Heart of a Dog

The motif of theatrical verse points to the similarities between Bulgakov and Philipovich. In addition to being a doctor like his fictional character, Bulgakov loved the theater, notably two operatic pieces: Don Juan by Tolstoy and Aïda by Verdi. Throughout The Heart of a Dog, Philipovich often repeats the lines, “To the sacred banks of the Nile,” (from Aïda) and, “From Seville unto Granada,” (from Don Juan). Within the framework of the novella, Philipovich’s constant recourse to humming or singing these works to himself suggests that he sees himself as one of the romantic protagonists of these dramatic plays. The singing transports him out of his ordinary life and into an operatic play where he is the star, reinforcing his heightened sense of self-importance.

Bulgakov suggests that Philipovich’s fondness for opera evidences his taste for the high culture associated with the bourgeoisie. In contrast, the proletarian and anti-intellectual Sharik has no fondness for Aïda or the theater. Before his transformation, he complains about his time in the park being marred by an “old groaner singing ‘O celeste Aïda’ out in the moonlight til it makes you sick” (4). Even once made into a human, Sharikov declares the theater is “just crap…talk, talk.