Active Users:933 Time:08/02/2026 08:23:38 PM
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere Send a noteboard - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM
And it is Pilate that the book is about, after all (or at least, the Master’s book). Pilate is an authority figure who ends up having Judas killed, after using language to the head of his secret police to the effect that “we need to make sure nothing happens to him”. In Pilate’s speech, just as in the “coded” speech of Soviet leaders in general and Stalin in particular, this is an obvious request to kill the man. Is Pilate supposed to be Stalin? Or is Woland supposed to be Stalin? It is a point on which experts do not agree.


What do people here think re Woland/Pilate/Stalin?

If it's meant to be just one, then I can't choose between them.


I am not getting where Stalin and Woland come into this. Apparently I need it spelled out if anyone has the patience to do it.
This message last edited by Tashmere on 31/07/2010 at 11:04:09 PM
Reply to message
The Joint Book Club: Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita - 15/07/2010 08:36:47 AM 1743 Views
Things you liked - 15/07/2010 08:37:57 AM 1138 Views
I can barely comment at this point - 15/07/2010 03:19:45 PM 1174 Views
You don't have to post only under those headings. - 15/07/2010 04:39:36 PM 1191 Views
You contrarian you. - 16/07/2010 08:44:25 PM 1186 Views
The odd duality of humor and seriousness - 17/07/2010 05:29:28 AM 1404 Views
Yeah. - 18/07/2010 08:46:33 PM 1098 Views
Re: The odd duality of humor and seriousness - 21/07/2010 12:16:51 PM 1351 Views
Things you didn't like - 15/07/2010 08:38:20 AM 1058 Views
I'm not sure if it's the translation, - 21/07/2010 07:17:41 PM 1099 Views
Ivan Bezdomny is Demyan Bedny - 22/07/2010 03:03:02 AM 1201 Views
There wasn't much character-building, was there? - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1252 Views
Too much crazy. - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 1210 Views
Things that didn't make sense to you - 15/07/2010 08:38:54 AM 1106 Views
Hm. - 21/07/2010 07:19:12 PM 1270 Views
The murder of Judas. - 23/07/2010 11:13:58 PM 1079 Views
Does it make more sense if Aphranius is seen as... - 26/07/2010 12:39:46 AM 1031 Views
Ah. - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 1119 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1241 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 1121 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 1155 Views
Oh, so that was them making up a story to tell anyone else if needed? *NM* - 28/07/2010 08:29:10 AM 621 Views
Mm, not just that. - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 1171 Views
That's how I read it, also. - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 1190 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 1181 Views
Wait, isn't that what happened? - 31/07/2010 07:39:32 PM 1283 Views
You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1223 Views
Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? - 23/07/2010 11:44:28 PM 1077 Views
Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1196 Views
may be... - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 1066 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 591 Views
Ivanovich's dream. - 29/07/2010 02:43:43 PM 1224 Views
Characters (ordinary) - 15/07/2010 08:39:53 AM 1108 Views
Are Russian characters always over the top? - 15/07/2010 05:25:43 PM 990 Views
I had a hard time remembering who was who. - 23/07/2010 10:18:44 PM 1290 Views
War and Peace was easier than this. - 31/07/2010 07:38:51 PM 1175 Views
Characters (supernatural) - 15/07/2010 08:40:36 AM 1064 Views
The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 1189 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 1077 Views
I agree – those were my favourite bits to read. - 23/07/2010 10:15:55 PM 1124 Views
Behemoth was hilarious. I love the idea of him being a large mischievous cat. - 23/07/2010 11:22:01 PM 969 Views
He is MY cat. - 28/07/2010 03:03:26 AM 1116 Views
I'm reserving a spot for my comments but not posting them just yet. - 15/07/2010 03:46:34 PM 1139 Views
(I just actually posted below) *NM* - 20/07/2010 05:22:00 PM 569 Views
Was wondering about that. *NM* - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 577 Views
I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. - 16/07/2010 02:44:53 PM 1225 Views
That's neat. - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 1126 Views
Re: I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. - 21/07/2010 12:22:28 PM 1096 Views
I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1297 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1223 Views
Re: I was slightly disappointed on my second read. - 21/07/2010 12:31:50 PM 1193 Views
I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 1008 Views
My thoughts - 20/07/2010 04:50:06 AM 1323 Views
Does this story translate well? - 20/07/2010 06:27:50 PM 1115 Views
I honestly have no clue. - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1225 Views
That is what I thought you'd say. - 21/07/2010 02:04:26 PM 1086 Views
About evil in this book. - 21/07/2010 07:14:59 PM 1013 Views
More about evil in this book. - 23/07/2010 02:01:40 AM 1133 Views
Aha. There's the question I was going to ask: - 31/07/2010 10:32:17 PM 1005 Views
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1367 Views
Names. - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 1132 Views
They're not common. - 22/07/2010 03:08:55 AM 1148 Views
I have finally started it. - 25/07/2010 04:30:57 AM 1161 Views
Unfortunately do to my eye surgery I could not participate. - 28/07/2010 12:36:28 AM 1170 Views
I "read" it in audiobook form, in the car and on the move. - 29/07/2010 02:55:50 PM 1173 Views
I wonder if having the words in front would have helped Ivanovich's dream make (more) sense. - 29/07/2010 10:37:27 PM 962 Views
Indeed, it may have. - 30/07/2010 09:06:27 AM 1668 Views
I've finished. - 28/07/2010 02:39:57 AM 1165 Views
Civil Rights? You do realize that Russia never imported slaves, right? - 28/07/2010 01:52:12 PM 1246 Views
I thought that was so. - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1229 Views
It felt like two different books.One part I felt like I was wading through a meaningless fluff. - 31/07/2010 10:45:52 PM 1142 Views
Hm - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 1179 Views

Reply to Message