All the Secrets of the Novel 'The Master and Margarita'

More than 500 materials about the main novel by Mikhail Bulgakov—ranging from the circumstances of its creation and the system of characters to Moscow and Ershalaim toponyms, as well as symbolism of colors and numbers.

Literary scholar Viktoriya Krapiva examines [The Master and Margarita] from every angle: archaisms and allusions, mythological layers, and well-known phrases.

This is a guide for anyone who wants to finally read and understand the great text down to the finest nuances.

A GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE OF THE NOVEL, ITS HEROES, ITS STORY OF COMPOSITION, AND THE ERA.

This literary encyclopedia of Mikhail Bulgakov’s main work includes over 500 articles and sheds maximum light on the novel in the most diverse dimensions. The manuscript and publication history, characters, the geography of Moscow and Ershalaim, archaisms, historicisms, and anachronisms, set quotations and “winged” expressions, real historical figures, sources and influences, citations and cross-references, allusions, deities, myths and fairy-tale motifs, color and number symbolism… — Viktoriya Krapiva brings together every facet of one of the key books of world literature.

The fate of [The Master and Margarita], like that of many Bulgakov texts, seems mystically unbelievable: the novel’s posthumous history unfolded as if it were itself following a fantastic plot. The author, who during his lifetime was banned and rejected, is today one of the most published, read, and studied writers not only in Russia but also beyond its borders; Bulgakov consistently ranks among the most popular Russian-language authors. And Woland’s prophecy, spoken with a lazy smirk—“your novel will bring you more surprises”—came true on a truly devilish scale.