An essay on the topic of Love and the fate of the master in the novel by M.A. Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" read for free
The novel “The Master and Margarita” is the pinnacle of Bulgakov’s creativity. In the novel, the author touches on many different problems. One of which is a writer's tragedy of a man who lived in the 30s. For a real writer, the worst thing is not to be able to write about what you think about, to freely express your thoughts. This problem also affected one of the main characters of the novel - the Master.
The master differs sharply from other writers in Moscow. All ranks of MASSOLIT, one of the largest Moscow literary associations, write to order. The main thing for them is material wealth. Ivan Bezdomny admits to the Master that his poems are terrible. In order to write something good, you need to put your soul into the work. And the topics that Ivan writes about do not interest him at all. The master writes a novel about Pontius Pilate, while one of characteristic features 30s is the denial of the existence of God.
The master wants to gain recognition, become famous, and arrange his life. But money is not the main thing for the Master. The author of the novel about Pontius Pilate calls himself a Master. His beloved also calls him the same. The name of the Master is not given in the novel, since this person appears in the work as a talented writer, the author of a brilliant creation.
The master lives in a small basement at home, but this does not oppress him at all. Here he can calmly do what he loves. Margarita helps him in everything. The novel about Pontius Pilate is the Master's life's work. He put his whole soul into writing this novel.
The tragedy of the Master is that he tried to find recognition in a society of hypocrites and cowards. They refuse to publish the novel. But it was clear from the manuscript that his novel had been read and reread. Such a work could not go unnoticed. There was an immediate reaction in the literary community. Articles criticizing the novel poured in. Fear and despair settled in the Master's soul. He decided that the novel was the cause of all his misfortunes and therefore burned it. Soon after the publication of Latunsky's article, the Master ends up in a psychiatric hospital. Woland returns the novel to the Master and takes him and Margarita with him, since they have no place among greedy, cowardly, insignificant people.
The Master's fate and his tragedy echo the fate of Bulgakov. Bulgakov, like his hero, writes a novel where he raises questions of Christianity, and also burns the first draft of his novel. The novel “The Master and Margarita” remained unrecognized by critics. Only many years later he became famous and was recognized a brilliant creation Bulgakov. Confirmed famous phrase Wolanda: “Manuscripts don’t burn!” The masterpiece did not disappear without a trace, but received worldwide recognition.
The tragic fate of the Master is typical of many writers who lived in the 30s. Literary censorship did not allow works that differed from the general flow of what needed to be written about. The masterpieces could not find recognition. Writers who dared to freely express their thoughts ended up in psychiatric hospitals and died in poverty without achieving fame. In his novel, Bulgakov reflected the real situation of writers in this difficult time.
One of the main characters in Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita” is the Master. The life of this man, like his character, is complex and unusual. Each era in history gives humanity new talented people, whose activities reflect, to one degree or another, the reality surrounding them. Such a person is the Master who creates his own great novel in conditions where they cannot and do not want to evaluate it on its merits, just as they cannot evaluate the novel of Bulgakov himself. In The Master and Margarita, reality and fantasy are inseparable from each other and create an extraordinary picture of Russia in the twenties of our century.
The atmosphere in which the Master creates his novel is not in itself conducive to the unusual topic to which he devotes it. But the writer, regardless of her, writes about what excites and interests him, inspires him to be creative. His desire was to create a work that would be admired. He wanted well-deserved fame and recognition. He was not interested in the money that could be made for a book if it was popular. He wrote, sincerely believing in what he was creating, without the goal of obtaining material gain. The only person who admired him was Margarita. When they read the chapters of the novel together, not yet suspecting the disappointment that lay ahead, they were excited and truly happy.
There were several reasons why the novel was not properly appreciated. Firstly, this is the envy that has appeared among mediocre critics and writers. They realized that their works were insignificant in comparison with the Master's novel. They did not need a competitor who would show what true art is. Secondly, this is a taboo topic in the novel. It could influence views in society and change attitudes towards religion. The slightest hint of something new, something beyond the scope of censorship, is subject to destruction.
