Author of The Master and Margarita. What is the secret meaning of the brilliant novel “The Master and Margarita”

Despite the fact that the novel was written a long time ago and is classic work, he is still very popular among younger generation. Thanks to the school curriculum, almost everyone knows this novel and who wrote it. “The Master and Margarita” is a novel created by the greatest author, Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov.

Indifference to the novel

There are practically no people indifferent to this work. In fact, readers are divided into two camps: those who love the novel and admire it, and those who simply hate it and also do not recognize Bulgakov’s genius. But there is a third, the smallest, category. This can probably only include small children. These are those who have not heard of the novel and do not know who the author is.

“The Master and Margarita” is one of the most extraordinary and mysterious. Many writers and literary scholars have tried to unravel the mystery of its popularity and success among the reader. No one has yet succeeded in achieving this.

It is not possible to recall and name many works that would generate so much controversy around them. They don’t stop talking about Bulgakov’s novel to this day. They talk about the biblical component of the plot, about the prototypes of the main characters, about the philosophical and aesthetic roots of the novel, about who the main character is, and even about the genre in which the work is written.

Three stages of writing a novel, according to B.V. Sokolov

The opinions of literary scholars regarding the history of writing “The Master and Margarita,” as well as the essence of this work, differ. For example, Sokolov, author of the book “ Bulgakov Encyclopedia", divides the novel's editions into three stages. He says that work on the work began back in 1928. Presumably, it was then that the author of the novel “The Master and Margarita” conceived it, and began writing individual chapters only in the winter of 1929. Already in the spring of the same year, the first complete edition was submitted. But then it was not yet directly said who the author of the book was, who wrote it. “The Master and Margarita” did not appear as the title of the work even then. The manuscript entitled “Furibunda” was submitted to the publishing house “Nedra” under the pseudonym K. Tugai. And on March 18, 1930, it was destroyed by the author himself. This is how the first stage of editions of the work, highlighted by Boris Vadimovich Sokolov, ends.

The second stage began in the fall of 1936. And at that time no one knew that the novel would be called as we are now accustomed to. Bulgakov himself, the one who wrote it, thought differently. “The Master and Margarita” is a work that received different names from its author: “He Appeared” and “He Appeared”, “The Advent”, “The Great Chancellor”, “Here I Am”, “The Black Magician”, “The Hat with a Feather” , “The Consultant’s Hoof” and “The Foreigner’s Horseshoe”, “The Black Theologian”, and even “Satan”. Only one subtitle remained unchanged - “Fantastic Novel”.

And finally, the third stage - from the second half of 1936 to the end of 1938. At first the novel was called “Prince of Darkness”, but then it acquired such a familiar name for us. And at the beginning of summer, in 1938, it was completely reprinted for the first time.

Nine editions, according to Losev

V.I. Losev studied the biography and work of Mikhail Afanasyevich for more than twenty years. He divides the story of writing the novel into nine parts, just like the author himself.

• The first edition is “Black Magician”. These are drafts of the novel, the first notebook, written in 1928-1929. It does not yet contain The Master and Margarita and there are only four chapters.
• The second is “Engineer’s Hoof”. This is the second draft notebook from the same years. This is like a continuation, the second part of the first edition of the work. There are only three chapters in it, but here the idea of ​​one of the most important parts of the novel has already appeared - this is the section called “The Gospel of Woland.”
• The third is “The Evening of Terrible Saturday.” Drafts, outlines for the novel, written in 1929-1931. There are also three chapters. And only the case in Griboedov reached the final version.
• The fourth is “Grand Chancellor”. The first complete handwritten edition. Margarita and her lover already appear here. But his name is not yet Master, but Poet.
• Fifth - “Fantastic novel”. These are chapters rewritten and completed in 1934-1936. New details appear, but there are no significant modifications.
• Sixth - “Golden Spear”. This is an unfinished manuscript, torn off at the chapter “Magic Money”.
• Seventh - “Prince of Darkness”. The first thirteen chapters of the novel. not here, and in general everything ends with the appearance of the main character. And Berlioz is called Mirtsev here.
• The eighth part is “The Master and Margarita”. Complete and mature handwritten edition of 1928-1937. And it was this version that was published by Elena Bulgakova’s sister Olga Bokshanskaya.
• The ninth is also “The Master and Margarita”. The latest and final edition, including all the latest additions and comments by Mikhail Afanasyevich. It was published after the death of the writer by Elena Sergeevna, his wife, in 1966.

Variant of the story of Belobrovtseva and Kuljus

In many ways, their version is similar to Losev’s, since they completely agree with the critic regarding the first edition. However, they call the second edition the chapters of the novel “The Engineer’s Hoof”, submitted to the Nedra publishing house. It is here that the Master, also called Fesey, appears for the first time. He plays the role of Faust even without Margarita. The third version, according to Belobrovtseva and Kuljus, is the “Fantastic Novel” written by Bulgakov in 1932, where the Master turns from Fesi into the Poet and Margarita already appears. They consider the fourth edition to be the 1936 edition, the one that was completed for the first time with the word “end.” Next comes the work of 1937 - the unfinished novel “Prince of Darkness”. And then the manuscript printed by O. S. Bokshanskaya. Already its editing by the authors is considered the seventh edition. And the eighth and last is the one that was edited by Bulgakov’s wife before his death and was published after his death.

