The Master and Margarita

This article is about the novel. For other uses, seeThe Master and Margarita (disambiguation).

The Master and Margarita

First edition
Author	Mikhail Bulgakov Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova
Original title	Мастер и Маргарита
Language	Russian
Genre	Fantasy,farce,supernatural,romance,satire,Modernist literature
Publisher	YMCA Press
Publication date	1966–67 (in serial form), 1967 (in single volume), 1973 (uncensored version)
Publication place	Soviet Union
Published in English	1967
Media type	Print (hard & paperback)
ISBN	0-14-118014-5(Penguin paperback)
OCLC	37156277

The Master and Margarita(Russian:Мастер и Маргарита) is a novel by Soviet writerMikhail Bulgakov,written in theSoviet Unionbetween 1928 and 1940.A censored version, with several chapters cut by editors, was published inMoscowmagazine in 1966–1967, after the writer's death on March 10, 1940, by his widowElena Bulgakova(Russian:Елена Булгакова). The manuscript was not published as a book until 1967, in Paris. Asamizdatversion circulated that included parts cut out by official censors, and these were incorporated in a 1969 version published in Frankfurt. The novel has since been published in several languages and editions.

The story concerns a visit by the devil and his entourage to theofficially atheisticSoviet Union. The devil, manifested as one Professor Woland, challenges the Soviet citizens' beliefs towards religion and condemns their behavior throughout the book.The Master and Margaritacombinessupernaturalelements withsatiricaldark comedyand Christian philosophy, defying categorization within a single genre. It exhibits autobiographical elements, but is also dominated by many aspects of fiction. Many critics consider it to be one of the best novels of the 20th century, as well as the foremost of Soviet satires.

History

Mikhail Bulgakov was born in Kyiv on May 15th, 1891. He would move to Moscow in 1921. It was in Moscow that he would begin work on "The Master and Margarita". Bulgakov was first trained as a doctor, which influenced his subsequent works. This is especially evident in "Master and Margarita" when the body is described or when characters receive certain injuries. Only later did Bulgakov became a playwright and author. He started writing "The Master and Margarita" in 1928, but burned the first manuscript in 1930 (just as his character The Master did) as he could not see a future as a writer in the Soviet Union at a time of widespread political repression.He restarted the novel in 1931. In the early 1920s, Bulgakov had visited an editorial meeting of an atheist journal. He is believed to have drawn from this to create theWalpurgis Nightball of the novel.He completed his second draft in 1936, by which point he had devised the major plot lines of the final version. He wrote another four versions. When Bulgakov stopped writing four weeks before his death in 1940, the novel had some unfinished sentences and loose ends. His novel was also written amidst heavy criticism for his other works and plays. During this time, he wrote to Stalin asking to be allowed to leave Russia because he felt the literature critics at the time were proving that Bulgakov's writing did not belong in Russia. This was not approved, which greatly affected the writing of the piece including the descriptions of the Master and his works.

A censored version, with about 12 percent of the text removed and more changed, was first published inMoskvamagazine (no. 11, 1966 and no. 1, 1967).A manuscript was smuggled out of the Soviet Union to Paris, where theYMCA Press,celebrated for publishing the banned work ofAleksandr Solzhenitsyn,published the first book edition in 1967.The text, as published in the magazineMoskva,was swiftly translated into Estonian and printed in 1967 by the company Eesti Raamat. This version included many scenes and themes that had been previously censored, for example, Bulgakov's commentary on Soviet moral and governmental corruption. The Italian publisher Einaudi published the book in Russian in 1967 as well. For decades it remained the only printed edition of the novel in book form in the Soviet Union.The original text of all the omitted and changed parts, with indications of the places of modification, was printed and distributed by hand in the Soviet Union (in the dissident practice known assamizdat). In 1969, the publisher Posev printed a version produced with the aid of these inserts.

The first complete version, prepared by Anna Sahakyants, was published in Russian byKhudozhestvennaya Literaturain 1973. This was based on Bulgakov's last 1940 version, as proofread by the publisher. This version remained the canonical edition until 1989. It is unknown how much of this version was influenced by Elena Shilovskaya, Bulgakov's third and final wife, as she had been in possession of the remaining manuscript notes. Due to the high quantity of manuscripts and drafts, it is near impossible to state which, if any, version of the novel is truly canonical. The last version, based on all available manuscripts, was prepared by Lidiya Yanovskaya.

Plot

The novel has two settings. The first isMoscowduring the 1930s, where Satan appears atPatriarch's Pondsas ProfessorWoland.He is accompanied by Koroviev, a grotesquely dressedvalet;Behemoth,a black cat; Azazello, ahitman;and Hella, a femalevampire.They target the literary elite and Massolit, their trade union,whose headquarters isGriboyedovHouse. Massolit consists of corrupt social climbers: bureaucrats, profiteers, and cynics. The second setting is theJerusalemofPontius Pilate:Pilate's trial of Yeshua Ha-Notsri (Jesus of Nazareth), his recognition of an affinity with (and spiritual need for) Yeshua, and his reluctant acquiescence to Yeshua's execution. The Jerusalem plot of the novel is later revealed to be the novel written by the Master.

Part one opens with a confrontation between Berlioz (the head of Massolit) and Woland, who prophesies that Berlioz will die later that evening. This interaction between Woland and Berlioz is mirrored by the trial of Yeshua by Pontius Pilate. Woland entrances Berlioz in the story that leads up to Yeshua's execution. In the story, Yeshua is presented as having inhuman characteristics. Woland tells this story to convince his audience of God's existence, but the two Soviet authors refuse to believe him. The Professor also predicts the way Berlioz will die, saying that his head will be cut off by a Russian woman, and that it must happen, because 'Annushka has already brought the sunflower oil.' Although Berlioz dismisses his death prophecy as insane raving, he slips on the spilled oil and has his head decapitated by a tram car driven by a Russian woman, dying in the same way that the professor predicted. In fact, shortly before Berlioz's accident, Woland informs the two writers that "there exists a seventh proof" of the devil's existence, so in this way the predetermined nature of Berlioz's death is framed as proof of both God's and the devil's existence. The fulfillment of his death prophecy is witnessed by Ivan Nikolaevich Ponyrev, a young, enthusiastic, modern poet who uses thepen nameBezdomny( "homeless" ). Hisnom de plumealludes toMaxim Gorky(Maxim the Bitter),Demyan Bedny(Demyan the Poor), andMichail Golodny(Michail the Hungry). His futile attempts to capture the "gang" (Woland and his entourage) and his warnings about their evil nature land Ivan in alunaticpsychiatric clinic, where he is treated by Stravinsky, a local doctor. The care he receives in the clinic is very good, especially by the standards of the time. It thus serves as an important place in the novel for many characters whom Woland confronts, and derives special importance from its bringing together of Ivan and the Master, an embittered author whose name connects to the title of the text. Master explains to Ivan that the rejection of his novel about Pontius Pilate and Christ led the Master to burn his manuscript in despair and turn his back on Margarita, his devoted lover.

In Moscow, Woland and his retinue put on a show at the Variety theater. During the show master of ceremonies Bengalsky's head is ripped off then reattached at the urging of the audience. The audience is amazed when Koroviev makes money rain down and when Woland's retinue gives out luxury fashion items to the women of the audience. Later the money and clothes disappear, causing chaos and embarrassment. Here, Bulgakov portrays women's and men's sins very differently. The women of Moscow are condemned for accepting free clothing, while the men are condemned for adultery, excessive greed, etc., and the two are portrayed as equivalent transgressions. During this performance, Woland notes the lack of moral progress made in Soviet society, remarking that despite their technological advancements such as "buses, telephones, and other [apparatuses]," Muscovites remain "people like any other people... they love money, but that has always been so." The key difference between the Muscovites Woland observes now and the Muscovites of the past is believed, by Woland, to be due to the housing crisis in Moscow. Woland cites the "housing problem" as what has corrupted these Muscovites to an even further level than what Woland has noted in the past. This scene is a key moment in Bulgakov's societal criticism.

The story returns to Jerusalem, where Ivan dreams of the execution of Yeshua as witnessed by Matthew Levi. The dream opens with Yeshua and two other prisoners, who are making their way to Bald Mountain, where they will be executed by being hung on wooden posts. In an attempt to save Yeshua from a torturous death, Levi steals a knife to kill him quickly, but he is too late to reach Yeshua. Yeshua hangs on the cross and suffers in the excruciating heat for hours until an executioner offers him some water and kills him, by stabbing him in the heart with a spear. As he dies, a great storm appears, filling the sky with thunder and lightning and raining heavily down on the people below. Levi cuts down the three bodies of the dead prisoners, before putting the body of Yeshua on his shoulder, and carrying it away.