The sudden collapse of all hopes, of course, could not but affect state of mind Masters. He was shocked by the unexpected neglect and even contempt with which the main work of the writer’s life was treated. This was a tragedy for a man who realized that his goal and dream were impossible to achieve. But Bulgakov cites a simple truth, which is that true art cannot be destroyed. Even after years, it will still find its place in history and its connoisseurs. Time erases only the mediocre and empty, not worthy of attention.
1. The versatility of the work.
2. Gospel motives.
3. The inseparability of good and evil.
4. Universal human values of the novel.
What would it do your good, if evil did not exist?
M. A. Bulgakov
M. A. Bulgakov is the greatest Russian writer with a very, very difficult literary destiny. It so happened that most of his works became known to readers only after the death of the author. The novel “The Master and Margarita” became the main work of the writer’s life.
The novel “The Master and Margarita” is a complex, multifaceted work. It touches upon the most various questions, the answer to which the reader must find for himself. A special place in the novel is occupied by chapters that talk about last days earthly life of Jesus Christ. This is an interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew. Questions of religious and universal morality are raised in these chapters. We will learn about Yeshua. This is absolutely special person, a real saint. Yeshua believes in the kindness of people, believes that everyone has a divine spark and a desire for light. But the righteous does not idealize those around him. He realizes that people have not only positive qualities, they also have vices. This dualism, in its essence, represents the eternal struggle between good and evil. There is good and evil in every person. This is the eternal course of things, and mortals cannot disrupt it. Throughout the novel we see the struggle between good and evil. This struggle is beyond time and space. Good and evil are inextricably linked; without evil there can be no good. The reader comprehends these truths thanks to the extraordinary heroes of the novel. Very great importance has Professor Woland. It is easy to guess that this is Satan himself.
The novel “The Master and Margarita” raises important universal questions about the meaning of life, about the soul, about God. On the very first pages it turns out that atheism is powerless in the face of something higher. Bulgakov appears in this novel as a mystic. And mystical motives cannot leave readers indifferent. However, mysticism in the novel is not an end in itself, although it is beautiful. The peculiarity of the work is that it is constructed like a novel within a novel. The action takes place in two times - in Moscow in the 30s and in ancient city Yershalaim (Jerusalem). Satan appears in Moscow, who intends to organize, according to ancient traditions, a spring full moon ball. In the ancient city of Yershalaim, the Roman procurator Pilate judges the wandering philosopher Yeshua and sentences him to death. These stories are connected thanks to the Master. It is he who acts as the author of the work about Yeshua. The master appears as a person to whom a truth has been revealed that is unknown to others. The Master himself lives in Moscow in the 30s.
Mystical motifs are organically woven into the fabric of the work, forcing the reader to Once again think about something very, very important, in particular about spirituality. Already at the very beginning of the work we see a conversation between a militant atheist and the devil. Alas, it does not occur to Berlioz that there are forces in the world more powerful than he can imagine. Where does his confidence in absolute reason end? A tragedy. Berlioz's death is essentially justified. A person cannot and should not live without spirituality, without faith in God and the devil, because human life, in fact, so fragile and vulnerable. And without faith that there are powerful forces, this life has no meaning.
In the novel "The Master and Margarita" everyone is responsible for their actions. The power of Pontius Pilate cannot save him from punishment for the way he decided the fate of Yeshua. In reality, his power turns out to be imaginary, however, like everything that a person can own.
In the work, Bulgakov will allow himself a sharp and evil satire of Soviet reality. Issues that people face in Everyday life, in particular housing problem, which spoils people in such a way, is very relevant at all times. Bulgakov masterfully depicts everyday life Soviet Russia, morals of people. The writer ironically notices all the shortcomings of Soviet reality. He doesn't embellish anything, he shows everything as it is.
The theme of love occupies a special place in the novel. Bulgakov talks about eternal love and promises to show it to the reader. Margarita personifies this deep feeling. She finds the strength to protect her love from everyone and everything. And finds happiness and eternal peace with her beloved.