The novel was published in the form in which we know it for the first time in the Moscow magazine in 1966. The work immediately gained popularity, and Bulgakov’s name never left the lips of his contemporaries. Then no one really had any questions about who the author of the work was, who wrote it. “The Master and Margarita” is a novel that made a great impression. And he still holds the brand.

75 years ago Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov last time I touched the manuscript of the brilliant novel “The Master and Margarita” with the tip of my pen, which became a reference book for millions of readers.

Time has passed, a lot of water has flown under the bridge, but this great work, steeped in mystery and mysticism, still remains a fertile field for various philosophical, religious and literary discussions.

This masterpiece is even included in school curriculum several countries, although the meaning of this novel cannot be fully and completely comprehended not only by the average student, but even by a person with a higher philological education.

Here are presented to you 7 keys to the unsurpassed novel “The Master and Margarita”, which will shed light on many secrets.

1. Where did the title of the novel come from?

Have you thought about the title of this novel? Why The Master and Margarita? Is this really romance novel or, God forbid, melodrama? What is this book all about?

It is known that a huge influence on writing famous work was influenced by Mikhail Afanasyevich’s passion for German mythology of the 19th century.

It is no secret that the basis of the novel, in addition to Holy Scripture and Goethe’s Faust, was based on various myths and legends about the devil and God, as well as Jewish and Christian demonology.

The writing of the novel was facilitated by works read by the author, such as “The History of Relations between Man and the Devil” by Mikhail Orlov and “The Devil in Everyday Life, Legend and Literature of the Middle Ages” by Alexander Amfitheatrov.

As you know, the novel “The Master and Margarita” was edited more than once. Rumor has it that in the very first edition the work had the following titles: “Black Magician”, “Tour”, “Juggler with a Hoof”, “Engineer’s Hoof”, “Son of V.” and there was no mention at all of either the Master or Margarita, since Satan was supposed to be the central figure.

It is interesting to note that in one of the subsequent editions the novel actually had a variant title such as “Satan.” In 1930, after the ban on the play “The Cabal of the Saint,” Bulgakov destroyed the first edition of the novel with his own hands.

He speaks about this himself

In the second edition, by the will of fate, Margarita and her Master appeared, and Satan acquired his retinue. But only the third edition, which is considered unfinished, received the current name.

2. The many faces of Woland.

Woland is rightfully considered one of the main characters of The Master and Margarita. He even in some way appeals to many readers, and upon a superficial reading it may seem that the Prince of Darkness is kindness itself and a kind of fighter for justice who fights against human vices and helps peace and love triumph.

Others consider Woland a prototype of Stalin. But in fact, Woland is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. This is a very multifaceted and difficult character to understand. This is the image, in general, that the Tempter should have.

This is, to some extent, a classic prototype of the Antichrist, whom humanity was supposed to perceive as the new Messiah. The image of Woland also has many analogues in ancient pagan mythology. You will also find some similarities to the spirit of darkness from Goethe's Faust.

3. Woland and his retinue.

Just as a person cannot exist without a shadow, so Woland is not Woland without his retinue. Azazello, Behemoth and Koroviev-Fagot are the executors of the devil's justice. Sometimes it seems that these colorful characters outshine Satan himself.

It is worth noting that they have a far from clear past behind them. Let's take Azazello, for example. Mikhail Bulgakov borrowed this image from the Old Testament books, which mention a fallen angel who taught people how to make weapons and jewelry.

Thanks to him, women mastered the “lascivious art” of painting their faces. That is why in the novel Azazello gives the cream to Margarita and with cunning encourages her to go over to the side of evil.

He's like right hand Wolanda, performs the most menial work. The demon kills Baron Meigel and poisons the lovers.

Hippopotamus is a werecat, a playful and amusing cat. This image is drawn from legends about the demon of gluttony. His name was borrowed from the Old Testament, one of the books of which spoke of the sea monster Behemoth, who lived with Leviathan.

This demon was depicted as a monster with an elephant's head, trunk, fangs, by human hands and hind legs, like a hippopotamus.

4. Dark Queen Margot or a la Pushkin’s Tatiana?

Many who read the novel get the impression that Margarita is some kind of romantic nature, the heroine of Pushkin or Turgenev’s works.

But the roots of this image lie much deeper. The novel emphasizes Margarita's connection with two French queens. One of them is the well-known Queen Margot, the wife of Henry IV, whose wedding turned into the bloody Night of St. Bartholomew.

By the way, this dark action is mentioned in the novel. Margarita, on the way to the Great Ball at Satan's, meets a fat man who, recognizing her, addresses her with the words: “bright Queen Margot.”

In the image of Margaret, literary scholars also find similarities with another queen - Margaret of Navarre, one of the first French women writers.

Bulgakov's Margarita is also close to fine literature, she is in love with her brilliant writer- Masters.

5. Spatio-temporal connection “Moscow - Yershalaim”.

One of the key mysteries of The Master and Margarita is the place and time of the events taking place in the novel. You won't find any here exact date, from which you can count. There are only hints in the text.

The events in the novel take place in Moscow during Holy Week from May 1 to May 7, 1929. This part of the book is closely related to the so-called “Pilate chapters,” which describe the week in Yershalaim in 29, which later became Holy Week.

The attentive reader will notice that in the New Testament Moscow of 1929 and the Old Testament Yershalaim of 29, the same apocalyptic weather prevails; the actions in both of these stories develop in parallel and ultimately merge together, drawing a complete picture.

