Bulgakov’s uncle, gynecologist N.M. Pokrovsky, who lived on Prechistenka, where the events of the story unfold.

However, under the outer cover of the scientific adventure genre, as in the story “Fatal Eggs,” there was hidden a deep metaphor with serious satirical overtones. The motives and images of the story were, in one way or another, a reflection of the writer’s views on the character of the historical events 1917 and their consequences. Preobrazhensky’s experiment on transplanting the pituitary gland of the “semi-proletarian” Klim Chugunkin into a dog and thus the appearance of Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov was read as an artistic projection of a titanic social experiment of the 20th century, which led to monstrous results. In the image of Sharikov, the idea of ​​a “new man”, born of a revolutionary explosion and Marxist theory, received a parodic embodiment (however, both theosophists and Nietzscheans spoke about the “new man” of the coming eras). Through the mouth of Preobrazhensky, Bulgakov expressed the idea of ​​the danger of a reckless voluntarist invasion not only in biological nature person, but also into the social processes of society. Grotesque, irony, and parody became the means of vivid socio-psychological characterization of the social atmosphere of the 20s.

The social and satirical orientation of Bulgakov’s story “Heart of a Dog” and its metaphorical subtext make it possible to bring it closer to the genre of dystopia, of which the novel by E.I. Zamyatin “We” (1921). Like him, “Heart of a Dog” sounds like a warning about the dire consequences of a historical experiment, which can only be avoided by returning everything to its previous natural course.

The expanded multi-layered artistic metaphor of “Heart of a Dog” also contains hidden evangelical and infernal motives. The nature of their implementation became a stage in the writer’s movement towards the ideas and figurative structure of the main novel “The Master and Margarita”. In the light of this movement, the time, place of action, personalities and even the names of the main characters acquire a certain significance. The operation on Sharik begins on the evening of December 23, and the humanization of the dog is completed on the night of January 7, that is, the “transformation” takes place between Catholic and Orthodox Christmas, which hints at the universal scale of the consequences. On the other hand, this time period can be considered as the result of a “diabolical mistake” caused by a change in calendar styles, and then the action of the story takes on a mystical connotation, taking place in a kind of “chronological void”, in a “temporal vacuum” between two Christmases. Poligraf Poligrafovich is the embodiment not of Christ, but of the devil, as evidenced by the very name he took in the secular calendar (the name Poligraf - literally: “many-writer” - obviously contains an allusion to the armchair theories of the 19th century, which reshaped the destinies of hundreds of millions of people, breaking into into the world of the 20th century; an interpretation in the spirit of Ortega y Gasset is also possible, where Sharikov turns out to be a “man of the masses”, mass replication of ideas by printing).

The background of the action is also of particular importance: the professor’s apartment, located on Prechistenka (a name also included in the circle of religious associations) is a kind of “model” of the heavenly kingdom, or the Universe. Consisting of seven rooms (the sacred number is the seven days of creation), it stands in the midst of the Chaos surrounding it, maintaining strict order and hierarchy of hell (kitchen hearth), heaven (office and dining room) and purgatory (examination room and operating room). Preobrazhensky himself, like the Creator, has the power over life and death - he restores youth.

Among the numerous interpretations of the text of “Heart of a Dog”, there are also attempts to “decipher” its images as hidden allusions to real historical figures. Thus, the parodied prototypes of Sharikov turn out to be Lenin and Trotsky. According to other versions, Sharikov is the ignorant and tongue-tied Stalin, who was nurtured to his death by Lenin (Preobrazhensky) and Trotsky (Bormenthal). On the wall in the professor’s office hangs a portrait of the physiologist Mechnikov, whose appearance resembles the “progenitor” of the Russian revolution, Marx. Read from this angle, Bulgakov’s secret writing reproduces in figurative form the ups and downs of the struggle for power within the Bolshevik camp in the mid-20s.

Based on the story Feature Film“Heart of a Dog” (1988, Lenfilm, directed by V. Bortko, starring E. Evstigneev and V. Tolokonnikov).

