I see that while my FB was down (once again), a holivar about Bulgakov started (also once again).
First of all. Regardless of the literary abilities of the subject – which were certainly considerable – he does not Russify anyone. At the rehab, I saw those broad masses of young people (I emphasise: young people!) who are actually Russified, although they were born after independence. Some of them even tried to demand that I “speak Ukrainian”. Well, they were quickly put in their place.
And so. They are Russified by the vile Russian rap and their environment. That’s the only way. Two-thirds of them have never heard of Bulgakov.
Do you think that there are at least ten times more of them in the country than there are of us, the high-minded ones? I will disappoint you. I am sure that there are twenty times more.
Instead, you’re doing nothing to Russify us. It’s too late)))
Second. You just have to understand that Bulgakov and Co. are talented people, of course, but they are not the navel of the Earth. There are greater-well, more majestic-literatures. British, French, German, etc. Even American literature. In the end, Latin American, let’s call it that.
It is simply incommensurable. That’s why translation schools are our everything. As well as, of course, the development of our own writing. And in the latter respect, I think that certain protectionist measures are important, but in the field of book publishing. However, I’m not much of an economist.
And the third point (from my own comments). Once, at the beginning of the millennium, I saw a long queue in Scotland to the monument to William Wallace. At least there was one Scotsman there. But there were 90 per cent of English people.
The English, Karl, who for centuries treated Wallace worse than the Poles and Russians put together treated Bandera.
So sooner or later, everyone makes peace. And even, like the British in this case, they begin to admire yesterday’s anti-hero.
About 700 years later 🙂
There is, of course, a faster way. The French forgave the Germans after the Second World War. The only thing is that the Germans had done a lot of dirty work before that and had to repent.
If, God willing, Russia does the right thing and realises it, then we can consider it.
So far, however, there is not much chance of that happening – nuclear weapons are still around. Oh well: 700 years is 700 years.
Moreover, Bulgakov will be long forgotten by then.
Alexander Michelson, journalist and translator