The novel also raises the theme of the artist's fate. The fate of the Master is in many ways similar to the fate of the writer himself. The tragedy of the Master is that he is broken by circumstances, he is powerless, unable to fight. The master put all his soul into his work. But, alas, society not only did not appreciate the result of his labors, but even ridiculed them. This turned out to be a heavy blow for the Master. Mental illness overtook him. However, the spiritual wealth and crystal honesty of the Master saved him. He received eternal peace with his beloved as a reward. Now no one and nothing will separate them. The sublimity and tragedy of the novel's ending makes us think that all earthly values are transitory. And in the face of eternity nothing matters special significance. But, on the other hand, universal human values are still relevant as long as people love, suffer, strive for something, dream about something.
The tragic fate of the Master is not accidental. Bulgakov says that in those tragic years the fate creative personality was unenviable. The novel “The Master and Margarita” reached readers more than a quarter of a century later. The novel was first published in 1966 in the Moscow magazine. This became possible thanks to the efforts of the writer’s widow E. S. Bulgakova and the support of K. M. Simonov. The novel made a shocking impression on readers. No wonder, because it is a unique work. One cannot fail to mention the amazing language in which the work is written. It cannot leave anyone indifferent. Currently, the novel “The Master and Margarita” is one of the favorite works of our contemporaries.
Love and fate of the master
The novel “The Master and Margarita” is rightfully considered the pinnacle of M. A. Bulgakov’s work. This work is unique, if only because so far not a single critic has fully revealed its true nature. creative idea. Each reader has his own vision. The main character of the novel is a gifted writer in the prime of his life, called the Master. After he won a certain amount of money in the lottery and left his job, the Master took up what he loved. He wrote a fascinating historical novel about the reign of procurator Pontius Pilate and about the last days of the wandering philosopher Yeshua Ha-Nozri. The master put his whole soul into this work.
At this stage of his life, he met Margarita, a young Moscow housewife, whose husband was a military engineer. The love between the Master and Margarita flared up instantly as soon as their eyes, full of loneliness, met. Margarita became more than just a lover brilliant writer, but also his assistant. She was able to appreciate his book, which she re-read many times. Feeling that the Master could not cope without her, she left her husband.
When the time came to send the novel to print, the Master knew that his whole life depended on it. Unfortunately, publishing workers in those days did not always say what they thought and were often hypocrites. Despite the fact that the novel was more than worthy, they refused to publish it. And the critic Latunsky even wrote harsh criticism of the novel. This article completely broke the Master, and he decided to set fire to his manuscript. After this, he spent some time in a mental hospital. There he met the failed poet Ivan Bezdomny, who became his follower.
Desperate, Margarita at this time agreed to sell her soul to the devil for the well-being of her lover and the salvation of his work. Having resorted to the help of Satan, this couple lost their light, but found peace. Woland, as promised, returned the Master to Margarita, and a copy of his manuscript to the Master. Then he decided to transfer them to another dimension, since on earth they were surrounded by pitiful, insignificant and hypocritical people.
The Master's tragedy was that he sought recognition in the wrong circles. The fate of this hero is closely connected with the fate of the author himself. It is known that M. A. Bulgakov himself was also a historian by training and worked for some time in the museum. Many of his works were also rejected by publishing houses, and the novel “The Master and Margarita” was published only twenty-six years after the writer’s death. Many writers who freely expressed their opinions in those days found themselves in psychiatric clinics, died in poverty, did not receive recognition during their lifetime. But, as you know, “manuscripts don’t burn” and true creativity immortal.
The artist’s theme in M. Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita”
"Of all the writers of the 20s - 30s of the XX century, probably Mikhail Bulgakov is preserved to the greatest extent in Russian public consciousness. It is preserved not so much by his biography, from which his letters to Stalin and the only one are usually remembered phone conversation with the tyrant, as well as with his brilliant works, the main one of which is “The Master and Margarita”. The novel reveals new facets to each next generation of readers. Let us at least remember the “sturgeon of the second freshness,” and the sad thought will come to mind that everything in Russia is forever second freshness, everything except literature. Bulgakov proved this brilliantly,” - this is how in a few words Boris Sokolov, a famous researcher of Bulgakov’s work, was able to show what contribution the writer made to Russian and world literature.