Subject of the work

At one time, M. Bulgakov’s satirical story caused a lot of talk. In “Heart of a Dog” the heroes of the work are bright and memorable; The plot is fantasy mixed with reality and subtext, in which sharp criticism of the Soviet regime is openly read. Therefore, the work was very popular in the 60s among dissidents, and in the 90s, after its official publication, it was even recognized as prophetic.

The theme of the tragedy of the Russian people is clearly visible in this work; in “Heart of a Dog” the main characters enter into an irreconcilable conflict with each other and will never understand each other. And, although the proletarians won in this confrontation, Bulgakov in the novel reveals to us the whole essence of the revolutionaries and their type of new man in the person of Sharikov, leading us to the idea that they will not create or do anything good.

There are only three main characters in “Heart of a Dog,” and the narrative is mainly told from Bormenthal’s diary and through the dog’s monologue.

Characteristics of the main characters

Sharikov

A character who appeared as a result of an operation from the mongrel Sharik. A transplant of the pituitary gland and gonads of the drunkard and rowdy Klim Chugunkin turned a sweet and friendly dog ​​into Poligraf Poligrafych, a parasite and a hooligan.
Sharikov embodies everything negative traits new society: spits on the floor, throws cigarette butts, does not know how to use the restroom and constantly swears. But this is not even the worst thing - Sharikov quickly learned to write denunciations and found a calling in killing his eternal enemies, cats. And while he deals only with cats, the author makes it clear that he will do the same with people who stand in his way.

Bulgakov saw this base power of the people and a threat to the entire society in the rudeness and narrow-mindedness with which the new revolutionary government resolves issues.

Professor Preobrazhensky

An experimenter who uses innovative developments in solving the problem of rejuvenation through organ transplantation. He is a famous world scientist, a respected surgeon, whose “speaking” surname gives him the right to experiment with nature.

I was used to living in grand style - servants, a house of seven rooms, luxurious dinners. His patients are former nobles and high revolutionary officials who patronize him.

Preobrazhensky is a respectable, successful and self-confident person. The professor, an opponent of any terror and Soviet power, calls them “idlers and idlers.” Considers affection the only way to communicate with living beings and denies new government precisely for radical methods and violence. His opinion: if people are accustomed to culture, then the devastation will disappear.

The rejuvenation operation yielded an unexpected result - the dog turned into a human. But the man turned out to be completely useless, uneducable and absorbing the worst. Philip Philipovich concludes that nature is not a field for experiments and he interfered with its laws in vain.

Dr. Bormental

Ivan Arnoldovich is completely and completely devoted to his teacher. At one time, Preobrazhensky took an active part in the fate of a half-starved student - he enrolled him in the department, and then took him on as an assistant.

The young doctor tried in every possible way to develop Sharikov culturally, and then completely moved in with the professor, as it became more and more difficult to cope with the new person.

The apotheosis was the denunciation that Sharikov wrote against the professor. At the climax, when Sharikov took out a revolver and was ready to use it, it was Bromenthal who showed firmness and toughness, while Preobrazhensky hesitated, not daring to kill his creation.

The positive characterization of the heroes of “Heart of a Dog” emphasizes how important honor and self-dignity are for the author. Bulgakov described himself and his doctor-relatives in many of the same traits as both doctors, and in many ways would have acted the same way as them.

Shvonder

The newly elected chairman of the house committee, who hates the professor as a class enemy. This is a schematic hero, without deep reasoning.

Shvonder completely bows to the new revolutionary government and its laws, and in Sharikov he sees not a person, but a new useful unit of society - he can buy textbooks and magazines, participate in meetings.

Sh. can be called Sharikov’s ideological mentor; he tells him about his rights in Preobrazhensky’s apartment and teaches him how to write denunciations. The chairman of the house committee, due to his narrow-mindedness and lack of education, always hesitates and gives in in conversations with the professor, but this makes him hate him even more.

