The Master and Margarita. A Theatrical Novel

This volume includes the last two major works of Mikhail Bulgakov (1891 – 1940) – "The Master and Margarita" and "Theatrical Novel (Notes of a Dead Man)". The multilayered and enigmatic novel "The Master and Margarita", first published in full only after the author's death, immerses us in the atmosphere of Soviet Moscow in the 1930s, where, seemingly, there is no place for anything supernatural. However, it is precisely here that Woland, with his retinue, arrives to hold the traditional spring ball and choose a queen for it. Against the backdrop of the hooliganism of demonic forces unfolds the story of the Master and Margarita, who, in order to save her beloved, accepts an invitation from the Prince of Darkness. Numerous encrypted nuances in the Master's story become clear after reading "Theatrical Novel", in which Bulgakov portrayed the backstage life of the creative bohemia with all its intrigues, dramas, gossip, and passions. The plot of the work is largely based on the conflict between the writer and the chief director of the Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT named after A.P. Chekhov), Konstantin Stanislavsky, during the production of the play "The Cabal of the Holy". The novels are preceded by two articles from the famous Bulgakov scholar Marietta Chudakova, who worked on reconstructing many chapters of the novel "The Master and Margarita".