M. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita". Part 1. Woland: I am part of that power …
Perhaps Bulgakov would have found a great job abroad, because he was famous, talented and published. But it is not known whether or not that understanding of the world order, that true role of the "prince of darkness" in the fate of the people, would have been revealed to him. Did he comprehend the full significance of the olfactory measure for the survival of the state and the whole world, if he had not lived his life here, and if there had not been a telephone conversation with Stalin?
“The Master and Margarita” is a mystery novel, a labyrinth novel … Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov wrote his “sunset romance” for about twelve years. The path of the brilliant work turned out to be long and difficult. Bulgakov wrote and rewrote it several times. Once the novel was even burned in the stove, but rose from the ashes, because, as you know, manuscripts do not burn.
The novel "The Master and Margarita" was the last work of the writer, the edits to which were added under his dictation by his wife, since health no longer allowed the author to work.
The novel will become an outstanding work of Russian literature of the twentieth century, although it will first see the light of day only in 1966, 26 years after the author's death. In the meantime … "Finish before you die!" - sets himself a task in the margins of the manuscript Bulgakov.
Bulgakov's sound search, embodied in the written word, reflected a temperament of such a level to which the most outstanding comprehensions were available. The apotheosis of the titanic work of the writer's sound properties is the novel The Master and Margarita.
Mikhail Afanasyevich was in a hurry, he was afraid not to have time to put everything he wanted into his creation, as he understood that his days were numbered. The author's unique creation was supposed to see the world.
A novel about the devil
Each literary work is a kind of invitation to the reader to walk along with the author the path of thought that he himself traveled. Those comprehensions that were given to Bulgakov in the process of working on the novel, he certainly wanted to convey to the reader.
“So that they know, so that they only know …” - the words of the already deeply ill Bulgakov about his novel.
"The novel about the devil" becomes a real revelation for Bulgakov, not without reason, restoring the burned draft, the writer notes: "I remember everything."
In the new version, only the names of the characters and the details of the narrative change, the main concept of the novel remains unchanged.
In his "Gospel of Michael" the author sets out the truths revealed to him about the connections between people, about the kinship of our souls, about good and evil, and that each of our actions has its own consequences. He vividly describes the changes that have taken place in society, human vices and dignities and those forces, those laws that govern our lives and shape our destiny, and if you look globally, they force all of humanity to move forward towards development.
The secrets of the structure of this world are revealed to Bulgakov in the process of working on the novel, in the process of the strongest concentration of thought. They come to him in the form of vague sensations, but the author's instinct tells him that these sensations are correct! From them, the writer builds the atmosphere of the whole novel, in which he gracefully brings the reader to independent conclusions, forcing him to reflect on the essence of good and evil, and how one cannot live without the other, about what is the fate of man, about the meaning of life and about love that comes out beyond the bounds of time and space and rushes to infinity.
Plot lines
Three storylines can be distinguished in the novel. The original version contains the line of the devil and his retinue, interspersed with the story of Yeshua and Pontius Pilate, a kind of "gospel from the devil." In the final version, the love story of the Master and Margarita appears, which gives the name to the novel.
Let's start with the main thing - the image of Woland - the image for which the whole novel of the mystical writer was conceived.
Sometimes the best way to ruin a person is to let him choose his own destiny
In these words Bulgakov puts his reflections on the fate and the action of the forces that govern her. The novel is largely autobiographical. Bulgakov many times tried to "choose his own destiny" and go abroad, for which he repeatedly asked, demanded, even begged Comrade Stalin in his letters. After all, most of his work was not accepted by the Soviet censorship.
But he had to submit to the inevitable, to submit to a fate that cannot be made by one person, which depends on other people and the interweaving of many factors that cannot be foreseen and foreseen, but of which the life line is formed, leading us rigorously each in its own way.
Well, Bulgakov could have been released from the country. Perhaps he would have found a great job abroad, because he was famous, talented and published. Perhaps he would have written a few more works about the left intelligentsia, about the White Guards or whatever his heart desires. But it is not known whether or not that understanding of the world order, that true role of the "prince of darkness" in the fate of the people, would have been revealed to him. Did he comprehend the full significance of the olfactory measure for the survival of the state and the whole world, if he had not lived his life here, and if there had not been a telephone conversation with Stalin?
The image of Satan Woland was created by Bulgakov "strongly, clearly, stately and elegantly", with all the might of his writing talent and abstract thinking. The most controversial character of the Master and Margarita illustrates with amazing accuracy the properties of the olfactory vector, a prominent representative of which was Bulgakov's contemporary, who played an important role in the fate of the writer, Joseph Vissarionovich.
Woland. About the essence of good and evil
“What would your good do if there were no evil, and what would the earth look like if the shadows disappeared from it? After all, shadows are obtained from objects and people."
Woland lives in the kingdom of shadows: in the echoes of those sins that are inherent in people. He perceives both human vices and dignity evenly, without any emotions, it is difficult to surprise him. For him, light and darkness, good and evil are concepts that cannot exist without each other.
He is the only one who knows exactly the laws of human existence: "Everything will be right, the world is built on this." But right here does not mean equally and equally. No, it is correct in the sense of compliance with the unified law of the universe, which the representative of the olfactory vector unconsciously understands, senses and never verbalizes.
"Well, well … ordinary people … in general, they resemble the old …"
Skillfully distinguishing people by pheromones, he himself has no smell, thereby maintaining absolute incognito.