Other heroes

The list of characters in the story would not be complete without two au pairs - Zina and Daria Petrovna. They recognize the superiority of the professor, and, like Bormenthal, are completely devoted to him and agree to commit a crime for the sake of their beloved master. They proved this at the time of the repeated operation to transform Sharikov into a dog, when they were on the side of the doctors and accurately followed all their instructions.

You have become acquainted with the characteristics of the heroes of Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog,” a fantastic satire that anticipated the collapse of Soviet power immediately after its emergence - the author, back in 1925, showed the whole essence of those revolutionaries and what they were capable of.

Work test

The story "Heart of a Dog", the history of which is given in this article, is one of the most famous works Russian writer of the early 20th century Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov. A story written in the early years of its existence Soviet power, very accurately reflected the mood that reigned in the new society. So accurate that it was banned from printing until perestroika.

History of writing the work

The story "The Heart of a Dog", the history of which dates back to 1925, was written by Bulgakov in short time. Literally in three months. Naturally, like man of sense he had little faith that such a work could be published. Therefore, it was distributed only in lists and was known only to his close friends and associates.

The story “The Heart of a Dog” first fell into the hands of the Soviet government in 1926. In the history of the creation of this mirror of early Soviet reality, the OGPU played a role, which discovered it during a search of the writer on May 7. The manuscript was confiscated. The history of the creation of “Heart of a Dog” has since been closely connected with the archives of the Soviet intelligence services. All discovered editions of the text are now available to researchers and literary critics. They can be found in Russian state library. They are kept in the manuscript department. If you carefully analyze them, then the history of the creation of Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog” will appear before your eyes.

The fate of the work in the West

It was impossible to officially read this work in the Soviet Union. In the USSR it was distributed exclusively in samizdat. Everyone knew the story of the creation of “Heart of a Dog”; many were so eager to read it that they sacrificed their sleep. After all, the manuscript was handed over for a short period of time (often only for one night); in the morning it had to be given to someone else.

Attempts to publish Bulgakov's work in the West were made more than once. The history of the creation of the story "Heart of a Dog" abroad began in 1967. But everything happened not without flaws. The text has been copied to a quick fix and careless. The writer's widow Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova was not aware of this at all. Otherwise, she could have checked the accuracy of the text of the story “Heart of a Dog.” The history of the creation of the work in Western publishing houses is such that they received a very inaccurate manuscript.

It was first officially published in 1968 in the German magazine Grani, which was based in Frankfurt. And also in the magazine "Student", which was published by Alec Flegon in London. In those days there were unspoken rules, according to which in the event of publication work of art abroad, its publication in its homeland automatically became impossible. This was the story of the creation of Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog.” After that it became simply unrealistic to appear in a Soviet publishing house.

First publication in homeland

Only thanks to perestroika and glasnost did many key works XX century. Including "Heart of a Dog". The history of creation and the fate of the story are such that the work was first published in its homeland in 1987. This happened on the pages of Zvezda magazine.

However, the basis was the same inaccurate copy from which the story was published abroad. Researchers would later estimate that it contained at least a thousand gross mistakes and distortions. However, it was in this form that “Heart of a Dog” was published until 1989. The history of creation can briefly fit into just a few pages. In reality, decades passed before the story reached the reader.

Original text

This annoying inaccuracy was corrected by the famous textual scholar and literary critic Lydia Yankovskaya.

In a two-volume edition of selected selections, she was the first to publish original text, which we still know today. This is how Bulgakov himself wrote it in “Heart of a Dog”. The history of the creation of the story, as we see, was not easy.

Plot of the story

The action of the work takes place in the capital in 1924. At the center of the story is the famous surgeon, luminary of science, Philip Philipovich Preobrazhensky. His main research is devoted to the rejuvenation of the human body. In this he achieved unprecedented success. Almost the country's top officials sign up for consultations and operations with him.

In the course of further research, he decides on a daring experiment. Transplants a human pituitary gland into a dog. As an experimental animal, he chooses an ordinary yard dog, Sharik, who somehow accosted him on the street. The consequences were literally shocking. Later a short time The ball began to turn into a real person. However, he acquired his character and consciousness not from a dog, but from the drunkard and rude man Klim Chugunkin, who owned the pituitary gland.