Back in Moscow, after Woland's performance, the city is thrown into confusion. At the Variety Theatre, the highest-ranking employee left is Vassily Stepanovich, the bookkeeper. His attempt to make sense of the show's aftermath reveals a trail of chaos left by Woland and his retinue. Rubles are transforming into insects, bureaucrats have been replaced by animate suits, and entire offices have been cursed to break into song against their will. As a result of this chaos, truckloads of Muscovites are shipped off to Stravinsky's clinic. Similarly, Berlioz's uncle's attempt to claim his late nephew's apartment is thwarted by Behemoth and Azezello, who send him violently off. Immediately thereafter, Andrei Sokov, barman at the Variety Theatre, visits the apartment. Woland welcomes him in, offering fine food and drink, though Sokov declines these niceties. After some conversation, Woland reveals to Sokov that he will soon die of liver cancer and suggests that he spend his savings to enjoy a short life of hedonism.

Part two introduces Margarita, the Master's mistress, who refuses to despair of her lover and his work. Azazello gives her a magical skin ointment, which turns her invisible, and invites her to the Devil's midnightGood Fridayball, where Woland gives her the chance to become a witch.

Margarita enters the realm of night and learns to fly and control her unleashed passions. Natasha, her maid, accompanies her, riding on their neighbor Nikolai Ivanovich who has taken the form of a pig, as they fly over theSoviet Union's deep forests and rivers. Margarita bathes and returns to Moscow with Azazello as the hostess of Satan's spring ball. At Koroviev's side, she welcomes dark historical figures as they arrive from Hell.

Margarita survives the ordeal, and Satan offers to grant her deepest wish. She chooses to ask to free a woman she met at the ball from eternal punishment. The woman, who had beenraped,murdered her child; her punishment was to wake each morning next to the handkerchief she used to smother it. Satan tells Margarita that she liberated the woman, and still has a wish to claim from him. She asks for the Master to be delivered to her and he appears, dazed and thinking he is still in the lunatic asylum. They are returned to the basement apartment which had been their love nest.

Matthew Levidelivers the verdict to Woland: the reunited couple will be sent to the afterlife. Azazello brings them a gift from Woland: a bottle of Pontius Pilate's (poisoned) wine. The Master and Margarita die; Azazello brings their souls to Satan and his retinue (awaiting them on horseback on a Moscow rooftop), and they fly away into the unknown, as cupolas and windows burn in the setting sun, leaving Earth behind and traveling into dark cosmic space. The Master and Margarita will spend eternity together in a shady, pleasant region resemblingDante Alighieri'sLimbo,in a house under floweringcherrytrees.

Woland and his retinue, including the Master and Margarita, become pure spirits. Moscow's authorities attribute its strange events to hysteria and masshypnosis.In the final chapter, Woland tells the Master to finish his novel about Pontius Pilate – condemned by cowardice to limbo for eternity. The Master shouts "You are free! He is waiting for you!"; Pontius Pilate is freed, walking and talking with the Yeshua whose spirit and philosophy he had secretly admired. Moscow is now peaceful, although some experience great disquiet every May full moon. Ivan Ponyrev becomes a professor of philosophy, but he does not write poetry anymore.

Interpretations

There are several interpretations of the novel:

• Response to aggressive atheistic propaganda

Some critics suggest that Bulgakov was responding to poets and writers who he believed were spreading atheistpropaganda in the Soviet Union,and denyingJesus Christ as a historical person.He particularly objected to the anti-religious poems ofDemyan Bedny.The novel can be seen as a rebuke to the aggressively "godless people." There is justification in both the Moscow and Judaea sections of the novel for the entire image of the devil. Bulgakov uses characters from Jewish demonology as a retort to the denial of God in the USSR.

Literary critic and assistant professor at theRussian State Institute of Performing ArtsNadezhda Dozhdikova notes that the image ofJesus as a harmless madmanpresented in ″Master and Margarita″ has its source in the literature of the USSR of the 1920s, which, following the tradition of the demythologization of Jesus in the works ofStrauss,Renan,NietzscheandBinet-Sanglé,put forward two main themes – mental illness and deception. Themythological option,namely the denial of the historical existence of Jesus, only prevailed in the Soviet propaganda at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s.

• Reflection of Bulgakov's experiences as a Soviet writer

Commentators often note autobiographical elements in the novel.Beyond parallels between fictional characters and Bulgakov's acquaintances, the work has been examined as a reflection of Bulgakov's own psychological troublesspurred by the oppression he faced in his creative career. Some also interpret Ivan and the Master as prototypes of the extremities of Soviet attitudes towards writers. Whereas Ivan is a celebrated rising star supported by MASSOLIT, the Master is a literary outsider who is at once denounced and cast away after submitting his novel for publishing. As a Soviet writer, Bulgakov walked a fine line between the two. Professor of religion and peace studies Alexandra Carroll analyzes Woland through the lens ofJungianpsychology, suggesting that Woland serves as a "shadow archetype",which she defined as a "paradoxical figure of evil that appears malevolent, yet works towards an individual's psychological renewal".Other commentators note that Bulgakov's life experiences have also likely influenced the Yershalaim narrative of the novel; Haber and Weeks argue that it is Bulgakov's father's academic work that influenced the narrative,rather than Bulgakov's own view of evil. Weeks interprets this as "Bulgakov's return to elements of his own childhood."

• Occlusive interpretation

Bulgakov portrays evil as being as inseparable from our world as light is from darkness. Both Satan and Jesus Christ dwell mostly inside people. Jesus was unable to see Judas' treachery, despite Pilate's hints, because he saw only good in people. He couldn't protect himself, because he didn't know how, nor from whom. This interpretation presumes that Bulgakov had his own vision ofTolstoy's idea of resistance to evil through non-violence, by creating this image of Yeshua.

The Spring Festival Ball at Spaso House

Spaso House

On 24 April 1935, Bulgakov was among the invited guests who attended the Spring Festival atSpaso House,the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, hosted by AmbassadorWilliam Bullitt.Critics believe Bulgakov drew from this extravagant event for his novel. In the middle of theGreat Depressionand Stalinist repression, Bullitt had instructed his staff to create an event that would surpass every other Embassy party in Moscow's history. The decorations included a forest of ten young birch trees in the chandelier room; a dining room table covered with Finnish tulips; a lawn made of chicory grown on wet felt; a fishnet aviary filled with pheasants, parakeets, and one hundred zebra finches, on loan from the Moscow Zoo; and a menagerie including several mountain goats, a dozen white roosters, and a baby bear.

AlthoughJoseph Stalindidn't attend, the 400 elite guests at the festival included Foreign MinisterMaxim Litvinov,Defense MinisterKliment Voroshilov,Communist Party heavyweightsNikolai Bukharin,Lazar Kaganovich,andKarl Radek,Soviet MarshalsAleksandr Yegorov,Mikhail Tukhachevsky,andSemyon Budyonny,and other high-ranking guests.

The festival lasted until the early hours of the morning. The bear became drunk on champagne given to him byKarl Radek.In the early morning hours, the zebra finches escaped from the aviary and perched below the ceilings around the house.

In his novel, Bulgakov featured theSpring Ball of the Full Moon,considered to be one of the most memorable episodes.On 29 October 2010, seventy-five years after the original ball,John Beyrle,U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, hosted an Enchanted Ball at Spaso House, recreating the spirit of the original ball as a tribute to Ambassador Bullitt and Bulgakov.

Major characters

Contemporary Russians

The Master

An author who wrote a novel about the meeting of Pontius Pilate and Yeshua Ha-Notsri (Jesus of Nazareth), which was rejected by the Soviet literary bureaucracy, ruining his career. He is "detained for questioning" for three months by thesecret policebecause of a false report by an unscrupulous neighbor. Later, having been driven to the point of insanity by the critics (as the Master describes in Chapter 13), he is committed to apsychiatric clinic,where Bezdomny meets him. Little else is given about this character's past other than his belief that his life began to have meaning when he met Margarita. Underscoring this point, the Master wears a hat with an "M" on it, made for and given to him by Margarita. The Master claims that he renounced his own name, further demonstrating his symbolic identity. The Master is an author surrogate for Bulgakov himself, as he represents Bulgakov's own struggles with censorship, criticism and stifled creativity in the Soviet Union. Further underscoring The Master's role as Bulgakov's shadow, The Master's title allegedly stems from a nickname that the United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union William Bullitt coined for Bulgakov.

