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The Master and Margarita (Book 2)

March 02, 2021

Mikhail Bulgakov

Moscow, Russia

Mikhail Bulgakov

Today's episode:

The novel today: The Master and Margarita (Part 2)

Paige and I are on our way back to meet with Igor and Roman, our guests from last episode and Part 1 of The Master and Margarita when Paige abandons me to visit the Rare Book Room in this Moscow bookstore. Igor and Roman introduce us to two more Russian guests named Maxim and Bair. Together we read Part 2 about Margarita proving herself to the devil for her hopes to be reunited with her true love The Master.

This part two will be just as entertaining as Part 1 and conclude the side story of Pontius Pilate. You'll see Margarita fly down Arbat street as a witch on a broom, a grand Ball hosted by the devil with famous historical murderers as his guests, gunfights, and secret assassinations.

Get to know this novel and Russia with this episode!

We explore it all together. Read the World!

Important Characters

  • Woland = central character, Satan, symbolic fictional representation of Joseph Stalin

  • Margarita = titular character, heroine, 30 years old, in love with Master though married to another man

  • The Master = titular character, author, in love with Margarita

  • Ivan "Homeless" Nikolaevich Ponyrev

  • Mikhael Alexandrovich Berlioz = Head of MASOLIT, gets head severed by a tram in chapter 1

  • Baron Meigel = employee of "Spectacles Commission"

Important Biblical related Characters:

  • Yeshua Ha-Nozri = a.k.a. Jesus of Nazareth

  • Matthew Levi = disciple of Yeshua

  • Judas of Kiriath = for money he tricks Yeshua and gets him arrested

  • Banga = Pontius Pilate's dog

  • Pontius Pilate = fifth procurator of Judea and subject of the Master's novel

The Devil, Woland, crew characters:

  • Koroviev = Woland's right-hand man, wears a pince-nez, a jockey's cap, and chequered clothes. Koroviev is good at manipulating people into showing their worst selves.

  • Behemoth = huge black cat, can do everything humans can do, most mischievious of the crew

  • Azazello = "muscle" of the crew, short, fat, broad-shouldered, mouth has a single fang, hair flaming red

  • Hella = beautfiul redheaded succubus or vampire, usually naked

Minor Characters:

  • Aphranius = Aphranius is the shadowy figure that serves as Pontius Pilate’s head of secret police.

  • Natasha = Margarita’s devoted housemaid

  • Abaddon = one of Woland’s demons. He represents destruction incarnate

  • Frieda = a guest at Satan’s Ball. Her soul is damned because she suffocated her baby boy with her handkerchief.

  • Niza = the woman who, on Aphranius’s instruction, lures Judas outside of Yershalaim so that he can be murdered.

Topics in this episode:

  • The Story...duh!

  • Arbat Street

  • Russian Police

  • Marriage and terrible Love Letters

  • Putin

  • Life in Moscow

  • and more!

Where to buy the book?

Preview or Buy the book here!

This book in this episode was translated by Mirra Ginsburg. We read the kindle version of this novel.

Pages: 418

Thanks for listening!

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Helpful resources:

Howard, James. "The Master and Margarita Characters." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 11 Jan 2019. Web. 3 Mar 2021.