Alexander Pushkin (Bulgakov)

Mikhail Bulgakov around 1935

Alexander Pushkin , also The Last Days ( Russian Александр Пушкин ), is a play in four acts by the Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov , written in 1935 and the revision of which was completed on September 9, 1939. The author did not live to see the premiere. The play came on the repertoire of the Moscow Art Theater in 1943 , held its own there until 1958 and was filmed twice. The text was published in 1955 by Die Kunst .

Bulgakov's dramatic adaptation brings Pushkin's death close to political murder. At least Nicholas I knows about the duel beforehand and lets it happen.

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The title figure doesn't say a single word in the piece.

Pushkin's duel with d'Anthès (Alexei Naumow 1884)

1

Pushkin's St. Petersburg apartment at the end of January and beginning of February 1837: Chamberlain Pushkin's financial circumstances are desolate. Pushkin's wife Natalia has gone out. Her sister - called Goncharova in the play - lives in the poet's house and takes care of a stubborn believer in her currently angry brother-in-law.

When Natalja returns home, Goncharova brings up those anonymous accusations that construct a liaison between Nataljas and the lieutenant of the Chevaliergarde d'Anthès - that is, Goncharova's husband . Natalja rejects any guilt and rebuffs. When Goncharova has withdrawn, d'Anthès enters Pushkin's apartment. Natalja wants to get rid of the brazen intruder. Although Pushkin had forbidden his brother-in-law to stay in the house, he did not let himself be turned away. The officer wants to flee with Natalja. He only married Goncharova because he was looking for Natalya to be close.

2

At a nightly reception in the palace of Countess Voronzowa, one of the poet's patrons, Natalia met Nicholas I.

Pushkin - in tails - looks on from a distance. The ruler expects his chamberlain to appear in uniform and warns the poet's wife: Her beauty is dangerous. Then Nikolaus I turned to the next person he was talking to - that was Schukowski ; expresses disapproval of Pushkin's work. The poet Zhukovsky, educator of the heir to the throne, wants to mediate. The viewer learns that General Dubelts and Count von Benckendorffs spies from the Third Division observed the author of rebellious poems, who at least put a monument to Pugachev ; got into Pushkin's apartment. So the ruler, who hardly escapes a single detail, also knows about the imminent duel between Pushkin and the unerring pistol shooter d'Anthès.

D'Anthès' adoptive father, Baron Louis Borchard de Heeckeren, envoy of the Netherlands in Russia , also speaks to Natalja at the reception. He implores her to leave his boy alone. Natalja cannot hear such speeches. At that reception, D'Anthès recreates Natalja. Pushkin's wife can only avoid the intrusiveness by promising the next - publicly observable - meeting. This is repeated in the piece. The viewer gets the impression that Natalja's love for her husband has grown cold. For example, Natalja said to her sister, Goncharova: “Why has nobody ever asked whether I am happy? … I gave birth to [Pushkin] children and have been listening to poetry all my life… ”.

3

D'Anthès wants to kidnap Natalia to Paris. Heeckeren is horrified. Outrageous - the adopted son wants to abandon his own pregnant wife and steal her sister.

In the duel, Pushkin is hit by a shot in the stomach. D'Anthès' arm is only slit open. Against Pushkin's second , the officer Dansas , who brings the seriously injured home, Natalja again rejects all guilt.

4th

Pushkin bites his hands in pain so that Natalia does not hear his screams; dies after excruciating suffering. 47,000 St. Petersburg residents give their condolences. The historian Turgenev , one of the poet's closest friends, accompanies the dear dead on his last trip to Svyatye Gory .

Film adaptations

1986 Lenfilm : The Last Journey - feature film by Leonid Menaker based on the scenario by Jakow Gordin.
2002: Alexander Pushkin - a film by Alexander Jazko with Olga Drozdova as Natalja.

German-language editions

Output used:

Alexander Pushkin. Piece in four acts. Translated from the Russian by Thomas Reschke . Pp. 69-134 in Ralf Schröder (Ed.): Bulgakow. The hypocritical cabal. Alexander Pushkin. Asked for. Pieces. Volk & Welt, Berlin 1995, ISBN 3-353-00952-3 (= Vol. 11: Collected Works (13 Vols.))