Heart of a Dog

by

Mikhail Bulgakov

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Heart of a Dog makes teaching easy.
In Marxism (and Soviet Russia), the proletariat is the working class, often opposed to the wealthy elite, or bourgeoisie.

Proletariat Quotes in Heart of a Dog

The Heart of a Dog quotes below are all either spoken by Proletariat or refer to Proletariat. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revolution and Regression  Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Whoo-oo-oo-oo-hooh-hoo-oo! Oh, look at me, I am perishing in this gateway. The blizzard roars a prayer for the dying, and I howl with it. I am finished, finished. That bastard, in the dirty cap—the cook of the Normal Diet Cafeteria for employees of the People’s Central Economic Soviet—threw boiling water at me and scalded my left side. The scum, and he calls himself a proletarian! Lord, oh lord, how it hurts! My side is cooked to the bone. And now I howl and howl, but what’s the good of howling?
What harm did I do him? Would the People’s Economic Soviet get any poorer if I rooted in the garbage heap? The greedy brute!

Related Characters: Sharik / Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov (speaker)
Page Number: 1
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 2 Quotes

“You are a hater of the proletariat!” the woman declared proudly.
“You are right, I do not like the proletariat,” Philip Philippovich agreed sadly and pressed a button. A bell rang somewhere within, and the door into the corridor swung open.

Related Characters: Professor Philip Philippovich Preobrazhensky (speaker), Vyazemskaya (speaker)
Page Number: 30
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3 Quotes

“One fine day in March of 1917, all the galoshes disappeared, including two pair of mine. Also three canes, a coat, and the porter’s samovar. And from that day on the stand for galoshes ceased to exist. […] I ask you why, when this whole business started, did everyone begin to go up the marble staircase in muddy galoshes and felt boots? […] Why was the rug removed from the front stairway? Does Karl Marx forbid rugs on the stairs? Does he say anywhere in his writings that the second entrance of the Kalabukhov house on Prechistenka must be boarded up, and people must go around the house and enter through the backyard? Who needs this? Why can’t the proletarian leave his galoshes downstairs instead of tracking up the marble?”

Related Characters: Professor Philip Philippovich Preobrazhensky (speaker)
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:
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Proletariat Term Timeline in Heart of a Dog

The timeline below shows where the term Proletariat appears in Heart of a Dog. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Social Class and Hierarchy Theme Icon
Science, Nature, and Morality Theme Icon
...door, Sharik makes out “Pro” on the nameplate. This confuses him: “Pro” can’t possibly mean “proletarian.” (full context)
Revolution and Regression  Theme Icon
Dignity, Loyalty, and Respect Theme Icon
...he would certainly be arrested if he weren’t so famous, as he clearly hates the proletariat. He responds that he does. Zina brings him dinner and the four visitors leave. (full context)
Chapter 3
Revolution and Regression  Theme Icon
Social Class and Hierarchy Theme Icon
...to remove the fancy carpet and shut one of the entrances. He asks why the proletarians can’t just leave their boots downstairs—Dr. Bormenthal comments that they don’t have any, but Philip... (full context)