Discussion
on Master & Margarita – Chapter 4
We can say that Chapter 4 indicates the
beginning of action in Moscow.
As
soon as Bezdomnyi heard the first screams, he rushed towards the exit and saw
Berlioz’s severed head rolling along the fencing of Patriarchy Park.
He
was so stunned that he collapsed on a nearby bench and could not move.
When the
screams stopped he heard two women discussing the tragic incident and one of
them commented, “Annushka! Our Annushka! She bought one liter of sunflower oil
but the bottle hit the turnstile and the whole oil spilled on the ground. The unfortunate
man slipped over it and fell over the rails.”
The
bells start ringing in Bezdomnyi’s mind! Annushka! Sunflower oil! The meeting! Pontius
Pilate! The Professor!
Ivan
Bezdomnyi jumped to the conclusion that Professor knew about Berlioz’s death….maybe
he himself had plotted the accident!!?? He
comes back to the bench where he was sitting with the Professor a little while
ago and sees that the same tall, thin person in a checkered shirt was sitting
near the Professor.
He was wearing specs with one glass!
This
person is one of the most important characters of the novel. Ivan requests him
to help in catching the criminal…..well, you must have read all this…
Let
us go to the ‘chase’…..
Ivan
is following the troika….the Professor, the Big, giant cat and the tall, thin
man.
Pay
attention to the small details…
The
cat is paying money to the tram-conductor; she only says that the cats are not
allowed inside the trams, but nobody…nobody, pays attention to the fact that
the CAT was PAYING money to the conductor!
While
following the professor Ivan somehow decides that he is in Building No 13, Flat
No.47. This was one such building which earlier belonged to the noble class and
is now converted into a community building. The destruction that has taken
place inside the building, the dust and dirt, the common kitchen with a paper
icon of the Christ and a candle…the woman bathing who mistook Ivan as her lover
and she asks him to go back as her husband is expected any moment…the similar
orange shaded lamps seen from ALL windows, the same music, a loud screaming
voice singing a love song from Evgenyi Onegin (this loud, angry voice is
depicted many times!)….you get a glimpse of the Moscow of 20’s!
Then
happens an interesting thing.
When
Ivan jumps into Moscow River in search of professor….
The
water was very cold, there was oil spilled on the water from the steamers etc
that were sailing on the river, Ivan’s clothes are stolen, only the candle and
the paper icon of the Christ which he had lifted from the building No 13 was
left on the bank and also the clothes of the peasant whom Ivan had entrusted
his clothes. Ivan had no choice but to put on the short trousers and a loose
shirt, he pinned up the icon on his shirt and held the candle in one hand and
starts for Griboyedov House.
Can
we say that this was purification of Ivan in the water mixed with oil; he adopts
the Icon, is he baptized? Some people might think on these lines, but we shall notice
that a gradual change takes place in Ivan’s outlook, his thinking process. He
comes to know many things which earlier seemed insignificant to him.
The
next chapter reveals many things of the literary life of Moscow.
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