Mikhail Bulgakov.
-(1891 – 1940)
-Russian medical doctor turned writer
-Russian Orthodox
Mikhail Bulgakov was born in Kyiv, Ukraine (then a part of the Russian Empire). Despite both of his grandfathers being priests and read the gospels aloud to the children. Bulgakov, however, showed an early interest in medicine, which he studied at Kyiv University. After becoming ill with typhus, he abandoned his medical career to write. After writing several plays, he moved to Moscow with his wife Tatyana, whom he later divorced. Bulgakov worked on various literary and journalistic jobs while writing The White Army – a novel about the life of a White Army officer's family in civil war-era Kyiv, parts of which were read during various literary gatherings and other occasions throughout the city. This was also when both Notes of a Young Doctor, based on Bulgakov's work as a country doctor in the 1910s, and The Diaboliad – a Kafkaesque tragedy – were written. In 1930, he wrote to the government, requesting permission to emigrate. Back then, Bulgakov was best known in the country for the plays he wrote for Moscow Art Theatre. Joseph Stalin was thought to be fond of The Days of the Turbins (a play based on The White Guard) and replied to the writer himself with a phone call. Stalin also used his influence to employ the writer at a small Moscow theatre. Read more at Prominent Russians: Mikhail Bulgakov.
Russian literature is known for wrestling with universal questions about the nature of good and evil, human freedom, moral responsibility, and political utopianism. This is because it was written under extreme conditions with a literary intensity that presents a confrontation of evil. Bulgakov’s writings give essential insight into the cultural impact of an atheistic mindset. In a society where the most excellent goods are not religion or transcendence but material possessions and creature comforts—the consequence is a base and stupid society where everyone looks out for themselves, and selfishness reigns through a narrow pursuit of personal gratification. This narrowness of ideas and shallow character are all the direct consequence of the belief that humans are just molecules without purpose or accountability to any ultimate authority and have no future beyond our time on earth.
“The tongue can conceal the truth, but the eyes never! You’re asked an unexpected question, and you don’t even flinch, it takes just a second to get yourself under control, you know just what you have to say to hide the truth, and you speak very convincingly, and nothing in your face twitches to give you away. But the truth, alas, has been disturbed by the question, and it rises up from the depths of your soul to flicker in your eyes and all is lost.”
The Master and Margarita
Bulgakov’s most well-known work, The Master and Margarita, is known as the most devilish book in Russian literature. It ridiculed much about Soviet life. Indian writer Salman Rushdie listed The Master and Margarita among the inspirations for his novel The Satanic Verses, just like Mick Jagger for his song Sympathy for the Devil. And painter H. R. Giger named a 1976 painting of his The Master and Margarita. Experts say the novel contains many biographical motifs and references. He wrote covertly while living during the darkest period of Stalin's repressive Communist regime and wasn’t published until after his death. It appeared in the Soviet publication in 1966, with massive censorship edits.
In an aggressively atheistic Soviet state, Bulgakov dared to mix a critique of the developing Soviet society with a unique retelling of the gospels in his novel. It begins with two individuals, a young poet and an important literary figure, walking around the Patriarch’s Ponds discussing the poet’s recent poem on Jesus Christ. Soon, they are joined by the Devil himself in the discussion. After the conversation, Satan, with the help of a weird and wonderful entourage of accomplices (notably the massive talking black cat known as Behemoth), goes on to wreak havoc among Moscow’s citizens, in turn exposing their greed and narrow-mindedness. The storylines exhibit Christian symbols such as compassion, self-sacrifice, repentance, constancy, and mercy. At the same time, revealing expressions of human freedom include satire, cleverness, retributive justice, romantic love, artistry, madness, ecstasy, and pride.