6. Influence of Kabbalah.

They say that Mikhail Bulgakov, when writing the novel, was strongly influenced by Kabbalistic teachings. This affected the work itself.

Just remember winged words Volanda: “Never ask for anything. Never and nothing, especially among those who are stronger than you. They will offer and give everything themselves.”

It turns out that in Kabbalah it is forbidden to accept anything unless it is a gift from above, from the Creator. Such a commandment contradicts Christianity, which, for example, does not prohibit asking for alms.

One of the central ideas of Kabbalah is the doctrine of “Or HaChaim” - “the light of life.” It is believed that the Torah itself is light. Achieving light depends on the desire of the person himself.

The novel also brings to the fore the idea that a person independently makes his own life choices.

Light also accompanies Woland throughout the novel. When Satan disappears with his retinue, the lunar road also disappears.

7. A lifelong novel.

Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov began the last manuscript of the novel, which subsequently reached us, back in 1937, but it haunted the writer until his death.

Every now and then he constantly made some changes to it. Perhaps it seemed to Bulgakov that he was poorly informed in Jewish demonology and Holy Scripture, perhaps he felt like an amateur in this field.

These are just guesses, but one thing is clear: the novel was not easy for the writer and practically “sucked” all the vitality out of him.

It is interesting to know that the last edit that Bulgakov made on February 13, 1940, was the words of Margarita: “So it’s the writers who are going after the coffin?”

A month later the writer died. According to Bulgakov's wife, his last words before his death
were: "So that they know, so that they know..."

No matter how we interpret this work, it is impossible to study it completely. This is such a deep masterpiece that you can unravel it forever, but never get to the bottom of it.

The main thing is that this novel makes you think about high things and comprehend important life truths.

Bulgakov worked on the novel “The Master and Margarita” for about 12 years and did not have time to finally edit it. This novel became a real revelation of the writer; Bulgakov himself said that this was his main message to humanity, a testament to his descendants.

Many books have been written about this novel. Among the researchers creative heritage Bulgakov is of the opinion that this work is a kind of political treatise. In Woland they saw Stalin and his retinue was identified with politicians of that time. However, consider the novel “The Master and Margarita” only from this point of view and see in it only political satire it wouldn't be right.

Some literary scholars believe that the main meaning of this mystical work is the eternal struggle between good and evil. According to Bulgakov, it turns out that evil on Earth must always be in balance. Yeshua and Woland personify precisely these two spiritual principles. One of the key phrases of the novel were the words of Woland, which he said, addressing Levi Matvey: “Wouldn’t it be so kind to think about the question: what would your good do if evil did not exist, and what would it look like if they disappeared from it? shadows?

In the novel, evil, in the person of Woland, ceases to be humane and fair. Good and evil are intertwined and are in close interaction, especially in human souls. Woland punished people with evil for evil for the sake of justice.

It is not for nothing that some critics have drawn an analogy between Bulgakov’s novel and the story of Faust, although in “The Master and Margarita” the situation is presented inverted. Faust sold his soul to the devil and betrayed Margarita's love for the sake of his thirst for knowledge, and in Bulgakov's novel Margarita makes a deal with the devil for the sake of love for the Master.

Fight for man

The inhabitants of Bulgakov's Moscow appear before the reader as a collection of puppets, tormented by passions. It is of great importance in the Variety Show, where Woland sits down in front of the audience and begins to talk about the fact that people do not change for centuries.

Against the background of this faceless mass, only the Master and Margarita are deeply aware of the world and who rules it.

The image of the Master is collective and autobiographical. The reader does not know his real name. The master is represented by any artist, as well as a person who has his own vision of the world. Margarita is an image of an ideal woman who is able to love to the end, despite difficulties and obstacles. They are perfect collective images a man dedicated to his work and a woman true to her feelings.

Thus, the meaning of this immortal novel can be divided into three layers.

Above everything stands the confrontation between Woland and Yeshua, who, together with their students and retinue, wage a continuous struggle for the immortal human soul, play with the destinies of people.

Just below are people like the Master and Margarita; later they are joined by the Master’s student, Professor Ponyrev. These people are spiritually more mature, who realize that life is much more complicated than it seems at first glance.

And finally, at the very bottom are the ordinary inhabitants of Bulgakov’s Moscow. They have no will and strive only for material values.

Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita” serves as a constant warning against inattention to oneself, against blindly following the established order of things, to the detriment of awareness of one’s own personality.

Sources:

• The theme of good and evil in Bulgakov's novel "The Master and Margarita"
• The meaning of the title of the novel "The Master and Margarita"
• Main idea novel "The Master and Margarita"

Mikhail Bulgakov's novel "The Master and Margarita" is one of best books, written in the 20th century in Russian. Unfortunately, the novel was published many years after the writer’s death, and many of the mysteries encrypted by the author in the book remained unsolved.

Devil on the Patriarch's

Bulgakov began work on the novel, dedicated to the appearance of the Devil in Moscow in the 1930s, in 1929 and continued until his death in 1940, without finishing the author's editing. The book was published only in 1966, thanks to the fact that Mikhail Afanasyevich’s widow, Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova, kept the manuscript. The plot, or rather, all of it hidden meanings, are still the subject scientific research and disputes among literary scholars.

“The Master and Margarita” is included in the list of the hundred best books of the 20th century according to the French periodical Le Monde.