At first this story was spread only in scientific circles among professors, but soon leaked to the press. The whole city knew about her. Preobrazhensky’s colleagues express admiration, and Sharik is shown to doctors from all over the country. But Philip Philipovich is the first to understand how terrible the consequences of this operation will be.

Sharik's transformation

Meanwhile, Sharik, who has turned into a full-fledged person, begins to be influenced by Negative influence communist activist named Shvonder. It inspires him that the proletarian who is oppressed by the bourgeois, in the person of Professor Preobrazhensky. That is, exactly what the October Revolution fought against is happening.

It is Shvonder who issues documents to the hero. Now he is not Sharik, but Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov. Gets a job in a service that traps and exterminates homeless animals. First of all, he is, of course, interested in cats.

Under the influence of Shvonder and communist propaganda literature, Sharikov begins to be rude to the professor. Requires you to register yourself. Ultimately, he writes a denunciation against the doctors who turned him from a dog into a man. It all ends in scandal. Preobrazhenisky, who is unable to endure this any longer, performs the reverse operation, returning Sharikov’s canine pituitary gland. Over time, he loses his human appearance and returns to an animal state.

Political satire

This work - shining example acute The most common interpretation is associated with the idea of ​​​​the awakening of proletarian consciousness as a result of victory October revolution. Sharikov is an allegorical image of the classical lumpen proletariat, which, having unexpectedly received a large number of rights and freedoms, begins to show purely selfish interests.

At the end of the story, the fate of Sharikov's creators looks predetermined. In this, according to many researchers, Bulgakov predicted the coming mass repressions of the 30s. As a result, many loyal communists who achieved victory in the revolution suffered. As a result of the internal party struggle, some of them were shot, and some were exiled to camps.

The ending, invented by Bulgakov, seems artificial to many.

Sharikov is Stalin

There is another interpretation of this story. Some researchers believe that it was a sharp political satire on the country's leadership, which worked in the mid-20s.

Sharikov's prototype real life is Joseph Stalin. It is no coincidence that both have an “iron” surname. Remember that the original name of the person who received the dog’s pituitary gland was Klim Chugunkin. According to these literary scholars, the prototype was the leader of the revolution, Vladimir Lenin. And his assistant, Doctor Bormental, who is constantly in conflict with Sharikov, is Trotsky, real name which is Bronstein. Both Bormenthal and Bronstein are Jewish surnames.

There are prototypes for other characters as well. Preobrazhensky's assistant Zina is Zinoviev, Shvonder is Kamenev, and Daria is Dzerzhinsky.

Soviet censorship played an important role in the history of the creation of this work. The first edition of the story contained direct references to political characters of that time.

One of the copies of the manuscript fell into the hands of Kamenev, who imposed a strict ban on the publication of the story, calling it “a sharp pamphlet on modernity.” In samizdat, the work began to spread from person to person only in the 1930s. It gained fame throughout the country much later - during perestroika.

“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 of the story is social: it is the comprehension of the events of the revolution, which made it possible for the Sharik and Shvonders 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 one” (Bormental’s assistant from the point of view of Sharik who pulled 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 telling surname. He transforms the dog into a “new man.” 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 is a noble man and is not going to abandon his 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 first described in detail by Bormenthal in his diary: he is a short man 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.

His jacket and striped trousers are torn and dirty, a poisonous heavenly tie and patent leather boots with white leggings complete the 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.

Characteristics and description of the main characters of M. Bulgakov’s story “Heart of a Dog” with quotes

M.A. Bulgakov’s story “Heart of a Dog” is rich in colorful and interesting characters. The heroes of the work can be divided into two groups. The first consists of Professor Preobrazhensky and his entourage. They are characterized by intelligence, honesty and decency. The second group includes Sharikov, Shvonder and other members of the house committee. They are aggressive and cruel, have very vague concepts of morality and justice, although they advocate in every possible way for its restoration.

