Thank you for an incredible review. It was not only a pleasure to read but a discerning commentary on a difficult book. It's 4 A.M. where I am but your words reached me with a lively spirit.

But Satan is not carrying out Stalin's purges, Stalin is, though he's never mentioned by name. The contrast between Satan's mischief and Stalin's sinister dealings is an important part of the book!

Why, thank you, Ginnie. That's awfully kind of you. I'm glad you enjoyed the review!

Really, Meri? I didn't really get that from the book, but then I've only read it once, and I got distracted on several occasions. Maybe this is the kind of detail that will be more obvious upon rereading the book. To me, it seemed that Satan was doing what Stalin was doing in real life, although he went about it in a slightly more imaginative way. Take, for instance, the fact that Satan causes these people to be committed to mental asylums -- that's exactly what Stalin (and other Soviet leaders) were doing to dissidents. Likewise, most of Satan's victims are artists and others on the art scene -- precisely the sort of people Stalin and his cronies liked to do away with. It seemed obvious to me to equate the two, but perhaps a reread will prove otherwise. As I said in my review, I'll definitely reread the book at some point.

I thought both Stalin and Satan were responsible for tormenting various characters in the book. Satan's actions--driving writers insane, sacrificing a man to get his apartment, etc--were overt and usually comical. Stalin, who made the Master disappear for that time, is not mentioned and his actions are more sinister. What tipped me off initially was that when the Master disappeared, Margarita knew what had happened to him. If it was Satan, she would have been less resigned about it. At least, that was my impression. The sticky thing about literature is that it is what you make of it, right?

Actually, you're right about that. I'd forgotten about the master. I'm not sure how I managed that, given that he's a fairly large part of the book (and indeed its eponymous hero), but he had sort of slipped my mind amidst the more memorable exploits of Satan and his menagerie. So yes, it would seem that there are two forces of evil at work here -- one comical, another less comical. I'd still say that Satan's actions are a parody of Stalin's, though. I'm sure that's one reason why the book couldn't be published during Bulgakov's lifetime.

I agree with you on that. I hadn't made the connection between Satan driving artists insane and Stalin having artists committed to insane asylums, but it makes sense.