Last month I wrote about Bulgakov, and this month, I actually have something to say about his novel, The Master and Margarita. Would you believe that, dear reader?
The Master and Margarita is often cited as an example of ‘magical realism,’ a literary genre that presents the unreal, ie. giant black cats, angels who cannot perform miracles, and super intelligent horses, in situations where one does not question them. Stories such as “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” and Gulliver’s Travels fall into the accepted definition of magical realism, while The Master and Margarita truthfully, does not.
The Master and Margarita is often declared as an example of magical realism, based on the fact that it portrays the unreal in a very real setting (1930s in Soviet Moscow). The elements of the unreal are questioned by most characters. Most people gawk at Ivan (one of the lead characters) for his declaration of seeing a black cat attempt to ride a tramcar, or how he claimed to know someone who clearly knew Pontius Pilate personally. However, it can be argued that the handful of characters who do not question the inane happenings are the ones who categorize this story as magical realism. However, only one major character, Margarita, does not question any of the magical happenings.
Margarita, of course, becomes a witch and is willing to do anything to be reunited with her beloved Master. So, why should she question anything that happened? She knows herself to be of sound mind, and it works out for her character that she does not question these things. The only other character in this story who is not shocked or surprised by the magical happenings is the lady managing the tickets on the tram. When Behemoth (the large black cat mentioned previously) attempts to board the tram, and even pay a kopeck, she exclaims: “Scram! No cats allowed!”
Keep in mind, Behemoth is the size of a hog, and, again, what would be your reaction if a cat attempted to give you money in order to ride a tram? Perhaps it is not the starkness between characters' reactions to the happenings, but rather how much they believe or disbelieve.
In stories like “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” and Gulliver’s Travels, there
is an element of people not questioning the magical, surreal, or bizarre happenings. To them, it is just another day. In “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”, nobody
denies the existence of the angel or the existence of the spider woman. To the characters in that short story, these folks are just facts of everyday life. Just part of a normal Tuesday. In Gulliver’s Travels, nobody questions the tiny animals he brings back from Lilliput. The townsfolk do not accuse him of heresy or lying. The tiny cows and sheep are just as mundane as the cows and sheep in their very own pastures. The very existence of Laputa was simply a known fact amongst some groups of people in the book. The floating island in the sky? Yeah, just as normal as the rain in Spain.
Considering these examples, what is the point of magical realism in fiction? What purpose does it serve? Think of it as a catalyst for whatever it is the author is satirizing. Magical realism is often used to extend the readers’ disbelief, so that they may look past the unreal, the magic, and the fictitiousness. It allows a reader to look past all of that, and to see a different aspect of the typically unquestionable unreal. In other words, it allows for an alternative understanding of a given situation. (Typically, said situation is usually grounded in reality, and the unreal aspect functions as a catalyst to further the satirical nature of magical realism.) The Master and Margarita, however, blends these preexisting notions. Bulgakov certainly uses satire, and the elements of the unreal to make a point, and as a result, pushes the story's genre in the direction of magical realism. However, because of the character's reactions to the happenings within the story itself, unlike that of what is typically prescribed to magical realism, it is sometimes considered not a neat fit with the category. One could still call Master and Margarita magical realism, but understand, there may be some differences of opinion among literary purists.
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