Characteristics of Professor Preobrazhensky with quotes

Professor Preobrazhensky- one of the main characters of the story. Philip Philipovich is a brilliant doctor, a talented scientist, a “European luminary” of medicine. He lives secludedly in a Moscow apartment and is engaged in rejuvenation operations for rich and “powerful” clients. He is a representative of the old Moscow intelligentsia, a champion of high morality and humanism. He strongly opposed the use of brute force and coercion:

>“Tenderness, sir.” The only way that is possible in dealing with a living being. Terror cannot do anything with an animal, no matter what stage of development it is at. This is what I have asserted, am asserting, and will continue to assert. They are in vain to think that terror will help them. No, no, no, it won’t help, no matter what it is: white, red and even brown! Terror completely paralyzes the nervous system.”

“You can’t fight anyone!...You can only act on humans and animals by suggestion.”

Professor Preobrazhensky personifies the passing pre-revolutionary era and its culture. He often criticizes the new government and the order that has come with it:

“...until March 1917 there was not a single case... - that at least one pair of galoshes would disappear from our front door downstairs. ... In March of 1917, all the galoshes disappeared, including two pairs of mine, three sticks, a coat, and the doorman’s samovar.”

“At first there is singing every evening, then the pipes in the toilets will freeze, then the steam heating boiler will burst, and so on.”

He is entirely on the side of the old times, when “there was order” and he lived "comfortable and good." He believes that it is necessary to teach people basic culture and the devastation will disappear by itself. However, the professor's philosophy collapses when he encounters Sharikov. All his attempts to train and educate his creation lead to nothing but increasing aggression and mistrust.

Preobrazhensky repents of his failed experiment: “I ran into this operation like a third-year student.” He sees before him not a new human being, but a “resurrected” repeat offender thief Klim Chugunkin. Over time, the professor begins to understand the horror of the current situation and feels responsible for its consequences:

“I wanted to do a little experiment after I received an extract of the sex hormone from the pituitary gland two years ago. And instead, what happened, my God! These hormones in the pituitary gland, oh my God... Doctor, there is a dull hopelessness in front of me, I swear, I’m lost.”

By carrying out the “reverse” operation, the professor not only wants to protect himself from Sharikov.

“Shvonder is the biggest fool. He does not understand that Sharikov is an even more formidable danger for him than for me. Well, now he’s trying in every possible way to set him against me, not realizing that if someone, in turn, sets Sharikov against Shvonder himself, then all that will be left of him is his horns and legs!”

Characteristics of Bormenthal with quotes

Bormental Ivan Arnoldovich- one of the main characters stories by M.A. Bulgakov "Heart of a Dog". Dr. Bormenthal is Professor Preobrazhensky's assistant, assistant and friend. He is young, handsome, tall and has a fairly strong physique: “The handsome man - he was already without a robe, in a decent black suit - shrugged his broad shoulders.”

Ivan Arnoldovich is smart and well educated. Has high moral qualities, fundamentally honest and noble. He is a worthy student of Professor Preobrazhensky, treats him with great respect and admires his genius. Through the image of Doctor Bormenthal, a representative of the new generation of intelligentsia is shown.

After the experiment, he enthusiastically watches the transformation of the dog into a human. However, over time, he begins to notice in Sharikov the rapidly developing traits of Klim Chugunkin. Bormenthal, for his part, tries to reason with the insolent man and defend the professor:

“Don’t worry, Philip Philipovich. Me myself. You, Sharikov, are talking nonsense, and the most outrageous thing is that you say it categorically and confidently. Of course, I don’t feel sorry for the vodka, especially since it’s not mine, but Philip Philipovich’s. It's just harmful. This is the first time, but the second is that you behave indecently even without vodka.”

By nature, the doctor is quite quick-tempered, decisive and, if necessary, able to use force. He reacts more sharply to Sharikov’s boorish and aggressive behavior.

“...Be quieter than water, lower than the grass. Otherwise, you will have to deal with me for every ugly prank. It's clear?"

Bormenthal is devoted to his teacher and is ready to help in the most risky situation, regardless of the consequences.