Margarita

The Master's lover. Trapped in a passionless marriage, she devotes herself to the Master. She is invited by Azazello to serve as the hostess of Satan's Grand Ball onWalpurgis Night.Margarita agrees as she believes this step may save her love. Her character is believed to have been inspired by Bulgakov's last wife,Elena Bulgakova,whom he called "my Margarita".He may also have been influenced byFaust's Gretchen, whose full name is Margarita, as well as by QueenMarguerite de Valois.The latter is featured as the main character of the operaLes HuguenotsbyGiacomo Meyerbeer,which Bulgakov particularly enjoyed, andAlexandre Dumas' novel,La Reine Margot.In these accounts, the queen is portrayed as daring and passionate.

Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz

The Chairman of the literary bureaucracy MASSOLIT. He bears the last name (Берлиоз) of French composerHector Berlioz,who wrote the operaThe Damnation of Faust.Berlioz is a loyal supporter of the Stalinist regime and the ideology it purports. Following Soviet atheism, he insists to Ivan Nikolayevich Ponyryov that the Gospel Jesus was a mythical figure with no historical basis. Woland intervenes in this conversation, and later predicts that Berlioz will be decapitated by a young Soviet woman, which comes to pass when he slips on oil spilled by "Annushka" and is subsequently run over (and beheaded) by a tram.

Ivan Nikolayevich Ponyryov (Bezdomny)

A young, aspiring poet. His pen name, Bezdomny (Иван Бездомный), means "homeless". Initially a willing tool of the MASSOLIT apparatus, he is transformed by the events of the novel. After witnessing the unfolding of Woland's prediction--Berlioz's death, he embarks on a wild chase around Moscow in search of Woland and his entourage. However, he leads himself to a communal apartment and later to the Moscow River, where he engages in a symbolic self-baptism. Unable to rationalize the events he has witnessed, Ivan’s psychological distress mounts and his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. His seemingly irrational claims about Woland lead him to be taken to Doctor Stravinsky’s psychiatric clinic, where he is diagnosed with schizophrenia and meets the Master. He eventually decides to stop writing poetry and comes to terms with the tragedy. Before settling on Bezdomny, Bulgakov tried many other names in earlier versions of the novel, including Bezrodny ( "the lonely" ), Besprizorny ( "the stray kid" ), Bezbrezhny ( "the boundless" ) and many others.Proletarian writers often used similar pseudonyms; a notable example isMaxim Gorky( "the bitter" ).

Stephan Bogdanovich Likhodeyev

The Director of the Variety Theatre and Berlioz's roommate, often called by thediminutivenameStyopa (Stepa).His surname is derived from the Russian word for "malfeasant". For his wicked deeds (denouncing at least five innocent people as spies so that he and Berlioz could grab theirmulti-bedroom apartment), he is magicallyteleportedtoYalta,thereby freeing up the stolen apartment for Woland and his retinue.

Grigory Danilovich Rimsky

The Treasurer of the Variety Theatre. Rimsky is the only character to escape from an attack by Woland's entourage. Despite trying to find logical explanations for Styopa's disappearance and other odd phenomena, he realizes that Varenukha is lying to him when he outlines a seemingly reasonable explanation for where Styopa had gone, and correctly identifies that Varenukha has no shadow, which is impossible under normal circumstances. On the night of Woland's performance, Rimsky is ambushed by Varenukha (who has been turned into a vampire by Woland's gang) and Hella. He barely escapes the encounter and flees to the train station to get out of the city.

Ivan Savelyevich Varenukha

The administrator of the Variety Theatre, whose surname refers to a traditional Ukrainian spiced vodka resemblingmulled wine.He is turned into a creature of darkness when Hella ambushes him in his attempt to report the odd circumstances surrounding Styopa's disappearance to the authorities. He is forgiven by the end of Walpurgis Night, restoring his humanity.

Alexander Riukhin

A poet who brings Ivan to Dr. Stravinsky's psychiatric clinic. He is tormented by Ivan's insults of the integrity of his poetry and acknowledges his poetry is bad because he doesn't believe in anything he writes. As the night ends, he mourns the loss of the night of fun and feasting he could've had at Griboedov's.

Natasha (Natalia Prokofyevna)

Margarita's young maid, later turned into awitchafter using Azazello's magic cream on herself.

Nikolai Ivanovich

Margarita's downstairs neighbor, who rubs Azazello's magic cream on himself and turns into a hog. Natasha rides Nikolai (as a hog) to Woland's Ball. He receives a certificate from Woland that confirms his activity of attending the ball and turning into a hog on the night of the ball.

Nikanor Ivanovich Bosoy

The Chairman of the House Committee at302A Sadovaya Street(the former residence of Berlioz). Unlike regular Moscow citizens, who generally live in communal apartments, Bosoy shares an entire apartment with only his wife. After Bosoy accepts a bribe from Koroviev for allowing Woland to stay in the Berlioz's apartment, Woland swiftly punishes his crookedness. The bribe from Koroviev magically turns into foreign money, and Bosoy is arrested by the secret police. Bosoy's character is loosely based on one of Bulgakov's own landlords, Nikolay Zotkiovitch Raev, who similarly abused his power.

Maximilian Andreevich Poplavsky

An uncle of Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz. He is a highly educated man who comes to Moscow from Kyiv in an attempt to claim Berlioz's Moscow apartment. When he arrives, he is mocked by Koroviev for trying to take advantage of Berlioz's death while not feeling any genuine grief for the deceased. Ultimately, he is sent home by Woland's retinue.

Andrei Fokich Sokov

Sokov, the barman at the Variety Theater, is a short, bald, and outwardly-humble character. In an apartment commandeered by Woland and his retinue, Sokov is interrogated and ultimately it is revealed that, behind his humble and well-behaved veil, the barman has amassed an enormous fortune. He is then told by Woland that he will die of liver cancer in nine months time, and finds himself in Professor Kuzmin's office desperately begging to be cured.

Doctor Stravinsky

The head of the clinic in which The Master, "Homeless," and other characters reside, Stravinsky plays an important role in the novel. When Ivan arrives in the clinic after witnessing Berlioz's decapitation, Stravinsky diagnoses him with Schizophrenia and Alcoholism, and insists he remains in the clinic because he believes Ivan's story is a sign of mental illness. Ivan insists upon leaving the clinic, but Stravinsky manipulates Ivan in discussion and convinces Ivan that he must remain there.

George Bengalsky

The master of ceremonies at theVariety Theater.Bengalsky, after commenting on black magic at Woland's performance, is beheaded by Woland's retinue. His head is returned after the audience forgives him. Later, it is implied that he is in Stravinsky's clinic. Bengalsky is meant to represent the Soviet public and their refusal to believe in magic and religion; he makes sure to describe the "rational" explanations behind all of Woland's tricks and becomes irritated when Woland refuses to admit that there are explanations for his magic. Woland becomes angry with Bengalsky because Woland sees him as a symbol of Soviet brainwashing; the citizens only believe what they are told and cannot think for themselves even when the simple truth is right in front of them.

Vassily Stepanovich Lastochkin

The bookkeeper at the Variety Theater. Described by Bulgakov as "precise and efficient," Lastochkin is not present for Woland's séance and is left to make sense of the event's aftermath for the police as the theater's most senior remaining member. After being questioned by the police, Lastochkin heads to the Commission on Spectacles and Entertainment of the Lighter Type to explain the prior day's events but is greeted by pandemonium as the chairman has been turned into a talking suit. Unable to file his report there, Lastochkin continues on his way to the commission's affiliate, where he encounters further havoc as the staff has been forced to sing uncontrollably. His final stop of the day takes him to the bank to deposit the Variety's earnings from Woland's performance. There, upon discovering that the fares have turned into thousands in various foreign currencies, Lastochkin is promptly and unceremoniously arrested.

Woland and his entourage

Woland

Woland (Воланд, also spelled as Voland) isSatanin the disguise of a "foreign professor" who is "in Moscow to present a performance of 'black magic' and then expose its machinations". Woland instead exposes the greed and bourgeois behaviour of the spectators themselves. Woland is described as having platinum crowns on the left side of his teeth and gold on the right, with his right eye black and his left eye green. The contrasts in his appearance reflect the complexity of his character and moral positioning within the novel. Woland is also mentioned in Faust whenMephistophelesannounces to the witches to beware because 'Squire Voland is here'. Along with that, it is highly implied throughout the novel that he is present as the devil in the form of a sparrow (such as in the Pilate narrative). In the previous versions of The Master and Margarita, Woland's name changed multiple times. In the second version from 1929, his name was Dr Theodor Voland. The name was written down and given to Ivan Bezdomniy in Greek letters as opposed to the Cyrillic letters. In a subsequent version of the novel, Woland's name changed to господин [gospodin] or seigneur Azazello Woland. The demon we now know as Azazello was called Fiello. Only in 1934, the definitive names of Woland and Azazello got their final meaning.

