Reading Master and Margarita - 29

Chapter 29

The Fate of the Master and Margarita is decided

We have seen that Master and Margarita are sent back to the basement apartment of Arbat house, as Margarita had requested. But Woland had thought of something else for them.

We shall see now what is in store for them.

In this chapter many elements from the Yerushalem chapter creep into the text. The two epochs seem to intermingle with each other. Let’s see how does it happen:

Woland and Azazello , after leaving flat No. 50 land on the terrace of a tall building of Moscow. They could see the whole city from here but they were not visible to people.

“Woland was sitting on a folding stool, dressed in his black soutane. His long and broad sword was stuck vertically into a crack between two flags of the terrace so as to make a sundial. The shadow of the sword lengthened slowly and steadily, creeping towards the black shoes on Satan's feet.” They observe that Griboedov is burning and guess that Koroviev and Behemot must have visited the place.

It is time for sunset and the description of fragmented sun reminds us of the scene at the Patriarchy Ponds in the beginning of the novel, when Woland first appeared there:

“…the two on the terrace gazed at the fragmented, dazzling sunlight in the upper-floor windows of the huge buildings facing west. Woland's eye burned like one of those windows, though Woland had his back to the sunset.”

Suddenly there appears Levi Matthew. He has brought a message from Yeshua Ha Nostri. An argument about good and evil, about light and shadow takes place between Woland and Levi Matthew:    

“ 'Hah!' exclaimed Woland, looking mockingly at the newcomer. 'Least of all would I expect you here! What have you come with, uninvited guest?'

'I have come to see you, spirit of evil and sovereign of shadows,' the newcomer replied, glowering inimically at Woland.

`If you've come to see me, why didn't you wish me a good evening, former tax collector?'

Woland said sternly.

`Because I don't wish you a good anything,' the newcomer replied insolently.

'But you'll have to reconcile yourself to that,' Woland objected, and a grin twisted his mouth.

'You no sooner appear on the roof than you produce an absurdity, and I'll tell you what it is - it's your intonation. You uttered your words as if you don't acknowledge shadows, or evil either.

Kindly consider the question: what would your good do if evil did not exist, and what would the earth look like if shadows disappeared from it? Shadows are cast by objects and people. Here is the shadow of my sword. Trees and living beings also have shadows. Do you want to skin the whole

earth, tearing all the trees and living things off it, because of your fantasy of enjoying bare light?

You're a fool.'

'I won't argue with you, old sophist,' replied Matthew Levi.

'You also cannot argue with me, for the reason I've already mentioned: you're a fool,' Woland replied and asked: "Well, make it short, don't weary me, why have you appeared?'

'He sent me.'

'What did he tell you to say, slave?'

'I'm not a slave,' Matthew Levi replied, growing ever angrier, 'I'm his disciple.'

'You and I speak different languages, as usual,' responded Woland, 'but the things we say don't change for all that. And so? ...'

'He has read the master's work,' said Matthew Levi, 'and asks you to take the master with you and reward him with peace. Is that hard for you to do, spirit of evil?'

'Nothing is hard for me to do,' answered Woland, 'you know that very well.' He paused and added: 'But why don't you take him with you into the light?'

'He does not deserve the light, he deserves peace,' Levi said in a sorrowful voice.

'Tell him it will be done,' Woland replied and added, his eye flashing:

'And leave me immediately.'

'He asks that she who loved him and suffered because of him also be taken with him,' Levi addressed Woland pleadingly for the first time.

'We would never have thought of it without you. Go.'

Matthew Levi disappeared after that, and Woland called Azazello and ordered him:

'Fly to them and arrange it all.'

Azazello left the terrace, and Woland remained alone.

So, we see that Bulgakov prefers peace for Master, he does not want light, recognition, fame for him and Woland is going to do all that for him. May be that was the desire for a writer of Bulgako’s caliber…what he too wanted was peace!

Then appear Koroviev and Behemot…the question of Griboedov’s destruction comes in and Woland orders that a new building for writers, for creators, for art and culture be built which will be better than the previous, stereotyped one . He is assured that it will be done.

'It will be built, Messire,' Koroviev responded, `I venture to assure you of that.'

'Well, so it remains for us to wish that it be better than the old one,' observed Woland.

'It will be, Messire,' said Koroviev.

'You can believe me,' the cat added, 'I'm a regular prophet.'

Woland got up from his stool, went over to the balustrade, and alone, silently, his back turned to his retinue, gazed into the distance for a long time. Then he stepped away from the edge, lowered himself on to his stool, and said:

'There will be no orders, you have fulfilled all you could, and for the moment I no longer need your services. You may rest. Right now a storm is coming, the last storm, it will complete all that needs completing, and we'll be on our way.'

`Very well, Messire,' the two buffoons replied and disappeared somewhere behind the round central tower, which stood in the middle of the terrace.

The storm of which Woland had spoken was already gathering on the horizon. A black cloud rose in the west and cut off half the sun. Then it covered it entirely. The air became cool on the terrace. A little later it turned dark.

This darkness which came from the west covered the vast city. Bridges and palaces disappeared. Everything vanished as if it had never existed in the world. One fiery thread ran across the whole sky. Then a thunderclap shook the city. It was repeated, and the storm began.

Woland could no longer be seen in its gloom.

The storm from the west could be a hint towards intervention from western powers, a mention of which is also found in The Crimson Island. It is going to cut off half the Sun(!).

                                                                                  

The same way Yerushalem had disappeared in chapter 16. The two eras have intermingled here.

 

May be, Bulgakov is predicting about some socio-cultural change in the Soviet Union with the help of a power like Woland!