Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov: - Black Magic and Its Exposure. From The Master and Margarita - Book Report/Review Example

Number]  ‘Black Magic and Its Exposure’ from the ‘Master and Margarita’ The Master and Margarita has been marked as one of the best novels of the 20th century. The book was published 26 years after the death of the author Mikhail Bulgakov ‎by his widow. Mikhail Bulgakov lived in a huge family under great respect, friendship and love. Since childhood he was involved in theatre and often wrote comedies at home which were enacted by his siblings. He wrote many books in his early career of writing that were not allowed to be published as they consisted of experiences of the First World War and his severe illness after that.

His work was always criticized and thus, in 1929, his career was ruined as government censorship prevented his work and plays to be published. He started writing again and in his last years he wrote The Master and Margarita. The book demonstrates the reality of the magical world. It plots two setting that are alternatives to each other. The first setting is the 1930’s Moscow where Satan visits in disguise as a professor. He is a mysterious gentleman and a magician who arrives with a weird talking black cat and a witch too.

The second setting is of the Jerusalem which the professor dictates and later echoes in the novel. The novel introduces characters, their spiritual needs and the purity of the imagination. As the book describes, “There were magicians in bright robes and turbans, a skater in a knitted white jacket, a storyteller, his face white with powder, and the makeup man” (Bulgakov 92). The writer is challenged by his own mental problems and oppression which leads him to burn down the manuscript in order to hide it from the Soviet authorities.

Since his own mind was encircled with the troubles that were bought to him, he wrote the character of the Master as reflecting to his own self. The most famous quote from the book is, “manuscripts don’t burn”. The novel deals with a variety of emotions and interactions of good and evil, innocence and guilt and many other contracting issues. The author also describes the issue and need of spiritual freedom, love and sensuality. The writer describes the sensuality and impression of the devotional love and spiritual relationship between the Master and Margarita.

He involves the reader in his story of life in such a way that they get involved in the book until the end. The writing has been so interesting and overwhelming that apart from delivering the story, the writer also successfully delivers his message and hints to the reader without much effort. Bulgakov also uses the reference of many Russian folk songs and poetries that creates a spark in the novel for the reader (Bulgakov 93).The writer was greatly influenced by many of the literary works including Goethe’s Faust.

It also had a touch of deep philosophy, socio-political thoughts and the vanity of modern life. Bulgakov has emphasized on great cultural value in the book as he himself had to face many problems from his homeland and was also banned for any publications twice. But he could not live away from his homeland. The book thus reflects the writer’s true mental problems and relates to the areas where the writer feels inspiration from. Bulgakov’s writing is towards the Soviet reality and the Soviet women.

Work CitedBulgakov, Mikhail. The Master and Margarita. Soviet Union: Posev, 1966. Print