The text begins with the fact that by two Soviet writers While talking on the Patriarch's Ponds, a foreigner approaches, who turns out to be Satan. It turns out that the Devil (he introduces himself by the name Woland) travels all over the world, periodically stopping in various cities along with his retinue. Once in Moscow, Woland and his henchmen punish people for their petty sins and passions. The images of bribe takers and swindlers are drawn by Bulgakov masterfully, and the victims of Satan do not evoke sympathy at all. So, for example, the fate of Woland’s first two interlocutors is extremely unpleasant: one of them dies under a tram, and the second ends up in an insane asylum, where he meets a man who calls himself the Master.

The master tells Woland’s victim his story, in particular, saying that at one time he was talking about Pontius Pilate, because of whom he ended up in a psychiatric hospital. Moreover, he remembers romantic story his love for a woman named Margarita. At the same time, one of the representatives of Woland’s retinue turns to Margarita with a request to become the queen of Satan’s Ball, which is held annually by Woland in various capitals. Margarita agrees in exchange for the Master being returned to her. The novel ends with a scene of all the main characters from Moscow, and the Master and Margarita find the dream they dreamed of.

From Moscow to Jerusalem

In parallel with the “” plot line, the “Yershalaim” line is developing, that is, in fact, the novel about Pontius Pilate. From Moscow in the 30s it is transferred to Jerusalem at the beginning of our era, where tragic events take place, described in the New Testament and reinterpreted by Bulgakov. The author tries to understand the motives of the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, who sent the philosopher Yeshua Ha-Nozri, whose prototype is Jesus Christ, to execution. In the final part of the book, the storylines intersect, and each hero gets what he deserves.

There are many film adaptations of Bulgakov’s novel, both in Russia and abroad. In addition, the text has inspired many musicians, artists and playwrights.

"The Master and Margarita" is a novel at the junction. Of course, in the foreground is satirical image morals and life of the inhabitants of Moscow contemporary to Bulgakov, but in addition to this, there are various mystical symbols, moral confusion, and the theme of retribution for sins and misdeeds is revealed.

One of the main characters of the novel “The Master and Margarita” is replete with various shades of meaning, and one or another context cannot do without a connection with this image. This allows us to call the Master, strictly speaking, the main character of the novel.

Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita, among other possible genre definitions, can also be considered as a novel about an artist. From here a semantic thread immediately stretches to the works of romanticism, since the theme of “the artist’s path” sounded most clearly and became one of the main ones in the work of romantic writers. At first glance, it makes you wonder why the hero does not have a name and in the novel only the name “Master” is used to designate him. It turns out that a certain concrete and yet “faceless” image appears before the reader. This technique works on the author's desire to typify the hero. Under the name “Master” are hidden the true artists, according to Bulgakov, who do not meet the requirements of the official “culture” and are therefore always persecuted.

Image in the context of 20th century literature

Biblical allusions

The connection between the image and the classics

About Myshkin’s seizures it is said: “What does it matter that this tension is abnormal, if the very result, if a minute of sensation, recalled and considered already in a healthy state, turns out to be in highest degree harmony, beauty, gives an unheard-of and hitherto unspoken feeling of completeness, proportion, reconciliation and triumphant prayerful merging with the highest synthesis of life? And the result of the novel - the incurability of the hero suggests that he has finally plunged into a state, into another sphere of existence and his earthly life is akin to death. The situation is similar with the Master: yes, he dies, but he dies only for all other people, and he himself acquires a different existence, merging in this again with Yeshua, ascending along the lunar path.

Video on the topic

The novel, which still leaves many places open for discussion, attracts many researchers and ordinary readers. The novel offers its own interpretation of the contradictions that are relevant to the era.

What is the novel about?

The topic of art and culture was raised with new ideological content in an intellectual novel. This genre began in the 20s. 20th century. At the same time, Bulgakov was working on the novel “The Master and Margarita.”

Before the reader is a clinic of Stravinsky (certainly a reference to the composer Stravinsky). Both the Master and Ivan find themselves in it. Ivan as a poet (a bad poet, but this is not what is important, but this “status” at the time of his stay in the clinic). That is, the clinic can be conditionally designated as an “artists’ shelter.” In other words, this is a place where artists have closed themselves off from the outside world and are occupied only with the problems of art. It is this problem that the novels of Hermann Hesse are devoted to. Steppenwolf" and "The Glass Bead Game", where you can find analogues to the image of the clinic. This is the “Magic Theater” with the inscription above the entrance “Only for crazy people” (the clinic in Bulgakov’s novel is a madhouse) and the country of Castalia.

The heroes of an intellectual novel are predominantly condemned for withdrawing from the outside world, and since the image of the hero is always generalized, the whole society as a whole is condemned for passivity, which leads to catastrophic consequences (for example, the activation of fascism in Thomas Mann’s novel “Doctor Faustus”). So Bulgakov clearly hints at Soviet power.

The ending of the novel

But in the epilogue, when the fate of Ivan Bezdomny (by that time already simply Ivan Ponyrev) after the events described in the novel is told, the days of the full moon that are especially painful for him are mentioned, when something unclear torments him and in a dream he sees Pontius Pilate and Yeshua, walking along the lunar path, and then “a woman of immense beauty” together with the man with whom he once talked in a madhouse, who leave the same way. If the Master and Margarita follow Pontius Pilate and Yeshua, doesn’t this mean that the Master was subsequently awarded “light”?

