Reading Master and Margarita - 02

Chapter 2

Pontius Pilate

- A. Charumati Ramdas

In chapter 1 we saw that Ivan Bezdomnyi and Berlioz were discussing in the Patriarchy Ponds Park about the existence of Christ. Berlioz explains to Bezdomnyi that He never existed. Suddenly they come across a stranger who says that he is an expert on black magic. This Professor emphasizes that Christ existed and no proof is needed for this. He takes Bezdomnyi and Berlioz to the ancient Jerusalem where The Christ is being questioned by procurator of Rome Pontius Pilate.

Please pay attention to the last sentence of chapter 1. It is the same as the first sentence of chapter 2. Bulgakov uses this device to realize shift of time and space...from Moscow to Jerusalem; from Modern times to the ancient times.

You will definitely, carefully read the dialogues between Yeshua and Pontius Pilate. Just pay attention to the condition of Pontius Pilate in the beginning of chapter.

The Procurator is suffering from Migraine . Why? Because of scent of roses. Why roses? Why migraine? So that only one half of his head suffers, he does not feel like thinking, he is going to use his mind to as little an extent as possible.

Pay attention to Mark Krysoboi.

Pay attention to the metaphor of Sun as well.

We have seen that Pontius Pilate is suffering from headache. The reason for this headache is the smell coming from red roses.

You can observe that in Master & Margarita Bulgakov does not pay any attention to the HEAD - the thinking process- and many times you will come across such expressions as ' Why Head? Head is not at all needed here!'

Even Mayakovsky in his play 'Bed bug' depicts a scene where the fish is being sold in the market. Two shopkeepers are selling the same fish at different rates. The inquiry reveals that the cheaper fish is longer too. The explanation given by the shopkeeper is:

Cut the head...why do you need the head?

That means any type of mental activity was not welcome in those days in the Soviet Union. They wanted just numbers, just robots?

Another person in chapter 2 who attracts us is Mark Krisoboi. In English it is translated as Ratslayer.

Right, there was a movement of cleaning the rats from the fields...i.e. harmful elements from the society.

Let us have a look at the other two characters who figure in Chapter 2. We have seen that Mark Krysoboi is the security in charge. Just see how he is depicted:

Krysoboi was a well built, strong man. His face was deformed. As soon as he appeared in the balcony, it seemed that it was dark. He was taller than every soldier in his unit and his shoulders were so wide that they had covered the Sun which was not very high at that time.

In this chapter we see the Sun gradually getting stronger. The Sun is merciless in subsequent chapters as well. But Krysoboi was more powerful than the Sun in chapter 2, as Sun was not very high! This implies that the security organs were very powerful and they had eclipsed even the powerful persons represented by the Sun...Slowly we shall come to know what Mikhail Bulgakov is hinting at.

Come to Yeshua. His full name is given as Yeshua-Ha-Nostri. He is brought before the Procurator in Yerushalam. The setting seems to suggest that this was the trial of Jesus....but...that is what Bulgakov is! He drops hints here and there to make us realize that it is not really so.

Pay attention to Yeshua...his age as mentioned by Bulgakov, his dress, and the questions put by Pontius Pilate and answers given by Yeshua. Try to see how different they are from the real process as mentioned in the Holy Bible.

‘Just then the armed soldiers brought a young man of about 27 years. He was in a tattered blue long gown, a white kerchief on his head…’

So, the age of Yeshua Ha-Nostri is given as 27 years….The Holy Bible mentions the same as 33 years….

Yeshua is wearing a blue dress, according to the Holy Bible, it was black….He says that he does not remember his parents, says that they were Syrians…this is again deviation from the Holy Bible.

Ha-Nostri is accused of inciting people to destroy the temple in Yerushalem…he says that he did not incite any one for this and had said that the temple of old beliefs will come down and in its place a new temple of truth will come up.

This was going against the local ideological/religious system which was headed by Kaif.

Please pay attention to the relationship between Pontius Pilate and Kaif…

They hate each other. Kaif had complained to the Caesar against Pilate. Chapter 2 suggests that Pilate in fact wanted to save Yeshua. He wanted to take him away from Yerushalam and keep with him. But Kaif insisted that he wants Yeshua to be hanged.

After pronouncing death sentence to Yeshua, he rubs his hands as if he is washing them. The same action will be repeated in a letter chapter as well.

We can now see that there are four main characters in this chapter:

Pontius Pilate, who represents The Caesar in Yerushalem;

Yeshua, who is accused of inciting the people to destroy the temple of Yerushalem;

Mark Krysoboi, the Chief of security, shown to be taller than the tallest of soldiers;

Kaif, the Religious Head.

But there are two more characters, a sweeping reference to whom is found in the chapter:

The Caesar and The man in hood, whom Pilate meets in the dark room just for a few seconds.

The Caesar is not present in Yerushalem, but his presence is always felt there. That is why when the second charge is leveled against Yeshua – the charge of showing disrespect to Him, Pilate understands that he won’t be able to save Ha-Nostri from imminent death. He tries to send signals to Yeshua that he rejects this allegation, but Yeshua confesses that he had told people about the rule of Kings:

 Any government is just an instrument to torture people…and a time will come when there will be no rulers left in the world and the Man will enter the kingdom of truth and justice.

That was the end of it!

Pilate declares Yeshua guilty and confirms death sentence upon him by the Lower court, and he rubs his hands as if he is washing them.

While Pilate is scared of the Caesar, Kaif does not leave an opportunity to complain against him to the Caesar. Pilate, the Administrative Head and Kaif, the ideological/political head hate each other. But they are also careful lest no one overhears them. Kaif wants Yeshua to die, while Pilate wants to save him, but finds that he cannot do so.

The Holy Bible does not mention that Pilate developed some soft feelings for Yeshua.

Please pay attention to the depiction of the Caesar. The ulcerous growth on his forehead…

We shall think about these details when we discuss chapters 16, 25 and 26 dealing with the theme of Pilate-Yeshua.