“US” and “THEM”: the Motif Structure of M. A. Bulgakov’s Drama of the 1920s

Resumen

The article explores the motive structure of Mikhail Bulgakov's plays from the 1920s (“Days of the Turbins”， “Zoyka‘s Apartment”, “Flight”) through the lens of the “us vs. them” opposition. A structuralist approach is applied to analyze the key motives that define plot development and the nature of the conflict: alienation, false and genuine rapprochement, recognition, and the reaction to it. Motifs of alienation in Bulgakov’s plays are manifested in depictions of battle, crime, betrayal, flight, as well as in the profound identity crisis of characters caught in a context of social disintegration. In contrast, genuine unity among the characters is observed in shared rituals and the collective experience of danger. False rapprochement creates vivid tragicomic effects, demonstrating the fluidity of the boundaries between “us” and “them” in the revolutionary era. It is shown that these motifs, tragically intensified by the traumatic experience of the Civil War, drive the development of the plot, with Bulgakov combining traditional plot devices with innovative contexts. Special attention is paid to the variability in how these motifs are realized across different plays, their connection to the traditions of Russian literature, and the transformation of the characters' notions of “us” and “them” as the action progresses. The multi-layered nature of the conflict and the inseparability of its levels underscore the complexity of Bulgakov’s artistic world. The findings contribute to a more precise understanding of Bulgakov's dramaturgy in the 1920s, the specifics of his worldview during this period, and the connection of his plays to Russian literary classics. The materials of the article can be used in further philological studies of Bulgakov‘s work, as well as in teaching the history of 20th-century Russian drama.