A novel within a novel:

General information

The history of the creation of the novel “The Master and Margarita” is still shrouded in secrets, however, like the novel itself, which never ceases to be the center of mysteries for the reader. It is not even known exactly when Bulgakov had the idea of ​​writing the work that is now known as “The Master and Margarita” (this title appeared in Bulgakov’s drafts relatively shortly before the creation of the final version of the novel).

The time it took Bulgakov from the ripening of the idea to the final version of the novel was ultimately about ten years, which indicates the care with which Bulgakov took on the novel and what significance it apparently had for him. And Bulgakov seemed to have foreseen everything in advance, because “The Master and Margarita” became the last work he wrote. Bulgakov did not even have time to complete the literary editing of the novel; it stopped somewhere in the area of ​​the second part.

Conceptual question

Initially, Bulgakov chose the image of the devil (the future Woland) to replace the main character of his new novel. The first several editions of the novel were created under the banner of this idea. It should be noted that each of the four well-known editions can be considered as an independent novel, since they all contain many fundamental differences at both the formal and semantic levels. Familiar to the reader main image- the image of the Master was introduced into the novel by Bulgakov only in the fourth, final edition, and this itself ultimately determined the main concept of the novel, which initially contained a bias in to a greater extent aside, however, the Master as the main character with his “appearance” forced Bulgakov to reconsider the prospects of the novel and give the dominant place to the theme of art, culture, and the place of the artist in the modern world.

Work on the novel took so long, probably not only because the concept was not finalized and changed, but also due to the fact that the novel was intended by Bulgakov himself as a final work, summarizing his entire path in the field of art, and in connection with this the novel has a rather complex structure, it is filled with a huge number of explicit and implicit cultural allusions and references at each and every level of the novel’s poetics.

You, professor, at your will, have come up with something awkward! It may be smart, but it is painfully incomprehensible. They will make fun of you.
M. Bulgakov, “The Master and Margarita”

To date, the novel “The Master and Margarita” has, by and large, already been analyzed up and down. For us, ordinary readers, this is good: many questions arise when reading the novel, and almost any of them has already been answered (and more than one) in numerous works by literary scholars. But for many small-caliber researchers, the dark days have long come: making a truly major Bulgakov discovery is no easier than overtaking Usain Bolt in the hundred-meter dash, and all that remains is to delve into the details. But little things are for mere mortals like me, and various doctoral candidates, as you know, are obliged to say a new word in science. Moreover, alas, in the case of unscrupulous researchers, the novelty of this word is often more important than its truth. So the poor fellows have to interpret Bulgakov’s novel topsy-turvy.

Here, let's say, is one example. Some similar researchers suggest asking the question: which character in The Master and Margarita is actually the author of the insert novel about Pilate? Is the sole creator really a master, as is commonly believed in orthodox Bulgacology?

Indeed, let us remember how in The Master and Margarita the reader is presented with a novel about the procurator: for the first time it appears to us as Woland’s story (Chapter 2), for the second time as Ivanushka’s dream (Chapter 16) and for the third time as master's manuscript (chapters 25–26). But at the same time, all three fragments are completely homogeneous both in plot and stylistically. In other words, it is clear that Woland’s story on the Patriarch’s coincides to the letter with the first chapter of the master’s manuscript. And from this it follows, some literary scholars tell us, that Woland read the master’s manuscript. Moreover: in their opinion, the master wrote his novel precisely “by order” of Woland (perhaps without realizing it), embodying thoughts and ideas inspired by Woland in the novel.

Well, let's try to figure this out. So, if the central idea of ​​“The Master and Margarita” is that the master writes a novel at Woland’s instigation, then Bulgakov must definitely give an answer: why does Woland actually need this?

Supporters of this version answer this way: the Soviet Union of the thirties tried with all its might to expel religion from the lives of its citizens. And the devil “orders” a novel from the master precisely in order to fill the vacated space with his own gospel - the gospel of Satan (the master’s manuscript, such researchers tell us, is quite worthy of this title: it is too far from the canonical gospel stories).

Okay, let’s assume that at the Patriarch’s, Woland retells to Berlioz and Bezdomny exactly the master’s novel he read the day before. It turns out that the devil is satisfied with how his order was fulfilled, and may well begin to implement his insidious plan. To do this, there is only one step left: you need to contribute to the publication of the manuscript. After all, the master himself, under the conditions of Soviet literary policy, will obviously not be able to publish it. So: we see that Woland didn’t lift a finger to publish the novel - and given his capabilities, obviously, it would have been a piece of cake for him. How can he be a customer with such behavior?

In short. In accordance with Ockham’s principle, we will not multiply the essences and admit the obvious: from the plot of “The Master and Margarita” it is clearly clear that Woland has absolutely no need for the master’s manuscript. The only time Woland sees her is after his ball (in Chapter 24), he quickly flips through the pages, inquires about the reason for choosing such an unusual topic, and returns the stack of sheets to the master. Which, by the way, burns her the very next day (for the second time), and Woland again does not prevent him from doing this. Like it or not, we have to admit that the novel does not arouse any practical interest in Woland.

Woland's story on the Patriarch's, Ivanushka's dream and the master's novel about Pilate exist independently of each other.