The image of Woland was written out by Bulgakov exactly as those around him perceive the representative of the olfactory vector. A person who knows everything about everyone practically reads the thoughts of his interlocutors, and at the same time remains completely emotionless. No one can understand what he is thinking and feeling, and this causes great fear, especially in the eyes of a visual person.
Living chess of a man reading in souls
The olfactory person “sees through everyone”, clearly understanding which of us is worth what, what is valuable for solving a common task - preserving the integrity of society. After all, this is his role. Concentration of the power of reception, absolute egoism - to preserve oneself, consolidating everyone.
He concentrates all hostility on himself, thereby consolidating a fragmented society into a single whole. His task is to save the flock, and for this, all means are good. Here he is, a real politician by nature, because the olfactory vector is outside the categories of morality. Culture, laws, traditions and even altruism - all this takes place only if it works to unite and strengthen the state. Otherwise, it is swept aside as unnecessary.
Amazing "live" chess and a globe, which allows you to see what is happening anywhere in the world in real time, illustrate the inexplicable ability of the olfactory Woland to keep abreast of all events, deeply understand what is happening and win a game without even looking at the chessboard.
This is how, in a holistic and voluminous way, an olfactory person is able to perceive reality, understand the political situation, realistically assess opponents and their own capabilities and understand possible scenarios.
Never ask for anything
“Never ask for anything! Never and nothing, and especially for those who are stronger than you. They themselves will offer, and they themselves will give everything!"
All human desires for Woland are there. And he knows that he will be rewarded only to the one who selflessly realizes himself - makes his contribution to the common cauldron, for the common good, and does not walk with an outstretched hand, demanding attention to his own person.
“Two eyes rested on Margarita's face. The right one with a gold spark at the bottom, drilling anyone to the bottom of the soul, and the left one - empty and black, sort of like a narrow needle's ear, like an exit into the bottomless well of all darkness and shadows."
The olfactory person "sees", or rather, senses our unconscious desires, therefore he feels those around him better, more precisely, more truthfully than they themselves.
The attitude of the olfactory measure in the person of Woland to the visual Margarita in their conversation after the ball with Satan is incredibly accurately described.
“I'm talking about mercy,” Woland explained his words, not taking his fiery eyes off Margarita. "Sometimes, completely unexpectedly and insidiously, it penetrates the narrowest cracks."
Woland does not disdain only the most developed representative of the visual vector - devoid of any fears, ready for self-sacrifice, capable of compassion, feeling the value of someone else's life above his own. This, of course, is Margarita. Otherwise, she would not have been elected queen of the ball. And for the same reason, Woland forgives her a weakness that is senseless from his point of view - compassion for Frida.
What should a writer write about?
Woland's reaction to the Master's novel expresses the attitude of the authorities to Bulgakov's work.
“About what, about what? About whom? - Woland began, ceasing to laugh. - Now? It's amazing! And could you find another topic?"
Mikhail Afanasyevich's talent for writing was undoubtedly recognized by Stalin. His play "Days of the Turbins" withstood more than one season at the Moscow Art Theater. However, no matter how brilliant his work was, it did not meet the main political goal - to unite society and strengthen statehood, therefore it was not presented to readers. On the eve of the war, the people should be focused on maximum returns, on building communism, on faith in a bright future, instilling pride in their country and a willingness to lay down their lives for victory. Otherwise you will not survive.
One who casts no shadow
At the end of the novel, the characters are transformed, they take on their true appearance.
“Woland also flew in his real guise. Margarita could not say what the rein of his horse was made of, and thought that it was possible that these were moon chains and the horse itself was only a lump of darkness, and the mane of this horse was a cloud, and the rider's spurs were white spots of stars.
It is not for nothing that Bulgakov does not describe the devil himself here, speaking only of his horse. The very image of Satan is a collective image of the olfactory measure. One of the eight measures that make up the total mental of humanity.
The carrier of the olfactory vector is elusive and does not leave traces anywhere, "does not cast a shadow." Behind his "supernatural" abilities, the appearance of an olfactory person often remains in the shadows, is not remembered and does not matter. Others are alarmed, surprised, frightened, or even horrified by the properties of the olfactory vector. His power is striking, his intuition is amazing and his ability to predict events is amazing.
"Omnipotent, omnipotent!" - exclaims Margarita.
However, he himself never revels in power, does not elevate himself into a cult of personality, but associates himself with the people, society, the state, completely dissolving in it. Olfactory survival is possible only through the survival of the entire flock, so he lives by its interests. Not the desires and visions of individuals or even strata of society, but the needs of the WHOLE country. Thus, he makes himself a huge number of enemies, but also gets an equal number of selfless followers.
Read and re-read to everyone
Not a single word in the novel is said just like that, not a single character is introduced by accident. Any actions of the characters can be explained with the help of knowledge of system-vector psychology - the science of the unconscious of humanity.
Mikhail Afanasyevich showed in the novel those mechanisms of psychological interactions, those laws of being that have just now been studied in detail and described by system-vector psychology.
This outstanding novel by Bulgakov can be read and re-read countless times, discovering more and more facets of the immortal work with the help of systems thinking.
Why does Pontius Pilate ask Yeshua to remember him without fail?
What does Yeshua's words mean: "All power is violence against people"?
For what reason does the poet Homeless decide to abandon poetry?
Answers to these and other, no less mysterious questions of the novel in the following articles.
Read also:
M. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita". Part 2. Queen Margot: I'm Dying Because of Love
M. Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita”. Part 3. Pontius Pilate: Foundling and Son of the Astrologer