In discussing the portrayal of Christ, Bulgakov's depiction alters the unalterable facts of the Gospels but, far from creating a piece of arch heresy, he composes a Christ figure who, in essence, bears many of the messages of the New Testament and displays a calm, honest and simple goodness to which Christian teaching also aspires. Bulgakov subtly shows the reader Christ's true powers on earth and, though far from suggesting a glorious portrayal of Christ on the throne in judgment so common in the iconography of the Church, he pictures Christ in heaven as still the wandering philosopher who comes to greet Pilate personally. His divine nature is conveyed through the conversation between Levi Matvei and Woland, where we are given to understand that this once humble man is indeed an omnipotent God.
The overall theme is that good and evil do not exist independently of each other but that each requires the other. Bulgakov’s concept of dualism assumes that there are two separate entities, good and evil, which are equally powerful (God vs Satan). However, according to Scripture, no two opposing forces of equal power exist. God Almighty is the most potent force in the universe without exception, and Satan (Evil) is a lesser force that will always be defeated. Another theme is he shows how authentic art holds a mirror to society itself - exposing people’s most sinful attributes. As an artist might do, Woland and his gang create a spectacle to highlight the greed and pride of the Moscow populace.
The Apocalyptic Vision of Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita (pdf download)
The Master and Margarita: Satire and Transcendence (article) - The Master and Margarita is thus a complex narrative woven from three strands: in present-day Moscow occurs the devil’s visit and the story of the two lovers, and nineteen centuries past occurs the story of Christ (Yeshua) and Pilate. The disjointed storylines do come together meaningfully. The novel is an outpouring of resistance against the spiritual and intellectual ills of its time and further suggests that its disparate storylines, tones, and moods all contribute to that resistance and that the novel’s purpose is to suggest ways to break out of the spiritual poverty of the age without falling into an untenable religious dogmatism.
The Master and Margarita: Devilish Satire by BBC (audio) - this story tells the fantastical tale of the devil's visit to the Soviet Union. Its blend of biting satire and magic realism created a sensation in Russia and the West, inspiring rock bands like The Rolling Stones.
Religious Doctrine in the Works of Mikhail Bulgakov (pdf download) - understanding Bulgakov's faith is essential when approaching his works. There is no denying the influence of Christian thought in his novels, and so the question of the extent to which Bulgakov was a believer is fundamental, not only for obtaining a balanced view of his more 'religious' passages but also for understanding his characters and the times in which they live. Understanding the characters also lets the reader grasp something of Bulgakov's insight into life. For Bulgakov, literature points to faith, and that faith is reflected back into literature.
5 Must-Read Books by Mikhail Bulgakov (article) - one of the most mysterious and funniest Russian writers, Bulgakov had a turbulent, complicated life and troubles with censorship and the Soviet system. All of this is reflected in his brilliant works, some published only after his death.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Bulgakov (article) - Mikhail Bulgakov, like his infamous novels, was surrounded by mystery. He was known to be eccentric and spontaneous, and many rumors surrounded him during his life. Though banned for the better part of the 20th century, his works are now widely read and appreciated for their bold, unprecedented ideas.
Following Master and his Margarita. Moscow through Mikhail Bulgakov's Eyes (article) - Master and Margarita is a masterpiece and a pleasure to read - funny, sad, romantic, and philosophical at the same time and contains allusions to the life in Moscow of the 1930s, Bulgakov's contemporaries would have easily decrypted that and that are not necessarily clear to us nowadays. The novel is a masterpiece because even without knowing the history of that terrifying period, we enjoy reading it - it contains something for each generation of readers.
Master & Margarita (website) - features character, place, and context descriptions
The Master and Margarita as Philosophical and Theological Concern with the Human Condition (article) - religious and philosophical analysis of The Master and Margarita suggests placing life in the Soviet Union into an apocryphal framework, where daily life was seen as a metaphorical battle between forces of good and forces of evil, battles in which humanity must work with the divine to prevail.
The Master and Margarita Mikhail Bulgakov (ebook)
The Master and Margarita (audiobook)
“You pronounced your words as if you don’t acknowledge the shadows, or the evil either. Would you be so kind as to give a little thought to the question of what your good would be doing if evil did not exist, and how the earth would look if the shadows were to disappear from it?”
