The Master and Margarita (Book)

The Master and Margarita (Original Russian title: Master i Margarita), is a novel written by Soviet author Mikhail Bulgakov, worked on from 1928 until his death in 1940. Due to censorship under Stalin, the work could not be published during the author’s lifetime; a censored version was published in two parts in the Moscow journal in 1966 and 1967, 26 years after his death. The complete uncensored text was finally published in 1973.

The novel intertwines the adventures of the Devil and his retinue, who visit Moscow in the 1930s, with the story of a writer known only as The Master, who has written a manuscript about Pontius Pilatus. The work combines elements from Goethe’s tragedy Faust and the Christian theological account of the crucifixion of Jesus with a critique of Soviet bureaucracy and atheism.

The narrative unfolds along three interlinked main threads:

• Moscow Narrative: The Devil, posing as the mysterious Professor Woland, arrives in Moscow in the 1930s accompanied by his retinue (Korovyev, Behemoth, and Azazello). Their arrival brings them into conflict with members of the Moscow Writers’ Union (MASSOLIT) and bureaucratic officials. The fantastical events orchestrated by Woland and his team target corruption, hypocrisy, and bureaucratic decay in society.
• The Master and Margarita Narrative: The second narrative thread focuses on The Master, an unnamed writer who, after his novel about Pontius Pilatus is rejected by the system and subjected to harsh criticism, is committed to a psychiatric hospital, and his lover Margarita. Margarita makes a pact with Woland in her desire to save The Master and becomes the hostess of a grand ball organized by Woland.
• Pontius Pilatus Narrative: The third thread is a story within the story, written by The Master. These sections depict the trial of Yeshua Ha-Notsri (Jesus) and the inner turmoil of the Roman governor Pontius Pilatus during this process.

• Woland: The mysterious foreigner and professor of black magic who arrives in Moscow. Unlike traditional depictions, he is portrayed as a figure who enforces justice upon a corrupt system.
• The Master: An unnamed writer who burns his manuscript and is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. He represents the artist alienated by society.
• Margarita: The Master’s lover. By participating in Woland’s ball, she demonstrates courage and loyalty that lead to The Master’s salvation.
• Pontius Pilatus: The Roman governor of Judea. A historical figure tormented by guilt for sentencing Yeshua to death.
• Yeshua Ha-Notsri: The novel’s representation of Jesus. A pacifist wandering philosopher.

• Balance of Good and Evil: The novel explores the interdependent nature of good and evil. Woland is depicted as a force that enforces justice through his actions.
• Cowardice and Truth: Through the story of Pontius Pilatus, the moral burden of betraying truth out of fear of authority is examined. In the novel, cowardice is identified as “the greatest sin.”
• Art and Repression: The work addresses the existential struggle of the artist under a totalitarian regime and its censorship mechanisms. The phrase “manuscripts don’t burn” in the novel is a central affirmation of art’s enduring nature.
• Love and Sacrifice: Margarita’s courage on behalf of The Master illustrates the redemptive power of love.

The Master and Margarita employs a style that blends realistic narrative with fantastical elements. While Bulgakov uses satire and grotesque imagery to critique Soviet society in the Moscow sections, he adopts a more serious, lyrical, and historical tone in the Pilatus sections. The novel contains layered allusions to classical texts such as Faust and biblical narratives.