Behemoth

An enormous demonic black cat (said to be as big as ahog) who speaks, walks on two legs, and can transform into human shape for brief periods of time. He has a penchant forchess,vodka,pistols,and obnoxious sarcasm. He is evidently the least-respected member of Woland's team – Margarita boldly takes to slapping Behemoth on the head after one of his many ill-timed jokes, without fear of retaliation. In the last chapters, it appears that Behemoth is a demon pageboy, the best clown in the world. His name (Бегемот) refers to both theBiblical monsterand the Russian word forhippopotamus.Behemoth is a well-known character from The Master and Margarita, and he is frequently depicted. However, in the original version of the novel from 1928 to 1929, which was titled The Black Magician, there was a sentence mentioning the presence of a second cat on the curtain rod when the theatre's buffet master visits Woland. Bulgakov later abandoned the idea of having two cats in the story.

Korovyev

Also known as Fagotto (Фагот, meaning "bassoon"in Russian and other languages), he's described as an" ex-choirmaster ", perhaps implying that he was once a member of anangelic choir.Korovyev's name is also based on the Russian word for "cow" (Корова), a reference to Charles Gounod'sFaust,where Mephistopheles praises a "Calf of Gold". Being the only member of Woland and his entourage with a Russian name, he is Woland's assistant and translator, and is capable of creating any illusion. Unlike Behemoth and Azazello, he doesn't use violence at any point. Like Behemoth, his true form is revealed at the end: a never-smiling dark knight. In penance for a poorly made joke he was forced to assume the role of a jester; he paid off his debt by serving Satan on his Moscow journey. Vasily Ivanovich Shverubovich (1875-1948), an actor at theMoscow Art Theatre(MkhAT) who performed under the name Vasily Ivanovich Katshalov, is a possible inspiration for Koroviev. Katshalov hailed from Vilnius, Lithuania, and had a distinctive accent when he sang. He was tall and thin, standing at 1.85 meters, and wore pince-nez glasses due to his nearsightedness. Kachalov possessed an irresistible charm on stage with his eloquent speaking, pleasant voice, and a great sense of humor.Another MkhAT actor and director, Grigory Grigoryevich Konsky (1911-1972), also shared some characteristics with Bulgakov's portrayal of Koroviev. He was a close friend of the Bulgakov family and known as a "master of irony and humor".

Azazello

Azazello (Азазелло) is a menacing, fanged, andwall-eyedmember of Woland's retinue who acts as a messenger and assassin. His name may be a reference toAzazel,the fallen angel who taught people to make weapons and jewelry, and taught women the "sinful art" of painting their faces (mentioned in thepseudepigraphalBook of Enoch8:1–3). He gives a magical cream to Margarita. He transforms into his real shape in the end: a pale-faced demon with black empty eyes. Bulgakov appends an Italian suffix to the Hebrew name עֲזָאזֵל [Azazel]. The name Azazel is frequently associated with Satan in various religious texts and beliefs. In Bulgakov's archives, a book called Azazel and Dionysus was discovered, authored byNikolai Evreinov(1879-1953), who was a director, dramatist, historian, philosopher, and psychologist, and published in 1924.

Hella

Hella (Гелла) is a beautiful, redheadedsuccubus.Her name may be a reference to theBrockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary(the Soviet equivalent of theEncyclopedia Britannica), underneath the section of "witchcraft," where "Hella" was one of the names of premature girls who became vampires after death on the island ofLesbos.She serves as maid to Woland and his retinue. She is described as being "perfect, were it not for a purple scar on her neck", suggesting that she has been executed byhanging.In the earlier version of the book, she was named Marta.According to Valery Konstantinovich Mershavka, a Russian psychologist and translator, Hella was inspired bySophia Perovskaya.Perovskaya was a member of the socialist revolutionary organization namedThe Will of the Peopleand participated in three attempts to assassinateTsar Alexander II,the last of which was successful, leading to her execution by hanging. The purple scar on Hella's necks could be explained by this method of execution.

Characters from Judaea subplot

Pontius Pilate

TheRoman ProcuratorofJudaea(a governor of a small province). The historical Pontius Pilate was thePrefectof Judaea, not the procurator. This fact was not widely known until after Bulgakov's death. In the novel, Pontius Pilate is a central character in the subplot set in ancient Jerusalem. Pilate suffers terribly frommigraines,has suicidal thoughts, and loves only his dog, Banga. He is tasked with determiningYeshua Ha-Notsri's guilt and ultimately is responsible for his death sentence. Nevertheless, after this sentencing, Pilate experiences feelings of guilt and doubt: "it seemed vaguely to the procurator that there was something he had not finished saying to the condemned man, and perhaps something he had not finished hearing."Thus, overall, Bulgakov's portrayal of Pontius Pilate offers a nuanced exploration of human nature and the consequences of moral choices.

Yeshua Ha-Notsri

Jesus theNazarene(Иешуа га-Ноцри), a wanderer or "mad philosopher", as Pilate calls him. His name inHebrewis said to mean either "Jesuswho belongs to the Nazarene sect "or" Jesus who is from a place called Nazareth ", though some commentators dispute the latter interpretation.In the Master's version, Yeshua describes himself as anorphan(he says "some say that my father was aSyrian"), calls everybody (even a torturer)" kind man ", denies doing miracles, and has one full-time" Apostle ", not twelve, among other departures from theGospelsand mainstream Christian tradition. In the Master's novel there is not a hint of thecleansing of the Templeorcursing the fig tree.The atheist regime of the novel still considers this Jesus to be offensive.

Aphranius

(or Afranius). Head of the Roman Secret Service inJudaea.That character was later an inspiration for the 1995 novelThe Gospel of AfraniusbyKirill Eskov.

Niza

Aphranius's henchwoman, who enticesJudasto his death.

Levi Matvei

Levite,former tax collector, follower of Yeshua. Levi attempts to save Yeshua with a bread knife, and after failing, he is the only spectator, except for the executioners, of Yeshua's death and cuts Yeshua's body down from the cross. Levi is introduced as a semi-fictionalized character in the Master's novel, but toward the end ofThe Master and Margarita,the "historical" Matthew of the Gospel appears in Moscow to deliver a message from Yeshua to Woland.

Caiaphas

Politically savvy High Priest of Judaea. Caiaphas supports the execution of Yeshua in order to "protect" the status quo ante religion, and his own status as the Chief of theSanhedrin,from the influence of Yeshua's preachings and followers. He is considerably more aggressive towards Pilate than most accounts, and seems unconcerned by the other man's senior status.

Mark the Ratslayer

The centurion in Yershalaim. Tall, strong, and physically intimidating, the Ratslayer is an agent of the state and a symbol of its brutality. Mark the Ratslayer also illustrates Yeshua's argument about humanity's inherent goodness. Despite his cruelty, Yeshua claims that the Ratslayer is not a bad person; he has simply "become cruel and hard" after being disfigured by others and subjected to violence himself.

Banga

Pilate's loyal dog. He provides Pilate with comfort and Pilate feels comfortable complaining to him about his headaches. Banga is the only "being" Pilate is attached to, and therefore fosters a humanization of the procurator, characterizing him as profoundly lonely.

Judas Iscariot

A spy/informant hired by Caiaphas to assist the authorities in finding and arresting Yeshua. In contrast to the Gospels' version, in which Judas is a long-time member of Jesus's "inner circle" of Apostles, Bulgakov's Judas (of Karioth) meets Yeshua for the first time less than 48 hours before betraying him. He is paid off by Caiaphas, but is later assassinated on Pilate's orders for his role in Yeshua's death.

Themes and imagery

The novel deals with the interplay of good and evil, innocence and guilt, courage and cowardice, exploring such issues as the responsibility towards truth when authority would deny it, and freedom of the spirit in an unfree world. Love and sensuality are also dominantthemesin the novel.

Love

Margarita's devotional love for the Master leads her to leave her husband, but she emerges victorious. Her spiritual union with the Master is also a sexual one. The novel is a riot of sensual impressions, but the emptiness of sensual gratification without love is emphasized in the satirical passages. Rejecting sensuality for the sake of empty respectability is pilloried in the figure of Nikolai Ivanovich, who becomes Natasha's hog-broomstick. Love is not only relevant in the Master's relationship with Margarita, but also his relationship with writing as a whole. After he wins the lottery and leaves his job at the museum, he decides to purchase a flat where he can hide out and write. It is here that he begins his novel on Pilate. This novel takes him through many ups and downs, culminating in his capture and internment in the mental hospital, but only after he destroys his novel.

