Notes
Guys…This book is an authentic masterpiece. I’m so sad I finished reading it. The plot alone is incredibly intriguing and entertaining on its own, but you absolutely must know the historical context to see beyond the surface and value the literary experience 10 times better. This book’s been written during the darkest days of Stalin’s regime, it takes on a whole new meaning when you realize it’s a satire of 1930s Moscow. Bulgakov uses the Devil (Woland) to secretly expose the hypocrisy, greed, and cowardice of a society that claimed to be "perfect" and atheist. Woland acts almost as an agent of justice, punishing the corrupt bureaucrats and liars. The parallel story of Pontius Pilate is then masterfully woven in to highlight the book’s central theme: cowardice is the worst of all vices. Although the Master and Margarita appear later in the story, they represent the resilience of Art and Love against a repressive system. Ultimately, this book is the proof of its own famous quote: "Manuscripts don't burn."
Highly recommended, but do yourself a favor: read up on the history behind it first!
