The Devil went down to Moscow.

A review of The Master and Margarita.

“Yes, man is mortal, but that would be only half the trouble. The worst of it is that he's sometimes unexpectedly mortal—there's the trick!”
― Woland

The Master and Margarita is as a satirical attack on the hypocrisy, cowardice, and absurdity of life in the Soviet Union during Stalin’s reign. In other words, it narrates the tale of the time the devil went down to Moscow. Penned by Mikhail Bulgakov between 1928 and 1940, the novel was first published uncensored in 1973, decades after Bulgakov’s demise. Bulgakov, a doctor and playwright, shared a complicated relationship with Stalin, receiving both praise and censorship from the Soviet leader. Stalin reportedly admired Bulgakov’s, The Days of the Turbins, viewing it at least 15 times, yet he personally banned Bulgakov’s play, Flight.

The narrative opens on a spring day at the Patriarch's Ponds in Moscow, where Ivan Homeless, a poet, and Berlioz, head of the literary trade union, engage in a discussion on the most effective way to discredit Christianity; should they mock Jesus or doubt his existence? Their conversation is interrupted by an eccentric foreigner named Professor Woland, who reveals himself as Satan. Woland informs them that Jesus was indeed real and that he knew him personally, recounting the story of his trial under Pontius Pilate, which he was witness to.

Accompanying Woland is an absurd cast of characters: Hella, a naked redheaded vampire; Korovyev, Woland's translator and magician; Azazello, a fanged wall-eyed assassin; and Behemoth, an enormous talking black cat the size of a pig, who enjoys vodka, smoking, and has a fondness for chess and guns. Alongside his retinue, Woland causes chaos across Moscow, burning homes, decapitating people, basic Satanic stuff. While Woland's purpose in Moscow remains unclear throughout the novel, it seems most likely to be some form of punishment for the Muscovites.

Amidst the chaos, we meet Margarita, a bored housewife who has fallen in love with another man. This man, known only as the Master, is a writer suffering from an unknown mental illness. He has written a novel about the cowardice of Pontius Pilate in failing to save Jesus from crucifixion. After the Master's novel is rejected by corrupt Soviet publishers, he experiences a mental breakdown and checks himself into a psychiatric hospital.

The narrative shifts back and forth between Moscow and Jerusalem. In Moscow, Margarita is transformed into a witch, flying around the city naked on a broom, becoming queen of a satanic ball, and "rescuing" the Master. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, we witness the guilt and anxiety of Pilate following the crucifixion.

The secondary plot revolving around Pilate is where the novel shines its brightest; it feels real and grounded. However, that's not to say the rest of the novel lacks quality—it's comically absurd and over-the-top.

The real challenge with "The Master and Margarita" lies in its setting. The novel was crafted for a specific time and place, with many references lost on those unfamiliar with the Russian literary scene under Stalin. Fans of Russian literature understand all too well that cultural and political references present a challenge for non-Russian readers. Therefore, any translation worth its salt will include an extensive notes section. While the themes in Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky are universal—love, faith, tragedy—those in The Master and Margarita are more niche. Combined with its absurd Russian magical realism, the novel feels less impactful. While reading, The Master and Margarita, you often feel as though you are sitting in on a joke that you know should be funny yet isn’t.

Despite its shortcomings, The Master and Margarita remains a classic piece of satire and imagination, offering a unique glimpse into the complexities of Soviet society under Stalin's regime. Despite its niche appeal archaic cultural references, Bulgakov's work endures as a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition, inviting readers to ponder the eternal struggle between good and evil, sanity and madness, in a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

The Master and Margarita may seem absurd, but in a world where the line between satire and reality continues to blur, perhaps it will soon feel as relevant as it did all those summers ago in Moscow.

“But would you kindly ponder this question: What would your good do if
evil didn't exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadows
disappeared? After all, shadows are cast by things and people. Here is the
shadow of my sword. But shadows also come from trees and living beings.
Do you want to strip the earth of all trees and living things just because
of your fantasy of enjoying naked light? You're stupid.”
― Woland

-TJS