It is no coincidence that Bulgakov included the word “master” in his title. famous novel"Master and Margarita". He really is one of the central figures of Bulgakov's work. The master is a historian turned writer. The master is a talented person, but extremely impractical, naive, timid in everyday affairs. He wrote brilliant novel about Pontius Pilate and naively believed that someone would need this novel, that it would be printed and read simply because it good novel. At the same time, he puts his whole soul into his business, into his novel, and when it turns out that no one needs his work, with the exception of Margarita alone, that he only causes anger and attacks from critics, for the Master life loses all meaning.
The Master is largely an autobiographical hero. His age at the time the novel takes place (“a man of about thirty-eight years old”) is exactly Bulgakov’s age in May 1929. The newspaper campaign against the Master and his novel about Pontius Pilate is reminiscent of the newspaper campaign against Bulgakov and his story " Fatal eggs", the plays "Days of the Turbins", "Running", "Zoyka's Apartment", "Crimson Island" and the novel "The White Guard".
The Master's fate takes shape under the influence of multidirectional powerful forces, each of which tries to drag him along with them. By divine will, he was granted writing talent, which makes the unknown museum employee a Master. By working on his work about the “cruel fifth procurator of Judea, the horseman of Pontius Pilate,” the Master thereby fulfills God’s covenant. But he lives in a world where evil, vulgar, feeble-minded nonentities have come to power, where, according to Bulgakov’s magnificent definition, “no matter what you miss, there is nothing.” In this world divine gift The master is banned as something very dangerous. A master is a person not created for the brutal struggle to which society condemns him. He does not understand that, having become a writer, he thereby turns into a competitor of the Latun-Berliozs, mediocrities and demagogues who have seized the “literary field” and consider it their legitimate feeding trough, their fiefdom. They are untalented and therefore hate any talented competitor. They are opportunists and scoundrels, and therefore they feel terrible anger at a person who is internally free, a person who says only what he thinks. And they are trying to destroy him. This is quite natural and cannot be otherwise, but the Master does not understand this. He's not ready for this. The hatred and malice of these people depresses him. Added to this is the feeling of hopelessness, the uselessness of his business, his novel. And the Master despaired and broke down.
However, the Master was the only person in Moscow who chose the right creative path. He decided to serve the great, divine art, he did not write to order, about “what is possible.” But his maladjustment and weakness could not but affect his ideals. It is not surprising that the Master, feeling hopeless and useless, of his own free will comes to a clinic for the mentally ill.
“I no longer have any dreams and I don’t have any inspiration either,” he tells Woland, “nothing around me interests me except her, I’ve been broken, I’m bored, and I want to go to the basement.” “What about your novel, Pilate?” - “I hate this novel, I have experienced too much because of it.”
But the question arises: could main character do it differently? Of course he could. The Master could continue his struggle or, if he himself rejected his romance, he could find another purpose in life. His act only increased the mental suffering of both himself and Margarita. He hated both the novel and himself.
Bulgakov does not agree with the Master's choice and believes that his hero does not deserve the light. But still, after meeting Woland, the author gives his hero a chance to complete his life’s work with the words: “Free! Free! He is waiting for you!"
Using the example of the Master’s fate, Bulgakov in his novel places his most important thoughts, judgments and reflections on the place of the artist, a creative person in society, in the world, on his relationship with the authorities and his conscience. Bulgakov comes to the conclusion that an artist should not lie either to himself or to other people. An artist who lies, is not in harmony with his conscience, loses all right to creativity.
In this regard, the figure of the Master in the novel is ambiguous: he remains internally true to himself, but at the same time he does not have the strength to create on earth, falsely agreeing or persistently resisting existing public morality, his creativity is devoid of compromises, therefore he “did not deserve the light, but he deserves peace.” And it is Woland and his retinue who restore justice to the Master, making his manuscripts “non-burning”, which means, according to Bulgakov himself, that only true creativity is immortal!
For letters.
In the novel, the image of the Master is one of the main characters. This is also emphasized by the author’s decision to capture it in the title of the work. The characterization of the master in the novel “The Master and Margarita” is a contrast between pure and sincere soul who knows how to love, feel and create for modern society.