Religion

The interplay of fire, water, destruction, and other natural forces provides a constant accompaniment to the events of the novel, as do light and darkness, noise and silence, sun and moon, storms and tranquility, and other powerful polarities. There is a complex relationship between Jerusalem and Moscow throughout the novel, sometimespolyphony,sometimescounterpoint.Though the two parts of the novel are set centuries apart, the action in both unfolds in parallel over the course of five days (Wednesday to Sunday). The chapters consisting of the Jerusalem story (chapters 2, 16, 25, and 26) are woven into the lives of the Moscow characters, and there are several characters that even bridge the two narratives. Woland, who visits Berlioz and Bezdomny in Moscow, claims to have been present during Yeshua's trial in Jerusalem. And Matthew Levi, Yeshua's disciple, appears in Moscow at the end of the novel. The overlap between the two plot lines is further complicated by the fact that the Jerusalem story is presented as the novel written by the master, raising questions of authorship and muddling the distinction between fiction and reality.

Critique of Soviet Regime

Bulgakov employsAesopian languagein order to criticize the hypocrisy of Soviet society. He makes a commentary on the flaws of Soviet society by referencing distinct issues such as the housing crisis, corruption and the secret police. His methodology of introducing characters that benefit from the new regime, and then punishing them for their sins through Woland displays his condemnation of the conditions in the 1930s Soviet Union. An issue that is particularly emphasized in the novel is censorship, literary repression and suppression of creativity. Bulgakov's portrayal of Massolit writers and their luxurious, extravagant lifestyles is a mockery of their real-life counterparts such as Vladimir Mayakovsky.The novel is a satirical critique of the Soviet regime that condemns the decline of humanity's virtues, through its portrayal of secondary characters. Bulgakov implores a tone of satirical dark comedy when describing neighbors’ random “disappearances,” Stepan’s mysterious teleportation to Yalta, and the magical memory erasure that occurs after state-sanctioned interrogations. Bulgakov obscures the tragedy of violence by adding a fantastical element to these overtly dark forms of torture carried out by the Soviet State. This layer of fantasy in turn provided protection for himself, as he was not able to state the atrocities of the government without risking his own safety.

Faust

The novel is deeply influenced byGoethe'sFaust,and its themes of cowardice, trust, intellectual curiosity, and redemption are prominent. It can be read on many different levels, asslapstick,philosophical allegory, and socio-political satire critical of not just theSovietsystem but also the superficiality and vanity of modern life in general.Jazzis presented with an ambivalent fascination and revulsion. But the novel is full of modern elements, such as the model asylum, radio, street and shopping lights, cars, lorries, trams, and air travel. There is little evident nostalgia for any "good old days" – the only figures who mention Tsarist Russia are Satan and the Narrator, who directly addresses characters in the novel and the reader multiple times. It also has strong elements of what in the later 20th century was calledmagic realism.

Allusions and references to other works

The novel is influenced by theFaustlegend, particularly the first part of theGoetheinterpretation,The Devil's Pact, which goes back to the 4th century; Christopher Marlowe'sDr Faustus(where in the last act the hero cannot burn his manuscript or receive forgiveness from a loving God); and the libretto of theoperawhose music was composed byCharles Gounod.Also of influence is LouisHector Berliozwho wrote the operaLa damnation de Faust.In this opera there are four characters: Faust (tenor), the devil Méphistophélès (baritone), Marguerite (mezzo-soprano) and Brander (bass). And also theSymphonie Fantastiquewhere the hero dreams of his own decapitation and attending a witches' sabbath. In addition, allusions are made to the work of Igor Stravinsky numerous times: prominent character and clinic head Doctor Stravinsky shares the composer's name, and references to specific compositions are made in the novel.

Satirical poetics ofNikolai GogolandMikhail Saltykov-Shchedrinare seen as an influence, as is the case in other Bulgakov novels. Bulgakov perceived and embodied the principles of Gogol's and Saltykov-Shchedrin's world perception through the comic mixing of absurd, ghostly and real. Technical progress and the rapid development of mechanized production in the 20th century, combined with the satirical motive of primitivism, characteristic of Russian literature, left an imprint on the nature of Bulgakov's grotesque.

The dialogue betweenPontius Pilateand Yeshua Ha-Notsri is strongly influenced byFyodor Dostoyevsky's parable "The Grand Inquisitor"fromThe Brothers Karamazov.The "luckless visitors chapter" refers to Tolstoy'sAnna Karenina:"everything became jumbled in the Oblonsky household". The theme of the Devil exposing society as an apartment block, as it could be seen if the entire façade would be removed, has some precedents inEl diablo cojuelo(1641,The Lame DevilorThe Crippled Devil) by the SpaniardLuís Vélez de Guevara.(This was adapted to 18th-century France byAlain-René Lesage's 1707Le Diable boiteux.)

English translations

The novel has been translated several times into English:

• Mirra Ginsburg's 1967 version forGrove Press
• Michael Glenny's November 1967 version forHarper and RowandHarvill Press
• Diana Lewis Burginand Katherine Tiernan O'Connor's 1993 version forArdis Publishing
• Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky's 1997 version forPenguin Books
• Michael Karpelson's 2006 version forLulu PressandWordsworth
• Hugh Aplin's 2008 version forOneworld Publications
• John Dougherty's 2017 version for Russian Tumble
• Elena Yushenko's 2021 version forOmniScriptum
• Sergei Khramtsov-Templar's 2000 version (non-published, catalogued with theLibrary of Congress)

The early translation by Glenny runs more smoothly than that of the modern translations; some Russian-speaking readers consider it to be the only one creating the desired effect, though it may take liberties with the text.The modern translators pay for their attempted closeness by losing idiomatic flow.Literary writer Kevin Moss considers the early translations by Ginsburg and Glenny to be hurried, and lacking much critical depth.As an example, he claims that the more idiomatic translations miss Bulgakov's "crucial" reference to the devil in Berlioz's thoughts (original: "Пожалуй, пора бросить все к черту и в Кисловодск…"):

• "I ought to drop everything and run down to Kislovodsk." (Ginsburg)
• "I think it's time to chuck everything up and go and take the waters at Kislovodsk." (Glenny)
• "It's time to throw everything to the devil and go off to Kislovodsk." (Burgin and Tiernan O'Connor)
• "It's time to send it all to the devil and go to Kislovodsk." (Pevear and Volokhonsky)
• "To hell with everything, it's time to take that Kislovodsk vacation." (Karpelson)
• "It's time to let everything go to the devil and be off to Kislovodsk." (Aplin)
• "It's time to throw it all to the devil and go to Kislovodsk." (John Dougherty)

Several literary critics hailed the Burgin/Tiernan O'Connor translation as the most accurate and complete English translation, particularly when read in tandem with the matching annotations by Bulgakov's biographer, Ellendea Proffer.However, these judgements predate translations by Pevear & Volokhonsky, Karpelson, Aplin, and Dougherty. The Karpelson translation, even when republished in the UK by Wordsworth, has not been Anglicised, and retains North American spellings and idioms.

Cultural influence

The book was listed inLe Monde's 100 Books of the Century.Also, when asked byTyler Cowen,"What's your favorite novel?" the technologistPeter Thielanswered, "If you want something a little more intellectual, it's probably theBulgakovnovelThe Master and Margaritawhere the devil shows up in Stalinist Russia, and succeeds, and gives everybody what they want, and everything goes haywire. It's hard, because no one believes he's real. "

"Manuscripts don't burn"

A memorable and much-quoted line inThe Master and Margaritais "manuscripts don't burn" (рукописи не горят). The Master is a writer who is plagued both by his own mental problems and the harsh political criticism faced by most Soviet writers in 1930s Moscow in the Stalinist Soviet Union.He burns his treasured manuscript in an effort to cleanse his mind from the troubles the work has brought him. When they finally meet, Woland asks to see the Master's novel; the Master apologizes for not being able to do so, as he had burnt it. Woland replies, "You can't have done. Manuscripts don't burn." There is a deeply autobiographical element reflected in this passage. Bulgakov burned an early copy ofThe Master and Margaritafor much the same reasons as he expresses in the novel. Also this may refer to Christopher Marlowe's Dr. Faustus where the hero, deviating from previous tales of 'The Devil's Pact', is unable to burn his books or repent to a merciful God.

Bulgakov museums in Moscow

In Moscow, two museums honor the memory of Mikhail Bulgakov andThe Master and Margarita.Both are located in Bulgakov's former apartment building on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, No. 10. Since the late 1980s and the fall of the Soviet Union, the building has become a gathering spot for Bulgakov fans, as well as Moscow-basedSatanistgroups. Over the years they have filled the walls withgraffiti.The best drawings were usually kept as the walls were repainted, so that several layers of different colored paints could be seen around them. In 2003, all of the numerous paintings, quips, and drawings were completely whitewashed.

The two museums are rivals: the official Museum M.A. Bulgakov, although established second, identifies as "the first and only Memorial Museum of Mikhail Bulgakov in Moscow".

