The Fatal Eggs
Encyclopedia
The Fatal Eggs is a science-fiction novella
by Mikhail Bulgakov
, a Soviet novelist and playwright whose most famous work is The Master and Margarita
. It was written in 1924 and first published in 1925. The book became quite popular, but was much criticised by some Soviet critics as a satire
of the Russian Revolution of 1917
and the leadership of Soviet Russia.
. The Fatal Eggs was finished in early October 1924 and published in the Nedra journal in February 1925; a shortened edition was also published in May–June 1925 in the Krasnaya Panorama journal, under the title The Ray of Life (Russian: Луч жизни). Bulgakov also read the novel on several occasions to various social gatherings, where it met with favourable reception.
novel. Its main protagonist is an aging zoologist, Vladimir Ipat'evich Persikov, a specialist in amphibians. The narration begins in Moscow
of 1928, which seems to have overcome the destructive effects of the Russian Civil War
and is quite prosperous. After a long period of degradation, research at the Zoological Institute has revived. After leaving his microscope
for several hours, Persikov suddenly noticed that the out-of-focus microscope produced a ray of red light; amoeba
left under that light showed an impossibly increased rate of binary fission, reproducing at enormous speeds and demonstrating unusual aggression. Later experiments with large cameras — to produce a larger ray — confirmed that the same increased speed of reproduction applied to other organisms, such as frogs, which evolved and produced a next generation within two days. Persikov's invention quickly becomes known to journalists, and eventually to foreign spies
and to the GPU
, the Soviet secret service. At the same time, the country is affected by an unknown disease in domesticated poultry
, which results in a complete extinction of all chickens in the Soviet Russia, with the plague stopping at the borders of the country. An entrepreneur Aleksandr Semenovich Rokk (whose name is also a pun on the novel's title, Rok meaning fate) receives an official permission to use Persikov's invention to attempt to restore the chicken populace to the pre-plague level. However, the chicken eggs
which are imported from outside the country are, by a mistake, sent to Persikov's laboratory while the reptile eggs destined for the professor end up in the hands of the farmers. As a result, Rokk breeds an enormous quantity of large and overly aggressive snakes, ostriches, and crocodiles which start attacking people. In the panic that follows, Persikov is killed by a mob — which blames him for the appearance of the snakes — and his cameras are smashed. The Red Army
attempts to hold the snakes back, but only the coming of sub-zero weather in August—described as a deus ex machina
--puts a stop to the snake invasion. In an earlier draft the novel ends with the scene of Moscow's complete destruction by the snakes.
's 1904 novel The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth
, where two scientists discover a way to accelerate growth — which at first results in a plague of gigantic chickens, and eventually in an all-out war between people affected by growth and those who are not. The novel is in fact referenced in the text of the novel in a conversation between Persikov and his assistant. It has also been noted that the death of the snakes from cold weather though they successfully resisted the military force is reminiscent of the death of aliens from a pathogen bacteria in The War of the Worlds
. Other influences may include rumours of "a giant reptile [in the Crimea
], to capture which a regiment of Red Guards
was deployed".
Many Soviet critics saw the events of The Fatal Eggs as a critique of Soviet Russia. Indeed, there is a case to be made for Professor Persikov's identification with Vladimir Il'ich Lenin (note the similarity in names), as both of them can be said to have unleashed destruction on Russia, and there seem to be similarities between them both in appearance and character. Chicken plague and the sanitary cordons that foreign countries established against it were seen as a parody of the ideas of internationalism
and the policy of Antanta against it. Although Bulgakov was not repressed, from 1925 he was questioned by the GPU several times and was never allowed to leave the Soviet Union, possibly as a result of his negative image which was at least partly due to the publication of The Fatal Eggs. Although there were positive responses, upon the whole the novel was viewed as dangerous and anti-Soviet.
Bulgakov was aware that the story might be displeasing to the authorities - after presenting the story at a literary evening in late 1924, he wrote in his diary: 'Is it a satire? Or a provocative gesture? ... I'm afraid that I might be hauled off ... for all these heroic feats.'
.
On April 17, 1981 the CBC Radio program Nightfall (CBC)
broadcast an adaptation.
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
by Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhaíl Afanásyevich Bulgákov was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which The Times of London has called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century.-Biography:Mikhail Bulgakov was born on...
, a Soviet novelist and playwright whose most famous work is The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita
The Master and Margarita is a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, woven around the premise of a visit by the Devil to the fervently atheistic Soviet Union. Many critics consider the book to be one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, and one of the foremost Soviet satires, directed against a...
. It was written in 1924 and first published in 1925. The book became quite popular, but was much criticised by some Soviet critics as a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
of the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
and the leadership of Soviet Russia.
Background
By 1924, Bulgakov was relatively well-known as a writer. He had published several short stories, including Dyavoliada, in some ways a pre-cursor to Master and Margarita, and started publishing his first novel, The White GuardThe White Guard
The White Guard is a novel by 20th century Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov, famed for his critically acclaimed later work The Master and Margarita.-History:...
. The Fatal Eggs was finished in early October 1924 and published in the Nedra journal in February 1925; a shortened edition was also published in May–June 1925 in the Krasnaya Panorama journal, under the title The Ray of Life (Russian: Луч жизни). Bulgakov also read the novel on several occasions to various social gatherings, where it met with favourable reception.