“Then tell you what, dear teacher, if you don’t want to, I myself will feed him arsenic at my own risk. To hell with him, that dad is a forensic investigator. After all, it is your own experimental being, after all.”

Characteristics of Shvonder with quotes

Shvonder- one of the heroes of the story by M.A. Bulgakov “Heart of a Dog”; representative of the proletariat, chairman of the house committee. The author describes the hero with undisguised irony and sarcasm. He and his associates are shown prominent representatives“devastation”, which Professor Preobrazhensky so criticizes. Little is said about Shvonder’s appearance; only modest clothing and “A quarter arshin of thick, curly black hair.”

The chairman of the house committee clearly feels hatred for the class enemies represented by Preobrazhensky and Bormental. He and his comrades want to expropriate one room from the apartment; they clearly disapprove of the professor and his way of life.

“...the general meeting, having considered your question, came to the conclusion that, in general, you occupy excessive space. Completely excessive. You live alone in seven rooms."

Shvonder is a great supporter of bureaucracy. For him, having the appropriate document is vital.

“It’s quite strange, professor,” Shvonder was offended, “how do you call the documents idiotic? I cannot allow an undocumented tenant to stay in the house, and not yet registered with the police. What if there is a war with imperialist predators?

The conflict between Shvonder and Professor Preobrazhensky is a conflict between the intelligentsia and the lumpen proletarians. Shvonder and others like him stand up for the rights and freedoms of the working class, but in reality they only sow lack of culture, destruction and blind adherence to meaningless laws. They pretend to be hard workers, but in reality they are just slackers. Consider the “evening singing” that so outraged the professor.

Sharikov is interested in Shvonder with practical point From his point of view, for him he is just another tenant. Shvonder is closely involved in his “education” - he instills in him the idea of ​​​​a proletarian origin, the need for documents and registration, finds him a job according to his vocation, gives him the idea of ​​​​writing a denunciation against the professor.

Characteristics of Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov with quotes

Sharikov Poligraf Poligrafovich- one of the main characters of the story by M.A. Bulgakov "Heart of a Dog". At the beginning of the story, Sharikov is just a good-natured yard dog, whom Professor Preobrazhensky picks up. He treats the dog's wound and treats him well. Sharik is happy with life.

“They care about me,” the dog thought, “very good man. I know who it is. He is a wizard, magician and magician from a dog’s fairy tale...”

As a result of an experiment on pituitary gland transplantation, Sharikov is born. At first, the professor thought that he had managed to create a human being, but it soon becomes clear that, in fact, he managed to “resurrect” the criminal Klim Chugunkin.

“You stand at the lowest stage of development,” Philip Philipovich shouted, “you are still just a developing, mentally weak creature, all your actions are purely bestial...”

Sharikov is immoral and stupid, he has neither honor nor conscience. He is deprived of even the rudiments of morality and nobility. My new life he starts playing the balalaika, drinking and swearing. He harasses women, damages furniture, and causes a flood in the apartment. From the dog Sharik it turned out “Such scum that it makes your hair stand on end.” Sharikov receives the support of the authorities in the person of Shvonder, who sees him as a proletarian and a full-fledged member of society. Sharikov probably only had a dislike for cats left from the dog. Shvonder finds him a job he likes - now he runs the cat catching department. But even here Sharikov shows cruelty, which is not characteristic of either animals or people.

Professor Preobrazhensky steadfastly endures the tricks of his ward and at first harbors hope for his re-education. But the dog-man's behavior is getting worse every day. Sharikov crosses all boundaries when he writes a denunciation against the professor and threatens to kill him.

“But who is he? Klim, Klim!....Here’s the thing: two convictions, alcoholism, “divide everything”, a hat and two ducats are gone…..A boor and a pig...”

Preobrazhensky performs a “reverse” operation and the kind, affectionate dog Sharik returns to the world again. With the words of Professor Preobrazhensky, the author draws a line, a conclusion: “Science does not yet know a way to turn animals into people.” And the real beast was not the dog Sharik, but the soulless and cruel Klim Chugunkin.