• Bulgakov House

Main article:Bulgakov House (Moscow)

TheBulgakov House(Музей – театр "Булгаковский Дом") is situated on the ground floor of the building. This museum was established as a private initiative on 15 May 2004. It contains personal belongings, photos, and several exhibitions related to Bulgakov's life and his different works. Various poetic and literary events are often held. The museum organises tours ofBulgakov's Moscow,some of which have re-enactors playing characters ofThe Master and Margarita.The Bulgakov House also operates the Theatre M.A. Bulgakov and the Café 302-bis.

• Museum M.A. Bulgakov

Main article:Bulgakov Museum in Moscow

In apartment number 50 on the fourth floor is theMuseum M.A. Bulgakov(Музей МА. Булгаков). This facility is a government initiative, founded on 26 March 2007. It contains personal belongings, photos, and several exhibitions related to Bulgakov's life and his different works. Various poetic and literary events are often held here.

Allusions and references

Various authors and musicians have creditedThe Master and Margaritaas inspiration for certain works.

• Mick JaggerofThe Rolling Stoneswas inspired by the novel in writing the song "Sympathy for the Devil".Will Self's foreword to the Vintage edition of the Michael Glenny translation of the novel suggests the same, and Jagger's then girlfriendMarianne Faithfullconfirmed it in an interview withSylvie Simmonsfrom the magazineMojoin 2005.Jagger says so himself in the Stones documentaryCrossfire Hurricane.
• SORAYA released asongcalled 'the master and margarita' co-written withAdrian Grenier.The song was inspired by the novel, SORAYA's favourite book, but imagined the story taking place in contemporary Austin Texas. It was distributed byEmpire.
• ThegrungebandPearl Jamwere influenced by the novel's confrontation betweenJesusandPontius Pilatein their song, "Pilate",on their 1998 albumYield.
• The Canadian bandThe Tea Partyhas a song named "The Master and Margarita".
• Surrealist artistH. R. Gigernamed a 1976 painting after the novel. The bandDanzigfeatured this painting on the cover of their 1992 albumDanzig III: How the Gods Kill.
• The title song onPatti Smith's albumBangarefers to Pontius Pilate and his dog Banga as portrayed inThe Master and Margarita.
• Master Margherita- musical band from Switzerland.
• Several songs written by the Chicago punk bandThe Lawrence Arms,for example "Chapter 13: The Hero Appears" from the 2003 albumThe Greatest Story Ever Told.
• Russian writersArkady and Boris Strugatskywere heavily influenced by this novel when writing several of their books. Аmong them are such works asSnail on the Slope,Limping Fate,Overburdened with Eviland others.
• The Master and Margaritais cited as inspiration forDevil on the Cross,aGikuyulanguage novel written by Kenyan novelist and Nobel Prize nomineeNgũgĩ wa Thiong'o.Thiong'o wrote the original manuscript as a political prisoner between 1977 and 1978 inKamiti Maximum Security Prison,where he was detained for a year without trial due to staging his playNgaahika Ndeenda,a work criticizing corruption and hypocrisy amongst the new political elite of Kenya.One of the clear parallels that emerge inDevil on the Crossis a celebration known as the "Devil's Feast," remindful of "Satan's Great Ball" in Bulgakov'sMaster and Margarita.The Devil's Feast in Thiong'o's novel is a festival organized by the devil and neocolonialist powers celebrating seven of the most wicked and corrupt amongst the Kenyan bourgeoisie and awarding them with powerful positions.

Adaptations

Live action films

• 1970: The Finnish director Seppo Wallin made the moviePilatusfor the series Teatterituokio (Theatre Sessions) from the Finnish public broadcasting company, based on the biblical part of the book.
• 1971: the Polish directorAndrzej Wajdamade the moviePilate and Othersfor the West German public service TV channelZDF,based on the biblical part of the book ('The Master's manuscript').
  Main article:Pilate and Others
• 1972: The joint Italian-Yugoslavian production ofAleksandar Petrović'sThe Master and Margaret(Italian:Il Maestro e Margherita,Serbo-Croatian:Majstor i Margarita) was released. Based loosely on the book, in the movie the Master is named Nikolaj Afanasijevic Maksudov, while in the original book the Master is anonymous.
  Main article:The Master and Margaret (1972 film)
• 1989: DirectorRoman Polanskiwas approached byWarner Bros.to adapt and direct Bulgakov's novel. The project was subsequently dropped by Warner Bros. due to budgetary concerns and the studio's belief that the subject matter was no longer relevant due tothe fall of the Berlin Wall.Polanski has described his script as the best he has ever adapted.
• 1992: In the adaptation calledIncident in JudaeabyPaul Bryers,only the Yeshua story is told. The film includes a prologue which mentions Bulgakov and the other storylines. The cast includesJohn Woodvine,Mark Rylance,Lee MontagueandJim Carter.The film was distributed by Brook Productions andChannel 4.
  Main article:Incident in Judaea
• 1994: ARussian movie adaptation of the novelwas made byYuri Kara.Although the cast included big names and talented actors (Anastasiya Vertinskayaas Margarita,Mikhail UlyanovasPilate,Nikolai Burlyayev as Yeshua,Valentin Gaftas Woland, Aleksandr Filippenko as Korovyev-Fagotto) and its score was by the noted Russian composerAlfred Schnittke,the movie was not released on any media. The grandson of Bulgakov's third wife Elena Sergeevna Shilovskaya claimed, as a self-assigned heir, the rights on Bulgakov's literary inheritance and refused the release. Since 2006, copies of the movie have existed on DVD. Some excerpts can be viewed on theMaster and Margaritawebsite.The movie was finally released in cinemas in 2011.
  Main article:The Master and Margarita (1994 film)
• 1996: The Russian director Sergey Desnitsky and his wife, the actress Vera Desnitskaya, made the filmMaster i Margarita.Disappointed by the responses of the Russian media, they decided not to release the film for distribution.
• 2003: The Iranian director,Kamal Tabrizi,made the movieSometimes Look at the Skyloosely based onThe Master and Margarita.
• 2005: The Hungarian directorIbolya Feketemade a short film of 26 minutes, entitledA Mester és Margarita.This film, with such noted Russian and Hungarian actors as Sergey Grekov, Grigory Lifanov, and Regina Myannik, was broadcast by MTV Premier on 5 October 2005.
• 2008: The Italian director Giovanni Brancale made the filmIl Maestro e Margherita,set in contemporaryFlorence.
• 2017: The French directorCharlotte Waligòramade the filmLe maître et Margueritein which she played the role of Margarita herself. The other characters are interpreted by Michel Baibabaeff (Woland), Vadim Essaïan (Behemoth), Hatem Taïeb (Jesus) and Giovanni Marino Luna (The Master).
• 2024:Michael Lockshinco-wrote and directed this filmed version of the story weaving together earlier drafts of the manuscript and Bulgakov's own experience with the regime. German actorAugust Diehlis Woland,Yevgeny Tsyganovis the Master, andYuliya Snigiris Margarita. Earlier production attempts started in 2013 but stopped. Eventually in 2019 new right holders started working with Lockshin. In 2020 they wrote a new script, which then was shot in 2021 in Russia and Croatia.Distribution efforts were put on hold in 2022 because of distributor Universal Pictures pulling out of Russia after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the director's stance about the war. The release date was pushed forward from 2023 to January 25, 2024.The world premiere outside of the Russia was on March 6, 2024, atYale University.
  Main article:The Master and Margarita (2024 film)

Soundtracks

Ennio Morricone,Alfred SchnittkeandIgor Kornelyukhave composed soundtracks for films ofThe Master and Margarita.

Animated films

• 2002: the French animators Clément Charmet and Elisabeth Klimoff made an animation of the first and third chapter ofThe Master and Margaritabased on Jean-François Desserre's graphic novel.
• 2010: Israeli director Terentij Oslyabya made ananimation filmThe Master and Margarita, Chapter 1.His movie literally illustrates the novel.
• 2012: The Russiananimation filmmakerRinat Timerkaev started working on a full-length animated filmMaster i Margarita.On his blog, Timerkaev informed followers in 2015 that he would not continue working on it due to expenses.He had already released a trailer, which can be seen on YouTube.
• 2015: The Finnishanimation filmmakerKatariina Lillqviststarted working on a full-length animated puppet filmMistr a Markétka,a Finnish-Czech coproduction. A 5-minute trailer was shown on 2 June 2015 at the Zlín Film Festival in the Czech Republic.
• 2017: The Russiananimation filmmakerAlexander Golberg Jero started working on a full-length animated filmMaster i Margarita.Media entrepreneur and co-producer Matthew Helderman, CEO of BondIt Media Capital, is responsible for collecting the necessary funds.

