The Satirical Eggs of Communism

The Fatal Eggs by Mikhail Bulgakov tells the story of a zoologist, Persikov, who discovers what is called the ray of life. This ray supposedly accelerates the biological processes of an organism, resulting in increased speed of reproduction and larger sized organisms. While Persikov wishes his work remain private and to continue research on the ray, it is forcibly taken from him in order to be used on chicken eggs, after all of the chickens died due to a mysterious “chicken plague”. Unfortunately, a batch of chicken eggs and a batch of reptile eggs are accidentally swapped, and the reptile eggs are placed under the ray of life. Mutant reptiles are bred and wreak havoc on nearby towns, until the Red armies showed up and shot, gassed and hacked apart the over-grown reptiles. This resulted in many civilian casualties. However, it was only when frost covered the earth were the monstrosities defeated. In the end, Persikov and his employees were murdered by an angry mob.

THAT was a wild story- and it gets even more interesting when one begins to analyze the satire behind Bulgakov’s words. Persikov discovers the ray of life when looking through his microscope he notices a multi-colored spiral created by artificial light shining on the microscope’s lens and mirrors. When amoebas were left alone under a specific spot in this light, they grew and reproduced rapidly. This specific spot in the spiral is described as a “…pointed red sword,” (Bulgakov 56). What becomes known as the ‘ray of life’ is repeatedly stated as being red, the color associated with both of socialism and communism. Coincidence? I think not! Bulgakov displays his distaste for the Soviet government with more satire when the monstrous mutations created from this ‘ray of life’ demolish cities and towns, invoking terror in its citizens.

At the end of the story, right before Persikov is killed by an angry mob, he is referred to as Vladimir Impatych. Could this be a play on Vladimir Lenin, who led the Bolsheviks to power? Most likely. What interests me even more is at the very end of the story it is stated that “…the lunar sickle hung, as if on a fine thread, over the helmet of the Cathedral of Christ,” (Bulgakov 126). This is an innuendo for the hammer and sickle symbol that was adopted during the Russian Revolution, and as it is stated as hanging by a thread over a cathedral, Bulgakov’s lack of faith in Communism is obvious.