(By the way, let us note in parentheses that the central figure of the insert novel is precisely Pilate, and not at all the executed vagabond philosopher. If Woland had really ordered the novel, as the mentioned researchers are trying to make him out to be, he would have ordered the novel specifically about Yeshua, and not about procurator - what does the devil care about Pilate?).

Then we return to the question: what to do with the plot-stylistic integrity of the novel about Pilate, divided into three fragments?

Well, I’ll try to play at being a highly intelligent literary researcher.

It seems to me that Kant, the “old man Immanuel,” who, by the way, appears in the very first chapter of “The Master and Margarita”, will help to understand and explain this point.

(If some Bulgakov scholar-demagogue were in my place, he would definitely call Woland’s mention of Kant “the key to understanding the novel.” For, as you know, looking for keys to understanding in random little things is the primary task of unscrupulous Bulgakov researchers. Their second task - to prove that such little things, according to the author’s intention, do not mean at all what they seem at first glance.)

I, without trying to pass off the mention of Kant in the first chapter of the novel as some mysterious “key,” will nevertheless turn to his judgments. Or rather, to one specific concept that he introduced into philosophy: the concept of “things in themselves.”

If anyone has forgotten what this is, let me remind you in a nutshell: Kant taught that the same thing (object, phenomenon, event) various people see differently: each of us perceives it subjectively. What is this thing In fact, regardless of our perception, we have no way of knowing. It is this actual essence of a thing, not distorted by our subjective perception, that Kant called “ding an sich” - “the thing in itself” (a more accurate, albeit unusual translation is “the thing in itself”).

So, returning to The Master and Margarita. Absence different perceptions gospel events, despite the view through the eyes of three subjects (Woland, Ivanushka and the master), and means that The events described in the Gospels represent precisely a “thing in itself”: objective a picture not distorted by the perception of any of the narrators. Accordingly, in the reality of The Master and Margarita, the gospel events are by no means Woland’s lies. Everything is exactly the opposite: these events are true by definition. The master was able to talk about them because he turned out to be a creative genius, Woland - because he saw everything himself, as for Ivanushka's dream - after meeting Woland he found himself so close to the edge of familiar reality that it became possible to look beyond this edge.

But each of them, I repeat, sees an objective, true, and not distorted picture. Bulgakov leaves it to us to see the events of Yershalaim in our own way and argue about what we saw (which is what the aforementioned unscrupulous literary scholars take advantage of).

The Master and Margarita is Bulgakov’s legendary work, a novel that became his ticket to immortality. He thought about, planned and wrote the novel for 12 years, and it went through many changes that are now difficult to imagine, because the book acquired an amazing compositional unity. Alas, Mikhail Afanasyevich never had time to finish his life’s work; no final edits were made. He himself assessed his brainchild as the main message to humanity, as a testament to descendants. What did Bulgakov want to tell us?

The novel opens up to us the world of Moscow in the 30s. The master, together with his beloved Margarita, writes a brilliant novel about Pontius Pilate. It is not allowed to be published, and the author himself is overwhelmed by an impossible mountain of criticism. In a fit of despair, the hero burns his novel and ends up in a psychiatric hospital, leaving Margarita alone. At the same time, Woland, the devil, arrives in Moscow along with his retinue. They cause disturbances in the city, such as black magic sessions, performances at Variety and Griboyedov, etc. The heroine, meanwhile, is looking for a way to return her Master; subsequently makes a deal with Satan, becomes a witch and attends a ball among the dead. Woland is delighted with Margarita's love and devotion and decides to return her beloved. The novel about Pontius Pilate also rises from the ashes. And the reunited couple retires to a world of peace and tranquility.

The text contains chapters from the Master's novel itself, telling about events in the world of Yershalaim. This is a story about the wandering philosopher Ha-Nozri, the interrogation of Yeshua by Pilate, and the subsequent execution of the latter. The inserted chapters are of direct importance to the novel, since their understanding is the key to revealing the author's ideas. All parts form a single whole, closely intertwined.

Topics and issues

Bulgakov reflected his thoughts about creativity on the pages of the work. He understood that the artist is not free, he cannot create only at the behest of his soul. Society fetters him and ascribes certain boundaries to him. Literature in the 30s was subject to the strictest censorship, books were often written to order from the authorities, a reflection of which we will see in MASSOLIT. The master was unable to obtain permission to publish his novel about Pontius Pilate and spoke of his stay among the literary society of that time as a living hell. The hero, inspired and talented, could not understand its members, corrupt and absorbed in petty material concerns, and they, in turn, could not understand him. Therefore, the Master found himself outside this bohemian circle with the work of his entire life, which was not permitted for publication.

The second aspect of the problem of creativity in a novel is the author’s responsibility for his work, its fate. The master, disappointed and completely desperate, burns the manuscript. The writer, according to Bulgakov, must achieve the truth through his creativity, it must benefit society and act for the good. The hero, on the contrary, acted cowardly.

The problem of choice is reflected in the chapters devoted to Pilate and Yeshua. Pontius Pilate, understanding the unusualness and value of such a person as Yeshua, sends him to execution. Cowardice is the most terrible vice. The prosecutor was afraid of responsibility, afraid of punishment. This fear completely drowned out his sympathy for the preacher, and the voice of reason speaking about the uniqueness and purity of Yeshua’s intentions, and his conscience. The latter tormented him for the rest of his life, as well as after his death. Only at the end of the novel was Pilate allowed to talk to Him and be freed.