Many students of art schools found inspiration inThe Master and Margaritato make short animated movies. A full list is available on theMaster & Margaritawebsite.

Television

• 1988: The Polish directorMaciej WojtyszkoproducedThe Master and Margarita(Mistrz i Małgorzata), a TV miniseries of four episodes.
• 1989: the Russian theatre directorAleksandr Dzekunadapted his theatre playMaster i Margaritafor television. As suggested by the subtitle, "Chapters from the novel": the film covers part of the novel; 21 chapters were adapted in a miniseries.
• 2005: Russian directorVladimir Bortko,noted for his TV adaptations of Bulgakov'sHeart of a DogandDostoyevsky'sThe Idiot,made aThe Master and MargaritaTV series of ten episodes. It starsAleksandr Galibinas The Master,Anna Kovalchukas Margarita,Oleg Basilashvilias Woland,Aleksandr Abdulovas Korovyev-Fagotto,Vladislav Galkinas Bezdomny,Kirill LavrovasPontius Pilate,Valentin Gaftas Caiaphas, andSergey Bezrukovas Yeshua.

Radio

The novel has been adapted byLucy Catherine,with music byStephen Warbeck,for broadcast onBBC Radio 3on 15 March 2015.

Comic strips and graphic novels

Several graphic novels have been adapted from this work, by the following:

• 1997: Russian comic strip authorRodion Tanaev
• 2002: French comic strip authorJean-François Desserre
• 2005: Russian comic strip authorsAskold AkishineandMisha Zaslavsky
• 2008: London-based comic strip authors Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal.
• 2013: The Austrian/French comic strip author Bettina Egger created a graphic novel adaptation entitledMoscou endiablé, sur les traces de Maître et Marguerite.It interweaves the story of 'The Master and Margarita' with elements of Bulgakov's life, and her own exploration of the sources of the novel inMoscow.

Poster for a stage adaptation ofThe Master and MargaritainPerm, Russia

Theatre

The Master and Margaritahas been adapted on stage by more than 500 theatre companies all over the world. A full list of all versions and languages is published on theMaster & Margaritawebsite.

• 1971: from 1971 to 1977, all theatre adaptations ofThe Master and Margaritawere Polish. They were prohibited from using the titleThe Master and Margarita.Titles includedBlack Magic and Its Exposure(Kraków, 1971),Black Magic(Katowice, 1973),Have You Seen Pontius Pilate?(Wrocław, 1974), andPatients(Wroclaw, 1976).
• 1977: An adaptation for the Russian stage was produced by the directorYuri Lyubimovat Moscow'sTaganka Theatre.
• 1978: a stage adaptation was directed by Romanian-born American directorAndrei Șerbanat the New York Public Theater, starring John Shea. This seems to be the version revived in 1993 (see below).
• 1980: stage production (Maestrul și Margareta) directed by Romanian stage director Cătălina Buzoianu at The Little Theatre ( "Teatrul mic" )in Bucharest, Romania.Cast: Ștefan Iordacheas "Master" / "Yeshua Ha-Notsri"; Valeria Seciuas "Margareta"; Dan Conduracheas "Woland"; Mitică Popescuas "Koroviev"; Gheorghe Visuas "Ivan Bezdomny" / "Matthew Levi"; Sorin Medelenias "Behemoth".
• 1982: stage production (Mästaren och Margarita) directed by Swedish stage directorPeter Luckhausat theRoyal Dramatic Theatrein Stockholm, Sweden – Cast:Rolf Skoglundas "Master",Margaretha Byströmas "Margareta",Jan Blombergas "Woland",Ernst-Hugo Järegårdas "Berlioz" / "Stravinskij" / "Pontius Pilate",Stellan Skarsgårdas "Koroviev", andÖrjan Rambergas "Ivan" / "Levi Mattei".
• 1983: stage productionSaatana saapuu Moskovaandirected by Laura Jäntti for KOM-teatteri in Helsinki, Finland.
• 1991: UK premiere of an adaptation at theLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.3rd year professional diploma course. Director Helena Kaut-Howson. Cast includes:Katherine Kellgren,James Harper, Paul Cameron, Zen Gesner, Kirsten Clark, Polly Hayes, Abigail Hercules, Clive Darby, and Daniel Philpot.
• 1992: adaptation at theLyric Hammersmithin June by the Four Corners theatre company. It was based on a translation by Michael Denny, adapted and directed for the stage byDavid Graham-Young(of Contemporary Stage). The production transferred to theAlmeida Theatrein July 1992.
• 1993: theTheatre for the New Cityproduced a revival stage adaptation in New York City, as originally commissioned byJoseph Pappand thePublic Theater.The adaptation was byJean-Claude van Itallie.It was directed by David Willinger and featured a cast of 13, including Jonathan Teague Cook as "Woland", Eric Rasmussen as "Matthew Levi", Cesar Rodriguez as "Yeshua Ha Nozri", Eran Bohem as "The Master" and Lisa Moore as "Margarita". This version was published byDramatists Play Service, Inc.A French version, using part of van Itallie's text, was performed at the Théâtre de Mercure, Paris, directed byAndrei Serban.
• 1994: stage production at Montreal'sCentaur Theatre,adapted and directed by Russian-Canadian directorAlexandre Marine.
• 2000: the Israeli theater companyGesherpremieredhaSatan baMoskva,a musical based on the 1999 Hebrew translation of the novel. The production included song lyrics by Ehud Manor and a 23-musician orchestra. It was directed byYevgeny Aryeand starred Haim Topol, Evgeny Gamburg and Israel "Sasha" Demidov (as noted in the company history).
• A German-language stage adaptation of the novel,Der Meister und Margarita,directed byFrank Castorf,premiered at the 2002Vienna Festival,Austria.
• 2004: an adaptation of the novel byEdward Kempand directed bySteven Pimlottwas staged in July 2004 at theChichester Festival Theatre,UK. The cast includedSamuel Westas "The Master" and Michael Feast as "Woland". The production included incidental music by Jason Carr.
• 2004: theNational Youth Theatreproduced a new stage adaptation byDavid Rudkinat the Lyric Hammersmith London, directed by John Hoggarth. It featured a cast of 35 and ran from 23 August to 11 September.In 2005, Rudkin's adaptation received a production with a cast of 13 from Aberystwyth University's Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at the Theatr y Castell, directed byDavid Ian Rabey.
• In October 2006, it was staged byGrinnell College,directed by Veniamin Smekhov.
• In 2006, an almost 5-hour long adaptation was staged byGeorgiandirector Avtandil Varsimashvili.
• In 2007, Helsinki, Finland, the group theatre Ryhmäteatteri staged a production namedSaatana saapuu Moskovaan(Satan comes to Moscow), directed by Finnish director Esa Leskinen. Eleven actors played 26 separate roles in a three-hour production during the season 25 September 2007 – 1 March 2008.
• In 2007,Alim Koulievin Hollywood withThe Master Projectproduction started rehearsals on stage with his own adaptation of Bulgakov's novelThe Master and Margarita.The premier was scheduled for 14 October 2007, but was postponed. Some excerpts and information can be viewed on theMaster and Margaritawebsite.
• In 2008, aSwedishstage production ofMästaren och Margaritadirected by Leif Stinnerbom was performed at theStockholm City Theatre,starring Philip Zandén (The Master), Frida Westerdahl (Margarita),Jakob Eklund(Woland) andIngvar Hirdwall(Pilate).
• In 2010, a new, original stage translation, written by Max Hoehn and Raymond Blankenhorn, was used by theOxford University Dramatic SocietySummer Tour, performing in Oxford,Battersea Arts Centrein London, and atC Venuesat theEdinburgh Festival Fringe.
• In 2011,Complicitepremiered its new adaptation, directed bySimon McBurneyat Theatre Royal Plymouth. It toured to Luxembourg, London, Madrid, Vienna, Recklinghausen, Amsterdam. In July 2012 it toured to theFestival d'Avignonand the Grec Festival in Barcelona.
• In October 2013, Lodestar Theatre premiered a new adaptation by Max Rubin at theUnity Theatre, Liverpool.
• December 2015, Macedonian National Theater (Skopje,North Macedonia). Director: Ivan Popovski.
• In August 2016, Sleepless Theatre Company performed a revised adaptation of the book at theEdinburgh Festival FringeatSt Cuthbert's Church.
• In 2018,LjubljanaPuppet Theatre premiered a special production, composed of two distinct parts (also directed by two separate artists): an interactive theatrical journey through the theatre building including visual art, entitledThe Devil's Triptych,and a separate "theatrical gospel" namedMargareta(Margarita), both taking place simultaneously inside and in front of the theatre building (thus theatregoers are required to visit on multiple occasions should they wish to experience the totality of the production). This adaptation premiered in June 2018 to favourable reviews.
• In November 2023, a production in Sydney, Australia started at the Belvoir Theatre with a limited run ending in December.
• In March and April 2024, Dacha Theatre Company in Seattle, Washington, staged a three-hour production translated, adapted, and directed by Dacha co-founder Mike Lion.