Historical Context During Mikhail Bulgakov’s Life
Joseph Stalin rose from humble beginnings to become the leader of the Soviet Union, one of the world’s largest superpowers, unafraid to sacrifice anything or anyone to achieve power. His political opponents would be shot, his own citizens would be hunted down by the secret police, and millions would be sentenced to backbreaking work in Gulag labor camps.
When Stalin came to power, Bulgakov had a tough time. His stories, novels, and plays were very popular among the public but unanimously abused by state critics and banned by the authorities. Though Stalin said he loved Bulgakov's plays, he was prohibited from publishing and staging them.
In the chapter Historical and Political Context, you can read about how the Soviet Union emerged and how the country was organized under Stalin, with a particular focus on the secret police, which played a significant role not only in The Master and Margarita but also in the daily lives of Soviet citizens.
In the chapter, Economic Context, two other essential themes from the novel are discussed: housing and currency policies.
The chapter Social and Cultural Context describes some social and cultural aspects of Russian society. These were not different in the Stalin period than in the periods before or after. However, knowing them can help you better understand some parts of the novel.
In the chapter The Literary Scenery we describe not only the environment in which writers such as Bulgakov had to try to survive but also the poet Aleksandr Pushkin, who is often mentioned in The Master and Margarita and who, still today, is of great importance for all Russians.
During Stalin's regime in Russia, one author was daring enough to write a Satire - Mikhail Bulgakov.
This episode discusses the essential historical context and themes from Mikhail Bulgakov's magnum opus, The Master & Margarita.
Nothing in the whole of literature compares with The Master and Margarita. One spring afternoon, the Devil, trailing fire and chaos in his wake, weaves himself out of the shadows and into Moscow. Mikhail Bulgakov’s fantastical, funny, and devastating satire of Soviet life combines two distinct yet interwoven parts, one set in contemporary Moscow, the other in ancient Jerusalem, each brimming with historical, imaginary, frightful, and beautiful characters. Written during the darkest days of Stalin’s reign and finally published in 1966 and 1967, The Master and Margarita became a literary phenomenon, signaling artistic and spiritual freedom for Russians everywhere.
Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita, set in Stalin’s Moscow, is an intriguing work with a complex structure, fantastic comic episodes, and moments of great beauty. Readers are often left tantalized but uncertain how to understand its rich meanings. To what extent is it political? Or religious? And how should we interpret the Satanic Woland? This reader’s companion offers readers a biographical introduction and analysis of the novel's structure and main themes. More curious readers will also enjoy the accounts of the novel’s writing and publication history, alongside analyses of the work’s astonishing linguistic complexity and a review of available English translations.
With cinematic vividness, Bulgakov puts us on the streets of a gracious, historic city as it is successively besieged by invading Germans, Ukrainian nationalists, the Red Guard of the Bolsheviks, and the White Guard loyal to the recently executed tsar. Once wealthy and secure in Russia, the Turbin siblings have fled to Kyiv to escape the ongoing civil war but find themselves surrounded by chaos and danger. As Bulgakov depicts their devotion to a doomed cause and the surreal horrors they face, he provides a view of grandly panoramic and movingly intimate history.
Exploring newly available archives that have opened up following the dissolution of the USSR, Curtis draws on new historical documents to trace Bulgakov’s life. She offers insights into his absolute determination to establish himself as a writer in Bolshevik Moscow, his three marriages and tumultuous personal life, and his triumphs as a dramatist in the 1920s. She also reveals how he struggled to defend his art and preserve his integrity in Russia under the scrutiny of Stalin himself, who would personally weigh in each time whether one of his plays should be permitted or banned. Based upon many years of research and examining previously little-known letters and diaries, this is an absorbing account of the life and work of one of Russia’s most inventive and exuberant novelists and playwrights.
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