Composition

Bulgakov used this in his novel compositional technique like a novel within a novel. The “Moscow” chapters are combined with the “Pilatorian” ones, that is, with the work of the Master himself. The author draws a parallel between them, showing that it is not time that changes a person, but only he himself is capable of changing himself. Permanent job over oneself is a titanic task, which Pilate failed to cope with, for which he was doomed to eternal mental suffering. The motives of both novels are the search for freedom, truth, the struggle between good and evil in the soul. Everyone can make mistakes, but a person must constantly reach for the light; only this can make him truly free.

Main characters: characteristics

1. Yeshua Ha-Nozri (Jesus Christ) is a wandering philosopher who believes that all people are good in themselves and that the time will come, when truth will be the main human value, and institutions of power will cease to be necessary. He preached, therefore he was accused of an attempt on the power of Caesar and was put to death. Before his death, the hero forgives his executioners; he dies without betraying his convictions, he dies for people, atoning for their sins, for which he was awarded the Light. Yeshua appears before us real person made of flesh and blood, capable of feeling both fear and pain; he is not shrouded in an aura of mysticism.
2. Pontius Pilate - Procurator of Judea, indeed historical figure. In the Bible he judged Christ. Using his example, the author reveals the theme of choice and responsibility for one’s actions. Interrogating the prisoner, the hero understands that he is innocent, and even feels personal sympathy for him. He invites the preacher to lie to save his life, but Yeshua is not bowed down and is not going to give up his words. The official's cowardice prevents him from defending the accused; he is afraid of losing power. This does not allow him to act according to his conscience, as his heart tells him. The procurator condemns Yeshua to death, and himself to mental torment, which, of course, in many ways worse than torment physical. At the end of the novel, the master frees his hero, and he, together with the wandering philosopher, rises along a ray of light.
3. The master is a creator who wrote a novel about Pontius Pilate and Yeshua. This hero embodied the image of an ideal writer, living by his work, not looking for fame, rewards, or money. He won large sums in the lottery and decided to devote himself to creativity - and this is how his only, but certainly brilliant, work was born. At the same time, he met love - Margarita, who became his support and support. Unable to withstand criticism from the highest literary Moscow society, the Master burns the manuscript and is forcibly committed to a psychiatric clinic. Then he was released from there by Margarita with the help of Woland, who was very interested in the novel. After death, the hero deserves peace. It is peace, and not light, like Yeshua, because the writer betrayed his beliefs and renounced his creation.
4. Margarita is the creator’s beloved, ready to do anything for him, even attend Satan’s ball. Before meeting the main character, she was married to a wealthy man, whom, however, she did not love. She found her happiness only with the Master, whom she herself called after reading the first chapters of his future novel. She became his muse, inspiring him to continue creating. The heroine is associated with the theme of fidelity and devotion. The woman is faithful to both her Master and his work: she brutally deals with the critic Latunsky, who slandered them; thanks to her, the author himself returns from psychiatric clinic and his seemingly irretrievably lost novel of Pilate. For her love and willingness to follow her chosen one to the end, Margarita was awarded by Woland. Satan gave her peace and unity with the Master, what the heroine most desired.

Woland's image

In many ways, this hero is similar to Goethe's Mephistopheles. His very name is taken from his poem, the scene of Walpurgis Night, where the devil was once called by that name. The image of Woland in the novel “The Master and Margarita” is very ambiguous: he is the embodiment of evil, and at the same time a defender of justice and a preacher of true moral values. Against the backdrop of cruelty, greed and depravity of ordinary Muscovites, the hero looks rather positive character. He, seeing this historical paradox (he has something to compare with), concludes that people are like people, the most ordinary, the same, only housing issue ruined them.

The devil's punishment comes only to those who deserve it. Thus, his retribution is very selective and based on the principle of justice. Bribe takers, incompetent scribblers who care only about their material wealth, catering workers who steal and sell expired food, insensitive relatives fighting for an inheritance after the death of a loved one - these are those whom Woland punishes. He does not push them to sin, he only exposes the vices of society. So the author, using satirical and phantasmagoric techniques, describes the customs and morals of Muscovites of the 30s.

The master is a truly talented writer who was not given the opportunity to realize himself; the novel was simply “strangled” by Massolitov officials. He was not like his fellow writers with a credential; lived through his creativity, giving it all of himself, and sincerely worrying about the fate of his work. The master retained a pure heart and soul, for which he was awarded by Woland. The destroyed manuscript was restored and returned to its author. For her boundless love, Margarita was forgiven for her weaknesses by the devil, to whom Satan even granted the right to ask him for the fulfillment of one of her wishes.

Bulgakov expressed his attitude towards Woland in the epigraph: “I am part of that force that always wants evil and always does good” (“Faust” by Goethe). Indeed, having unlimited capabilities, the hero punishes human vices, but this can be considered an instruction on the true path. He is a mirror in which everyone can see their sins and change. His most devilish feature is the corrosive irony with which he treats everything earthly. Using his example, we are convinced that maintaining one’s convictions along with self-control and not going crazy is possible only with the help of humor. We cannot take life too seriously, because what seems to us an unshakable stronghold so easily crumbles at the slightest criticism. Woland is indifferent to everything, and this separates him from people.

