description The Golden Calf Overview
The Golden Calf is a satirical picaresque novel by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov, first published in Russian in 1931. It continues the adventures of Ostap Bender, the resourceful con man introduced in The Twelve Chairs, as he and his companions pursue the hidden fortune of the Soviet millionaire Koreiko. Through episodic schemes, evasions, and encounters with officials and businessmen, the novel satirizes greed, bureaucracy, and the social habits of the Soviet New Economic Policy period.
help The Golden Calf FAQ
Who is Ostap Bender in The Golden Calf?
Ostap Bender is the charming conman at the center of Ilf and Petrov's 1931 Soviet picaresque novel. He becomes obsessed with taking money from Alexander Koreiko, a hidden millionaire.
Do I need to read The Twelve Chairs before The Golden Calf?
The Golden Calf continues the adventures of Ostap Bender after The Twelve Chairs, which Ilf and Petrov published in 1928. It can be read on its own, but the earlier novel explains Bender's reputation and recurring comic style.
Who helps Ostap Bender pursue the millionaire?
His eccentric group includes Balaganov, Panikovsky, and the driver Kozlevich. Their improvised journey across the Soviet Union supplies much of the novel's comedy and satire.
Has The Golden Calf been adapted for film?
One notable adaptation is Mikhail Schweitzer's 1968 Soviet film The Golden Calf. Sergei Yursky played Ostap Bender in that version.
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