Well, a a couple of points
For me Margarita is nothing like Tatyana, whose character is not even half strong as Margo's. She saves her lover like Gretchen does in "Faust" (there are in general a great number of similarities between "M&M" and faust) but not just by asking the Virgin but making the pact with the devil- wouldn't any of us want a woman like that? Margarita originally didn't have much of a role in te novel and only in the final versions she became the main heroine- after Bulgakov married his 3rd wife Elena Sergeevna.
Bulgakov doesn't mock religion- it's more like he mocks its modern interpretation- the whole argument that I've read about Jeshua being unhappy that Master has depicted him as human would make the hero of Bulgakov's novel very unhappy.
About master not earning the light but only peace. First of all who decided that light is better- that's what Woland tells Master and Margarita. But for me there is much more important reason. Jeshua says that cowardice is the worst of vices, and Master is very guilty of it- he doesn't fight for his novel, he gives it up, burns it and voluntarily goes to asylum (btw unbelievably prophetic- in later Soviet years dissidents were put into asylum- how can you not be happy under our great regime- you must be crazy). We know that "manuscripts do not burn", but the fact is the fact- Master is a very weak man who is saved by extremely strong and resourceful woman. And here we can feel Bulgakov's own guilt- after all he did exactly what Master did by burning the first version of "M&M" (it was called differently), and he did even worse than that- he compromised with Stalin writing a play about him. I am not saying that to condemn him or somethig- after all it was almost impossible for a writer in USSR not to compromise at least a bit, and Stalin (whose favorite play btw was Bulgakov's "Days of Turbins") did personally called him and then elped to obtain work at one of Moscow theatres. I do not judge him, but he himself undoubtedly did. He himself thinks that he is not worthy of light, he feels guilty...
Yes i thought that too, that since the Master is the creator of the story he is the one who can set his creation free..but Pilat is supposedly waiting for about 2000 years..before Master wrote his novel Errmmmm..ok. Nevermind
That's what i believe too.. After all Master's faith is discussed and determined and not Margarita's. Margarita short of follows
Can you expand on this a bit? Sounds interesting
great post Alexei
That's why i believe he (Bulgakov) is mocking religion because the interpretation of the scriptures (wittily portrayed in the book with the juxtaposition of the true story vs Mathew Levy's distortion of it) is what most people believe in after all I am an atheist, so i don't have much of an opinion about the said interpretation. Everyone is free to believe whatever he/she wants and everyone is free not to believe, also
Hehehe not necessarily (in the context of the book, always ).
Hey Boris i believe you aren't reading this book for the first time, eh?
I think you are right..perhaps one should read this book twice in order to get the most of it It's like reading a black comedy directed by David Lynch if you know what i mean
Anyway, i liked your explanation (after all it is repeatedly said that cowardice is the worst of sins, so this must be significant). And if you consider the information you'd given us about Bulgakov's life it indeed makes sense
Through the darkness of future past
the magician longs to see
one chance out between two worlds
'Fire walk with me.'
Twin Peaks
Her pact with Devil was made only from her wish to save Master and their love, so all her ''bad'' actions are product of her love. God didn't made her that kind of deal, and Satan did so she ended up with Satan.
But Master's novel was saying about what happened 2000 years ago, and it was very accurate, just like it really did happen. That's way Pilate was still waiting (parallel worlds )
Jeshua is 27 instead of 33 years old, soldier stabbed him in his heart instead of his ribs, Levi Matheus was his disciple but Joseph from Arimatheus took his body and putted it in the grave, Jeshua was somewhere there under some rocks, Jesus's grave was a known spot. Woland or Devil on Earth is like a question: You want to see Apocalypse? Here you go! Apocalypse should be the end, and it doesn't look so, does it?Can you expand on this a bit? Sounds interesting
So, it looks to me that he laughs to story about Jesus!
At thunder and tempest, At the world's coldheartedness,
During times of heavy loss And when you're sad
The greatest art on earth Is to seem uncomplicatedly gay.
To get things clear, they have to firstly be very unclear. But if you get them too quickly, you probably got them wrong.
If you need me urgent, send me a PM
Through the darkness of future past
the magician longs to see
one chance out between two worlds
'Fire walk with me.'
Twin Peaks
Well, ends just the cause, does it?
At thunder and tempest, At the world's coldheartedness,
During times of heavy loss And when you're sad
The greatest art on earth Is to seem uncomplicatedly gay.
To get things clear, they have to firstly be very unclear. But if you get them too quickly, you probably got them wrong.
If you need me urgent, send me a PM
I did not read the book and, much to my regret, will not have the time to join in the discussion. My understanding is that the book is chock full of symbolism that is often overlooked by Western readers. Does anyone know what those symbols are?
Master and Margarita mini serial was recorded in 2005, I heard it's great. You can find it and download it on....yes, it's forbidden; I know
So, try to find if you like; if you can't send me PM and I'll help you.
At thunder and tempest, At the world's coldheartedness,
During times of heavy loss And when you're sad
The greatest art on earth Is to seem uncomplicatedly gay.
To get things clear, they have to firstly be very unclear. But if you get them too quickly, you probably got them wrong.
If you need me urgent, send me a PM
Before I retired from the forum I started reading The Master and Margarita, but even with the well endowed footnotes from Richard Fevear, in my e-edition, I find the subversive intent of Bulgakov to be elusive, maybe not quite as baffling as Flan's The Third Policeman, but still puzzling, at least to the extent that Menippean satire is not something I master easily, Swift's work being an exception. This is not to say that the dynamic within the text isn't appealing. The jagged locking of horns between Berlioz, Homeless, and the professor is funny, as is the editor's death, but Bulgakov isn't Tolstoy, with a messianic strain thrumming our ear drums.
Conceptually, to me state ideology and religous orthodoxy are flip sides of the same coin, so thus far, I am not sure who or what I'm rooting for, wondering the meanwhile if there isn't a Russian author alive or dead who doesn't annoy me on some level, even Tatyana, whose work I enjoy.
I'm still in the opening chapters, however, and won't push myself any further along, for now.