Good and evil

Good and evil are inseparable; When people stop doing good, evil immediately appears in its place. It is the absence of light, the shadow that replaces it. In Bulgakov's novel, two opposing forces are embodied in the images of Woland and Yeshua. The author, in order to show that the participation of these abstract categories in life is always relevant and occupies important positions, places Yeshua in an era as distant as possible from us, on the pages of the Master’s novel, and Woland in modern times. Yeshua preaches, tells people about his ideas and understanding of the world, its creation. Later, for openly expressing his thoughts, he will be tried by the procurator of Judea. His death is not the triumph of evil over good, but rather a betrayal of good, because Pilate was unable to do the right thing, which means he opened the door to evil. Ha-Notsri dies unbroken and undefeated, his soul retains the light in itself, opposed to the darkness of the cowardly act of Pontius Pilate.

The devil, called to do evil, arrives in Moscow and sees that people's hearts are filled with darkness even without him. All he can do is denounce and mock them; Due to his dark essence, Woland cannot create justice otherwise. But it is not he who pushes people to sin, it is not he who makes the evil in them overcome the good. According to Bulgakov, the devil is not absolute darkness, he commits acts of justice, which is very difficult to consider a bad act. This is one of the main ideas of Bulgakov, embodied in “The Master and Margarita” - nothing except the person himself can force him to act one way or another, the choice of good or evil lies with him.

You can also talk about the relativity of good and evil. AND good people act wrongly, cowardly, selfishly. So the Master gives up and burns his novel, and Margarita takes cruel revenge on the critic Latunsky. However, kindness does not lie in not making mistakes, but in constantly striving for the bright and correcting them. Therefore, forgiveness and peace await the loving couple.

The meaning of the novel

There are many interpretations of the meaning of this work. Of course, it is impossible to say definitively. At the center of the novel is the eternal struggle between good and evil. In the author’s understanding, these two components are on equal terms both in nature and in human hearts. This explains the appearance of Woland, as the concentration of evil by definition, and Yeshua, who believed in natural human kindness. Light and darkness are closely intertwined, constantly interacting with each other, and it is no longer possible to draw clear boundaries. Woland punishes people according to the laws of justice, but Yeshua forgives them in spite of them. This is the balance.

The struggle takes place not only directly for human souls. A person’s need to reach out to the light runs like a red thread throughout the entire narrative. True freedom can only be achieved through this. It is very important to understand that the author always punishes heroes shackled by everyday petty passions, either like Pilate - with eternal torment of conscience, or like Moscow inhabitants - through the tricks of the devil. He extols others; Gives Margarita and the Master peace; Yeshua deserves the Light for his devotion and faithfulness to his beliefs and words.

This novel is also about love. Margarita appears ideal woman who is able to love until the very end, despite all the obstacles and difficulties. The master and his beloved are collective images of a man devoted to his work and a woman faithful to her feelings.

Theme of creativity

The master lives in the capital of the 30s. During this period, socialism is being built, new orders are being established, and moral and ethical standards are being sharply reset. Here is born new literature, with whom on the pages of the novel we become acquainted through Berlioz, Ivan Bezdomny, and members of Massolit. The path of the main character is complex and thorny, like Bulgakov himself, but he retains a pure heart, kindness, honesty, the ability to love and writes a novel about Pontius Pilate, containing all those important problems that every person of the current or future generation must solve for himself . It is based on the moral law hidden within each individual; and only he, and not the fear of God's retribution, is able to determine the actions of people. The spiritual world of the Master is subtle and beautiful, because he is a true artist.

However, true creativity is persecuted and often becomes recognized only after the death of the author. The repressions affecting independent artists in the USSR are striking in their cruelty: from ideological persecution to the actual recognition of a person as crazy. This is how many of Bulgakov’s friends were silenced, and he himself had a hard time. Freedom of speech resulted in imprisonment, or even death, as in Judea. This parallel with the Ancient World emphasizes the backwardness and primitive savagery of the “new” society. The well-forgotten old became the basis of policy regarding art.

Two worlds of Bulgakov

The worlds of Yeshua and the Master are more closely connected than it seems at first glance. Both layers of the narrative touch on the same issues: freedom and responsibility, conscience and fidelity to one’s beliefs, understanding of good and evil. It’s not for nothing that there are so many heroes of doubles, parallels and antitheses here.

The Master and Margarita violates the urgent canon of the novel. This is a story not about the fate of individuals or their groups, it is about all of humanity, its fate. Therefore, the author connects two eras that are as distant as possible from each other. People in the times of Yeshua and Pilate are not very different from the people of Moscow, the Master’s contemporaries. They are also concerned about personal problems, power and money. Master in Moscow, Yeshua in Judea. Both bring the truth to the masses, and both suffer for it; the first is persecuted by critics, crushed by society and doomed to end his life in a psychiatric hospital, the second is subjected to a more terrible punishment - a demonstrative execution.

The chapters dedicated to Pilate differ sharply from the Moscow chapters. The style of the inserted text is distinguished by its evenness and monotony, and only in the chapter of execution does it turn into a sublime tragedy. The description of Moscow is full of grotesque, phantasmagoric scenes, satire and ridicule of its inhabitants, lyrical moments dedicated to the Master and Margarita, which, of course, determines the presence of various storytelling styles. The vocabulary also varies: it can be low and primitive, filled even with swearing and jargon, or it can be sublime and poetic, filled with colorful metaphors.

Although both narratives are significantly different from each other, when reading the novel there is a feeling of integrity, so strong is the thread connecting the past with the present in Bulgakov.