Enter the Weird and Wonderful World of Bulgakov’s ‘The Master and Margarita’

Are you looking for your next read? Do you like Russian literature? Well, why not give Mikhail Bulgakov’s ‘The Master and Margarita’ a go! It is a strange yet fascinating tale, whose popularity has endured since it was written. This article will explain the plot, the story behind the book and its author, as well as the complex reception of the work. 

Plot

The book is split into two parts, with the main thread of the plot occurring in Moscow in the 1930s. Here, a version of the devil appears, using the name Woland. Woland is accompanied by various henchmen, with whom he wreaks havoc throughout the city. He exposes the many flaws of the Muscovites and of the system that governs them. The second part introduces Margarita, who is the mistress of the other title character, the Master. Margarita meets Woland, and they have multiple encounters in the strange world of Woland. Finally, Woland, his henchmen, and the Master and Margarita, turn into pure spirits. The Moscow authorities attribute the chaos in the city to hysteria and hypnosis. 

However, there is another story intwined with the central plot. This is the story of Jesus, called Yeshua in the book, and his trial with Pontius Pilate. This parallel plot adds to the bewildering nature of the book. Eventually the reader learns that this plotline is in fact the story which the Master is writing, which he is struggling to finish. Overall, the plot is a wonderful combination of wonder and mystery. The satirical work is both funny and highly critical of the soviet state. 

History

Mikhail Afansevich Bulgakov was born in Kiev in 1891. His father was a respected academic, who died when Mikhail Bulgakov was only 16. The young Bulgakov married Tatiana Lappa when he was 22 and they moved to the countryside where he worked as a doctor. During the civil war, he enlisted with the anti-Bolshevik White Army, but soon decided to give up medicine and focus on his passion for writing. He began writing and experienced some success, but was a constant victim of censorship. His love life was tumultuous, being married two further times after divorcing Tatiana. The one thing that did remain consistent was his writing, an activity that he continued until he died in 1940. 

Writing his work ‘The Master and Margarita’ occupied the last years of his life. Bulgakov began writing his most famous work in 1928, and continued to work on it up until his death. He took influence from famous works like Goethe’s ‘Faust’, the works of Gogol, and of course, the Bible. Bulgakov had huge difficultly writing the book, even burning an early draft of the work. This inspired the famous saying ‘manuscripts don’t burn’. It means that ideas and creative works can be destroyed physically, but their sentiment never dies. 

Reception

As previously stated, Bulgakov’s work often faced censorship, and ‘The Master and Margarita’ was no exception. In fact, it was targeted so much that it was not even published in his lifetime. Due to the anti-Soviet sentiments, it was only published in Russia in 1972. This was during the period of glasnost’, when the authorities were becoming more lenient to state criticism and western ideologies. However, this did not stop the book from being read. Copies of the work were passed around in secret, and subversive citizens read the revolutionary work. Furthermore, it was published abroad earlier, and so received much attention and praise across the world. 

This popularity has continued right up to today. There are been several film adaptations of the work (5 to be exact). The latest was released in 2024 and was a huge hit in Russia. The famous Rolling Stone’s song ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ even seems to have been inspired by the book. Seen on posters, tote bags, post cards, the book has certainly become a cult classic. 

So, there is a short summary of the plot, history, and reception of this famous work. The book will undoubtedly keep you entertained with its weird and wonderful plot. It will also help you understand the importance of literature at conveying anti-Soviet sentiments. Overall, I would highly recommend reading the weird and wonderful Bulgakov’s ‘The Master and Margarita’ (if you dare!)