Plot summary
The Fatal Eggs can be described as a science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel. Its main protagonist is an aging zoologist, Vladimir Ipat'evich Persikov, a specialist in amphibians. The narration begins in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
of 1928, which seems to have overcome the destructive effects of the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and is quite prosperous. After a long period of degradation, research at the Zoological Institute has revived. After leaving his microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
for several hours, Persikov suddenly noticed that the out-of-focus microscope produced a ray of red light; amoeba
Amoeba
Amoeba is a genus of Protozoa.History=The amoeba was first discovered by August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof in 1757. Early naturalists referred to Amoeba as the Proteus animalcule after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his shape...
left under that light showed an impossibly increased rate of binary fission, reproducing at enormous speeds and demonstrating unusual aggression. Later experiments with large cameras — to produce a larger ray — confirmed that the same increased speed of reproduction applied to other organisms, such as frogs, which evolved and produced a next generation within two days. Persikov's invention quickly becomes known to journalists, and eventually to foreign spies
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
and to the GPU
State Political Directorate
The State Political Directorate was the secret police of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1934...
, the Soviet secret service. At the same time, the country is affected by an unknown disease in domesticated poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
, which results in a complete extinction of all chickens in the Soviet Russia, with the plague stopping at the borders of the country. An entrepreneur Aleksandr Semenovich Rokk (whose name is also a pun on the novel's title, Rok meaning fate) receives an official permission to use Persikov's invention to attempt to restore the chicken populace to the pre-plague level. However, the chicken eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
which are imported from outside the country are, by a mistake, sent to Persikov's laboratory while the reptile eggs destined for the professor end up in the hands of the farmers. As a result, Rokk breeds an enormous quantity of large and overly aggressive snakes, ostriches, and crocodiles which start attacking people. In the panic that follows, Persikov is killed by a mob — which blames him for the appearance of the snakes — and his cameras are smashed. The Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
attempts to hold the snakes back, but only the coming of sub-zero weather in August—described as a deus ex machina
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
--puts a stop to the snake invasion. In an earlier draft the novel ends with the scene of Moscow's complete destruction by the snakes.
Analysis and critical reception
A number on influences on the novel can be detected. One of the sources behind The Fatal Eggs was H. G. WellsH. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
's 1904 novel The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth
The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth
The Food of the Gods and How it Came to Earth is a novel written by H. G. Wells. Published in 1904, it is one of his lesser known scientific romances, aside from the various B-movie adaptations .-Plot summary:...
, where two scientists discover a way to accelerate growth — which at first results in a plague of gigantic chickens, and eventually in an all-out war between people affected by growth and those who are not. The novel is in fact referenced in the text of the novel in a conversation between Persikov and his assistant. It has also been noted that the death of the snakes from cold weather though they successfully resisted the military force is reminiscent of the death of aliens from a pathogen bacteria in The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
. Other influences may include rumours of "a giant reptile [in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
], to capture which a regiment of Red Guards
Red Guards (Russia)
In the context of the history of Russia and Soviet Union, Red Guards were paramilitary formations consisting of workers and partially of soldiers and sailors formed in the time frame of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
was deployed".
Many Soviet critics saw the events of The Fatal Eggs as a critique of Soviet Russia. Indeed, there is a case to be made for Professor Persikov's identification with Vladimir Il'ich Lenin (note the similarity in names), as both of them can be said to have unleashed destruction on Russia, and there seem to be similarities between them both in appearance and character. Chicken plague and the sanitary cordons that foreign countries established against it were seen as a parody of the ideas of internationalism
Proletarian internationalism
Proletarian internationalism, sometimes referred to as international socialism, is a Marxist social class concept based on the view that capitalism is now a global system, and therefore the working class must act as a global class if it is to defeat it...
and the policy of Antanta against it. Although Bulgakov was not repressed, from 1925 he was questioned by the GPU several times and was never allowed to leave the Soviet Union, possibly as a result of his negative image which was at least partly due to the publication of The Fatal Eggs. Although there were positive responses, upon the whole the novel was viewed as dangerous and anti-Soviet.
Bulgakov was aware that the story might be displeasing to the authorities - after presenting the story at a literary evening in late 1924, he wrote in his diary: 'Is it a satire? Or a provocative gesture? ... I'm afraid that I might be hauled off ... for all these heroic feats.'
English translations
There are a number of English translations of The Fatal Eggs, including but not limited to the following:- Mirra Ginsburg, Grove Press, 1968, ISBN 978-0802130150
- Kathleen Gook-Horujy, publication date unknown (see References)
- Hugh Aplin, Hesperus PressHesperus PressHesperus Press is an independent publisher based in London, UK. It was founded in 2001 by Alessandro Gallenzi and Elisabetta Minervini, who went on to found Alma Books in 2005....
, 2003, ISBN 978-1843910633 - Michael Karpelson, Translit Publishing, 2010, ISBN 978-0981269528
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
A film adaptation directed by Sergei Lomkin was released in 1996. Cast included Oleg YankovskyOleg Yankovsky
Oleg Ivanovich Yankovsky was a Soviet/Russian actor who has excelled in psychologically sophisticated roles of modern intellectuals...
.
On April 17, 1981 the CBC Radio program Nightfall (CBC)
Nightfall (CBC)
Nightfall is the title of a radio drama series produced and aired by CBC Radio from July 1980 to June 1983. While primarily a supernatural/horror series, Nightfall featured some episodes in other genres, such as science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and human drama. One episode was even adapted from...
broadcast an adaptation.