Мастер и Маргарита
The Master and Margarita
Bulgakov's genre-defying masterpiece: the Devil (Woland) and his retinue — including the vodka-drinking cat Behemoth — loose in 1930s Moscow, the parallel Jerusalem story of Pilate and Yeshua, Margarita's pact to save the Master, and a novel published only a quarter-century after its author's death.
You will practice: Present active participles (называющий), verbal adverbs (наказывая, доведя, зная, произведя), the negative correlative ни … ни (ни времени, ни цензуре), and ради + genitive for 'for the sake of'.
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- романnovel
- произведениеwork (of art or literature)
- загадочныйenigmatic, mysterious
- сатираsatire
- притчаparable
- сюжетplot
- дьяволdevil
- свитаretinue, entourage
- убийцаkiller, assassin
- наказыватьto punish
- лицемериеhypocrisy
- прокураторprocurator
- приговорsentence, verdict
- возлюбленнаяbeloved (fem.)
- ведьмаwitch
- рукописьmanuscript
- цензураcensorship
Did you get it?
5 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. Which genres does the novel combine at once?
2. Who is Woland?
3. Which unusual member of Woland's retinue can talk and drink vodka?
4. What does Margarita do to try to save the Master?
5. When was the novel finally published?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the Russian reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.