Gift

No other book has had so much effect on me like The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. And I’ve read many, like most of Russians do. In the beginning of 80s I was lucky to borrow a copy of Khudozhestvennaya Literatura magazine dated 1973 where a full complete uncut version of the book had been published, a surprising oversight by government. There I was, in my early 20s, born and raised in Soviet Union, gone through all the pre coordinated by government stages of a proper soviet child. Patriotism, obedience, and loyalty to the state where the Communist Party had absolute power over everything, were inflicted at each stage, from kindergarten to university.

Opposition, disloyalty, and critic of the government were not tolerated. Those who dared to express opposite views faced imprisonment, exile, or execution. Was I aware of the facts about active dissidents at that age? I don’t think so, not fully. It wasn’t discussed openly in fear of bringing unwanted attention of KGB to us. But subconsciously, I felt, we were not exactly living the life portrayed in communist propaganda movies and books.

Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita was a revelation, a discovery, nothing like any other books. It’s now called one of the best novels of the twentieth century. To me, in early 80s, it was a captivating masterpiece molding the supernatural theme, dark political satire and religious aspect in one fast paced story. People around the world enjoy reading it. But only those who lived through a communist regime would get most of the book.

There, in this greatest book I first found clarity and confirmation that my growing doubts were not unjustified, authoritarianism of Soviet Union oppressed our lives in all aspects, be it creativity or freedom to express our thoughts or our dreams. Bulgakov’s dark humor in portraying the vanity, greed, and selfishness of life in Stalinist era made me see the same signs in times I’d been living in. Bulgakov’s characters, Satan and his companions targeted the literary elite that consisted of corrupt social climbers: bureaucrats, profiteers, and cynics with their diabolical humour. Bulgakov himself experienced the extremities of Soviet attitudes towards writers. Sarcasticly portraying the literary society , he revealed the oppression he faced in his writing career. But similar had been common everywhere. There were instances later in my life when a situation I’ve found myself in would bring a satiric phrase from the book to mind.

The story of the devil and his helpers descending on Stalinist era Moscow were to me also author’s desire to disrupt that monotonous life, bring enchantment and magic into regulated social structure. Oh how much I could have related to that desire for changes! Probably it's common to any young person, let alone one living in Soviet Union.

Bulgakov told the story of Pilate's trial of Yeshua Ha-Notsri (Jesus of Nazareth), with names changed from original Biblical story of crucifixion. The Jerusalem plot of the novel had been later revealed to be the novel written by the Master. To my shame, in this book for the first time in my life I had read about Christ. Don’t forget, those were times when the religion had been fully controlled by government and religious education was forbidden. The denial of the existence of Jesus prevailed in Soviet propaganda. Jesus had been demythologized and called a madman. What I’ve read then in this book was a starting point from where my quest for seeking the religious knowledge and understanding began.

To this day this book, The Master and Margarita, lives in my mind, somewhere deep, but always remembered. I wish my children would read it someday. It won’t be an easy read, for pleasure. It needs to be read several times as a new idea or a deeper understanding of an author’s thought would surface. Every time.

This book is a gift to us all. I am grateful for this gift.