The White Guard

Bolgaakov presents to us in his novel The White Guard a unique type of literature. Many Russian writers excelled in description, but what Bolgaakov did in this work goes far beyond description, as it offers a panoramic view of the city of Kyiv in a detailed and unique manner, through presenting an internal and external image of the place and characters with very precise accuracy. Although the Torpin family are the protagonists of the novel in theory, the city is the true hero. After publishing this novel, Bolgaakov faced persecution, restrictions, and bans on his literary and theatrical works because he addressed the White Guard, who are officers of the anti-Bolshevik Tsarist army, and the Bolsheviks' seizure of power. The events take place in the city of Kyiv in Ukraine, during its early independence from Russia after the revolution, in a very complex period from December 1918 to February 1919, during the German withdrawal and the self-governing authority under their control, and the entry of Semyon Petliura and his forces into Ukraine, with governance taken over by members of the Torpin family, their neighbors, and friends who are officers of the White Guard. Bolgaakov narrates the nature of life in Kyiv and the suffering of the people and soldiers during the periods of political unrest, chaos, and confusion in the military forces before Petliura's entry into Ukraine. It is worth noting that Mikhail Bolgaakov, a Russian novelist and playwright, was born on May 15, 1891, in Kyiv, and passed away on March 10, 1940, in Moscow. He was a doctor by profession and became famous for his novel "The Master and Margarita," which was published three decades after his death. The number of pages is 472.