Ballet and dance

• In 2003, thePerm Opera and Ballet Theatre,Russia, presentedMaster i Margarita,a new full-length ballet set to music by Gustav Mahler, Dmitri Shostakovich, Hector Berlioz, Astor Piazzolla and other composers. Choreography and staging by David Avdysh, set design by Simon Pastukh (USA) and costume design by Galina Solovyova (USA).
• In 2007, theNational Opera of Ukraine,Kyiv,premiered David Avdysh'sThe Master and Margarita,a ballet-phantasmagoriain two acts.
• 2010:Synetic TheaterofArlington, VA,presented a dance/performance adaptation ofThe Master and Margaritadirected byPaata Tsikurishviliand choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili. The show featured a cast of 16, including Paata Tsikurishvili as Master and Irina Tsikurishvili as Margarita. It ran for one month at theLansburgh Theatre.
• In 2015,EstoniantheatreVanemuinepremiered a dance adaptation "Meister ja Margarita", directed by Janek Savolainen.
• In 2021, theBolshoi Balletpremiered a new full-length ballet namedMaster and Margarita,set to music byAlfred Schnitkeand Milko Lazar, conducted byAnton Grishanin.Choreography byEdward Clug,set design byMarko Japelj,costume design byLeo Kulašand lighting design byTomaž Premzl.

Music

Hundreds of composers, bands, singers and songwriters were inspired byThe Master and Margaritain their work. Some 250 songs or musical pieces have been counted about it.

Rock music

More than 35 rock bands and artists, includingThe Rolling Stones,Patti Smith,Franz FerdinandandPearl Jam,have been inspired by the novel.

Pop music

In pop music, more than 15 popular bands and artists, includingIgor Nikolayev,Valery Leontiev,Zsuzsa Koncz,Larisa DolinaandLinda,have been inspired by the novel.Valery Leontiev's song "Margarita" was the basis of the first Russian music video, produced in 1989.

Russian bards

Many Russian bards, includingAlexander Rosenbaum,have been inspired by the novel to write songs about it. They have based more than 200 songs on themes and characters fromThe Master and Margarita.

Classical music

A dozen classical composers, includingDmitri SmirnovandAndrey Petrov,have been inspired by the novel to write symphonies and musical phantasies about it.

2011: Australian composer and domra (Russian mandolin) player Stephen Lalor presented his "Master & Margarita Suite" of instrumental pieces in concert at the Bulgakov Museum Moscow in July 2011, performed on the Russian instruments domra, cimbalom, bass balalaika, and bayan.

Opera and musical theatre

More than 15 composers, includingYork Höller,Alexander GradskyandSergei Slonimsky,have made operas and musicals on the theme ofThe Master and Margarita.

• 1972: Three-act chamber operaThe Master and Margaritaby Russian composerSergei Slonimskywas completed, but not allowed to be performed or published. It premiered in concert in Moscow on 20 May 1989, and the score was released in 1991. An abridged Western premiere of this work was produced inHanover,Germany in June 2000.
• 1977: A musical adaptation (under the title "Satan's Ball" ) written by Richard Crane and directed by his wife Faynia Williams was presented at theEdinburgh Fringe Festivalby theUniversity of BradfordDrama Group atBedlam Theatre.It won a Fringe First award, and garnered excellent reviews.
• 1989: The German composer York Höller's operaDer Meister und Margaritawas premiered in 1989 at theParis Opéraand released on CD in 2000.
• On 25 August 2006,Andrew Lloyd Webberannounced intentions to adapt the novel as a stage musical or opera.In 2007, it was reported byStagethat he had abandoned that work.
• In late 2009, a Russian singer and composerAlexander Gradskyreleased a four-CD opera adaptation of the novel. It stars Gradsky as the Master, Woland, Yeshua and Behemoth;Nikolai Fomenkoas Koroviev, Mikhail Seryshev (formerly ofMaster) as Ivan; Elena Minina as Margarita; and many renowned Russian singers and actors in episodic roles, including (but not limited to)Iosif Kobzon,Lyubov Kazarnovskaya,Andrei Makarevich,Alexander Rosenbaum,Arkady Arkanov,Gennady Khazanovand the lateGeorgi Millyar(voice footage from one of his movies was used).
• 2021: A musical theatre adaptation was produced by theTeatr Muzyczny w GdyniofGdynia,Poland,directed byJanusz Józefowicz,with music byJanusz Stokłosa,and lyrics byYuriy RyashentsevandAndrzej Poniedzielski.

Other music

Five alternative composers and performers, includingSimon Nabatov,have been inspired by the novel to present various adaptations.

In 2009,Portuguesenew media artistsVideo Jack premiered anaudiovisual artperformance inspired by the novel atKiasma,Helsinki, as part of the PixelAche Festival. Since then, it has been shown in festivals in different countries, having won an honorable mention award at Future Places Festival,Porto.The project was released as anet artversion later that year.

See also

• The Gulag Archipelago
• Azazel in popular culture
• Big Read (Bulgaria)
• Big Read (Hungarian)
• Christian literature
• Devil in popular culture
• Fantastic
• Le Monde's100 Books of the Century
• List of works published posthumously
• Magic realism
• Surrealism
• The Big Read
• Urban fantasy
• Wayland the Smith
• Works based on Faust

Bibliography

• Haber, Edythe C (October 1975). "The Mythic Structure of Bulgakov's 'The Master'".The Russian Review:382–409.doi:10.2307/127871.JSTOR127871.
• Hart, Pierre S (Summer 1973). "The Master and Margarita as Creative Process".Modern Fiction Studies:169–78.
• Lukács, G (1973).Studies in European Realism.Merlin.
• ——— (1974).The Meaning of Contemporary Realism.Merlin.
• Moss, Kevin (1984). "Bulgakov's 'Master and Margarita': Masking the Supernatural and the Secret Police".Russian Language Journal.38(129/130): 115–131.JSTOR43669433.
• Reidel-Schrewe, Ursula (April 1995). "Key and Tripod in Mikhail Bulgakov'sMaster and Margarita".Neophilologus.79(2): 273–82.doi:10.1007/bf00999783.S2CID161673514.
• Townsend, Dorian Aleksandra (May 2011).From Upyr' to Vampire: The Slavic Vampire Myth in Russian Literature(Ph.D.). School of German and Russian Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of New South Wales.
• Vanhellemont, Jan (January 2020).The Master and Margarita - Annotations per chapter.Leuven: Vanhellemont.ISBN978-9-081853-32-3.
• Vanhellemont, Jan (January 2021).Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Master & Margarita.Leuven: Vanhellemont.ISBN978-9-081853-37-8.

External links

• "The Master and Margarita"(in Dutch, English, French, and Russian).EU.—Website devoted solely to Bulgakov'sThe Master and Margarita.
• "The Master and Margarita".Lib(full text).RU.Archived fromthe originalon 6 June 2011.
• "The Master and Margarita".Get parallel translations(in Russian and English).
• "The Master and Margarita".Chkebelski(excerpts).DE.Archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2011.Retrieved12 March2005.in three languages.
• "A large collection of illustrations forThe Master and Margarita".Litvinovs.net(in Russian).RU.
• Sonne, Paul (19 December 2005)."Russians Await a Cult Novel's Film Debut With Eagerness and Skepticism".The New York Times.Retrieved31 October2013.
• Hedges, Chris(10 March 2014)."Welcome to Satan's Ball".Truthdig.A comparison of the Soviet society described inMaster and Margaritaand modern society in the United States and Russia.
• "Bulgakov museum"(in Russian). Moscow, The Odd Flat.
• "Diary".Bulgakov museum(in Russian). Moscow. Archived fromthe originalon 24 January 2009.
• "Bulgakov andThe Master and Margarita".Middlebury College.Useful introduction with much illustrative material.
• Master and MargaritaatIMDb
• "Ambassador John Beyrle's 2010 recreation of the 1935 Spring Ball at Spaso House, attended by Bulgakov, which inspired the Ball inThe Master and Margarita"(video). YouTube.
• The Master and MargaritaTV adaptation articles and comments(Archived)
• Spira, Veronika (1992). Fabiny, Tibor (ed.)."God, Evil, and the Saviour: Hermeneutics and the Reconstruction of a Character In Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita"(PDF).Literary Theory and Biblical Hermeneutics.Szeged:217–225.