The technique of the absence of a proper name in a character's name
A man appears before the reader “with sharp nose, with anxious eyes... about thirty-eight years old.” This is the portrait of the master. “The Master and Margarita” is a rather controversial novel. One of the contradictions is the name of the hero.
To create an image, Mikhail Bulgakov uses a fairly common technique - the namelessness of the hero. However, if in many works the absence of a proper name in the name of a character is explained only by the collective nature of the image, in the novel “The Master and Margarita” this technique has a more expanded purpose and specific idea. The namelessness of the hero is emphasized twice in the text. The first time he accepted what his beloved called him - a master. The second time in a clinic for the mentally ill, in a conversation with the poet Bezdomny, he himself emphasizes the renunciation of the name. He admits that he lost it and became patient number 118 from the first building.
Individuality of the Master's personality
Of course, in the image of the Master, Bulgakov showed a generalized image of a real writer. At the same time, calling the hero a Master also emphasizes his individuality, peculiarity, and difference from others. He is contrasted with the writers of MOSSOLIT, who think about money, dachas and restaurants. In addition, the theme of his novel is non-standard. The master understood that his creation would cause controversy and even criticism, but he still created a novel about Pilate. That is why in the work he is not just a writer, he is a Master.
However, in manuscripts and personal documents, contrary to the rules of writing the character’s name with a capital letter, Bulgakov always indicated it with a small letter, thereby emphasizing the hero’s impossibility of resisting the system and values of his contemporary society and becoming a famous Soviet writer.
Happy ticket
The life of the Master in the novel “The Master and Margarita” has several stages. When the reader is introduced to this character, he seems to be a very lucky man. A historian by training, he works in a museum. Having won 100 thousand rubles, he leaves permanent place work, rents a cozy basement with a garden outside the window and starts writing a novel.
The main gift of fate
Over time, fate gives him another surprise - true love. The acquaintance of the Master and Margarita occurs as a given, as an inevitable fate, the handwriting of which both understood. “Love jumped out in front of us, like a killer jumps out of the ground in an alley, and struck us both at once! That’s how lightning strikes, that’s how a Finnish knife strikes!” – the Master recalled in the clinic.
A period of despair and hopelessness
However, luck disappears from the moment the novel is written. They don't want to publish it. Then his beloved persuades him not to give up. The master continues to look for opportunities to issue the book. And when an excerpt of his novel was published in one of the literary magazines, mountains of cruel, destructive criticism rained down on him. When his life's work failed, the Master, despite Margarita's persuasion and love, does not find the strength to fight. He surrenders to the invincible system and ends up in a clinic for the mentally ill under Professor Stravinsky. There the next stage of his life begins - a period of humility and melancholy.
The reader sees his condition in the dialogue with the Homeless Man, when the Master secretly entered him at night. He calls himself sick, does not want to write anymore and regrets that he ever created a novel about Pilate. He does not want to restore it, and also does not strive to go free and find Margarita, so as not to ruin her life, secretly hoping that she has already forgotten him.
The story of the poet Bezdomny about his meeting with Woland somewhat revives the Master. But he only regrets that he did not meet him. The master believes that he has lost everything, he has nowhere to go and there is no need, although he has a bunch of keys, which he considers his most expensive wealth. The characterization of the Master of this period is a description of a broken and frightened man, resigned to his useless existence.
Well-deserved rest
Unlike the Master, Margarita is more active. She is ready to do anything to save her lover. Thanks to her efforts, Woland returns him from the clinic and restores the burned manuscript of the novel about Pontius Pilate. However, even then the Master does not believe in possible happiness: “I was broken, I’m bored, and I want to go to the basement.” He hopes that Margarita will come to her senses and leave him poor and unhappy.
But contrary to his wishes, Woland gives the novel to Yeshua to read, who, although he cannot take the Master to himself, asks Woland to do so. Although in to a greater extent The master appears passive, inactive and broken; he differs from the Muscovite society of the 30s selfless love, honesty, trustfulness, kindness and selflessness. It is for these moral qualities and unique artistic talent higher power They give him another gift from fate - eternal peace and the company of his beloved woman. Thus, the story of the Master in the novel “The Master and Margarita” ends happily.
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