Moscow is more than just a backdrop for the events of The Master and Margarita. The geographic setting of the novel is often at the center of Bulgakov's masterpiece. Whether the characters are debating the distance between Moscow and Yalta, or referring to the inhabitants at 302B Sadovaya Street, Bulgakov's novel is fraught with specific geographic details pertaining to the heart of the Russian Empire. Bulgakov's intimate familiarity with Moscow and its surroundings as revealed through the novel contributed to the scandal surrounding it. So, let's take a closer look at Bulgakov's Moscow.
To start, this video visually depicts Moscow in 1930. The footage suggests that Moscow was an industrious and proud city on the upswing. Could Bulgakov's depiction of the greedy and ignorant residents of Moscow jeopardize this triumphant image?
Setting- Click on the video below to see and learn more about Bulgakov's infamous apartment
Bulgakov resided in an apartment on Sadovaya Street. Bulgakov's apartment building was home to both the author and the mischief and magic enacted by Woland and his retinue. Bulgakov's familiarity with his setting contributes to the vivid portrayal of Moscow within the novel. The accuracy with which Bulgakov described this area of Moscow and its residents contributed to the controversy and censorship surrounding The Master and Margarita.
Patriarch's Pond returned to its glory of the 1930's
Interestingly, much of The Master and Margarita takes place around Patriarch's Pond. This affluent area could be considered an exemplary neighborhood of Moscow. Populated with upper-class citizens, the area represented a microcosm for the progress and prosperity supposedly associated with the Russian Empire. This made Bulgakov's description of the ignorance and absurdity surrounding the area particularly scandalous. Did the writer, as a resident of the area himself, have a bird's-eye view of the true nature of Patriarch's Pond and Moscow's glamour?
An intricate sketch based based on
the description of apartment 50
by productno49
For a great resource depicting the important locations contained throughout The Master and Margarita, please visit this link from MasterandMargarita.eu. The clickable map depicts important places in the novel in relation to one another. Moreover, the map provides satellite and photographic images of these places. It should be noted, however, that not every place in the novel really existed. The Dramlit House, described as a new, magnificent mansion for authors and dramatists never stood in Moscow. The same can be said for the Variety Theater, a hugely important setting in which Woland and his retinue wreak havoc on Moscow with their black magic.
Additional Web Resources Bulgakov's Moscow
The Master and Margarita website provides a fantastic resource detailing "the city of The Master and Margarita." The site includes brief descriptions and histories for real buildings, neighborhoods, and cities mentioned throughout the novel. Detailed maps and images further increase the value of this great resource.
Old Photos: Moscow 1930's
This webpage hosts digital reproductions of restored photographs of Bulgakov's Moscow. Enhanced with vivid color, these photos offer a fascinating view of Moscow and its people in the 1930's.
Related Readings
Please click on the following titles in order to access the catalog entry for these resources pertaining to Moscow at the time of Bulgakov.
This beautifully illustrated book represents a companion to a 1979 exhibit held in Paris aimed to document Moscow as vibrant cultural center during the time of Bulgakov. This resource appears most valuable as a means to garner an understanding of the broad range of art production surrounding Bulgakov. Essays discussing everyday life in Moscow also seem useful for placing The Master and Margarita within a social context.
