Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков(Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov) was born in 1891, in the Russian Empire. In addition to being an author, Bulgakov was also a medical doctor and playwright. Although it was published posthumously, he is best known for his novel Master and Margarita.

Master and Margarita is appreciated for its artistic descriptions, lyrical fragments, and narrative style. It combines supernatural elements with satirical dark comedy and Christian philosophy. The alternates between two major plot lines and settings, a story within a story. It begins with Satan and Behemoth, an anthropomorphic demonic black cat, visiting the officially atheistic Soviet Union in the 1930's. The story alternates between that setting and Bulgakov's imagining of the interrogation of Jesus Christ by Pontius Pilate and the Crucifixion.

The novel deals with the interplay of good and evil, and innocence and guilt. It explores such issues as the responsibility towards truth, even when authority would deny it, and freedom of the spirit in an unfree world. The novel is deeply influenced by Goethe's Faust, and its themes of cowardice, trust, intellectual curiosity, and redemption are prominent. It can be read on many different levels, as hilarious slapstick, deep philosophical allegory, and biting socio-political satire. It criticizes not just the Soviet system, but also the vanity of modern life in general.

This week's questions:

Have you ever read a story that contained another story within it? What work was it, and did you enjoy the additional literary journey?

Do you feel like comedic and supernatural themes are good tools for drawing attention to real-world concerns?

We also welcome any other discussion or comments about Mikhail Bulgakov or his works.

If you have another author you'd like to see a discussion on, please leave it in the comments below for a chance to be featured in a future chapter!

Have fun!

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Bulgakov

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_Margarita