I just choose this theme, because I should choose some video from ted`s
talk according to rules and this video was the closest for me.
talk according to rules and this video was the closest for me.
The brick will never fall
on head without reason.
So, why should you read Bulgakov`s ‘The Master and Margarethe’?
The analysis of the novel ‘The Master and Margarita’ has been the subject of study of literary scholars throughout Europe for many decades. The novel has a number of features, such as the non-standard form of the ‘novel in the novel’(Master is writing his own novel), an unusual composition, rich themes and content. It was written at the sunset of Mikhail Bulgakov’s life and career. The writer put all his talent, knowledge and imagination into the work. It is fantastic, satirical, philosophical, and love novel. All these topics develop in it, framing the main idea – the struggle between good and evil. And not only in the context of the struggle, but also in the search for a definition. What is really evil? The reader is accustomed to the fact that the devil is pure evil, will be sincerely surprised by the image of Woland. He does not do evil, he contemplates, and punishes those who act low. His tour in Moscow only confirms this idea. He shows the moral diseases of society, but does not even condemn them, but only sighs sadly: ‘People are like people ... They are the same as before.’ Man is weak, but has power to resist his weaknesses, to fight them.
This novel is truly immortal thanks to the talent of the writer and the relevance of topics and problems.
I understand that it is difficult to find time for reading books for pleasure, but here is a little piece of the novel, that I choose to present for You:
'This man,' Fagot pointed at Bengalsky, ' is starting to bore me. He sticks his nose in everywhere without being asked and ruins the whole act. What shall we do with him? '
'Cut off his head! ' said a stern voice.
'What did you say, sir? ' was Fagot's instant response to this savage proposal. ' Cut off his head? That's an idea! Behemoth! ' he shouted to the cat. ' Do your stuff! Eins, zvei, drei!! '
Then the most incredible thing happened. The cat's fur stood on end and it uttered a harrowing ' miaaow! ' It crouched, then leaped like a panther straight for Bengalsky's chest and from there to his head. Growling, the cat dug its claws into the compere's glossy hair and with a wild screech it twisted the head clean off the neck in two turns. Two and a half thousand people screamed as one. Fountains of blood from the severed arteries in the neck spurted up and drenched the man's shirtfront and tails. The headless body waved its legs stupidly and sat on the ground. Hysterical shrieks rang out through the auditorium. The cat handed the head to Fagot who picked it up by the hair and showed it to the audience. The head moaned desperately :
'Fetch a doctor!'
'Will you go on talking so much rubbish?' said Fagot threateningly to the weeping head.
'No, I promise I won't! ' croaked the head. ' For God's sake stop torturing him! ' a woman's voice from a box suddenly rang out above the turmoil and the magician turned towards the sound.
'Well, ladies and gentlemen, shall we forgive him? ' asked Fagot, turning to the audience.
'Yes, forgive him, forgive him! ' The cries came at first from a few individual voices, mostly women, then merged into a chorus with the men.
'What is your command, messire? ' Fagot asked the masked professor.
'Well, now,' replied the magician reflectively. ' They're people like any others. They're over-fond of money, but then they always were . . . Humankind loves money, no matter if it's made of leather, paper, bronze or gold. They're thoughtless, of course . . . but then they sometimes feel compassion too .... they're ordinary people, in fact they remind me very much of their predecessors, except that the housing shortage has soured them . . .' And he shouted the order : ' Put back his head.'
Taking careful aim the cat popped the head back on its neck, where it sat as neatly as if head and body had never been parted. Most amazing of all--there was not even a scar on the neck. The cat wiped the tailcoat and shirtfront with its paw and every trace of blood vanished. Fagot lifted the seated Bengalsky to his feet, shoved a bundle of money into his coat pocket and led him off stage, saying :
'Go on--off you go, it's more fun without you!'
Gazing round in a daze and staggering, the compere got no further than the fire-brigade post and collapsed. He cried miserably:
'My head, my head . . .'
Among those who rushed to help him was Rimsky. The compere was weeping, snatching at something in the air and mumbling :
'Give me back my head, my head . . . You can have my flat, you can have all my pictures, only give me back my head . . .! '
1)Have you ever read or listen the book, or watched the film?
2)Do you think, the topic of the novel is relevance nowadays?
3)What was your thoughts after you have read the part of the novel (bored, interested, funny)?
Source:
https://www.weblitera.com/book/?id=205&lng=1&ch=12&l=ru
http://fit4brain.com/6174
Comments
I think that topic is relevant because of universal meaning. There is no good without an evil and there is no evil without a good. Sometimes line between them is blurry.
On the other hand, mostly because I am an atheist, I've always looked at this art work beyond religious meaning. It is considered important part of the book that Bulgakov tried to answer soviet tendencies to deny existance of Jesus and other implications of that fact.
It was more like a flashback to day years ago when I watched that scene in the serie. I enjoyed watching it.
2. I don't think so. The book for me was pretty abstract.
3. As I remember it was funny from time to time.
2. It's hard to take this book literally as it is depicted supernaturally, however, the topics that it touches on are universal. Aside from the topics of religion and government control, it's, to me, mostly about human nature. It answers to the questions such as: how we react to the impossible or what drives our actions. The book is also about our emotions such as envy and love. A book this multithreading has to be relevant in today's world.
3. I read the book so I remember the fragment and I think it is one of the best scenes. The absurd of the situation helps to reveal a deeper meaning, but it is also funny and odd.
I don’t remember my impressions of the book, it was a long time ago, but since I read it to the end, it means that I liked it, but its screen version really impressed me. In my opinion, this novel is a must-read in the school program for a reason, it describes important topics that will be relevant to this day.
While watching, I liked the dialogs with Pontius Pilate and Yeshua, and the scenes with the Behemoth cat were funny.
2. Well nowadays it’s hard to satisfy public. But novel is a genre that is still in rotation nowadays.
3. I was enjoying this book so hard. Lots of positive emotions. I have never wondered about political situation and oppressions during which this book was published. It’s mystical.
2. I think this book contains some universal truth and everybody can find something for them in it.
3. It was quite funny, but i remember better parts of the novel. But I got so excited when i saw that someone decided to write an article about this book.
Yes, I have read this novel and also watched the film (to be specific to the old TV series). I had it as a must-read novel in my high school, so I was a little bit forced to do it. But in the end, it was quite interesting reading.
2)Do you think, the topic of the novel is relevance nowadays?
I am not sure, there are some universal rules and we can learn from it, but still, I think it is a little old fashioned and is not as relevant to nowadays as it used to be.
3)What were your thoughts after you have read the part of the novel (bored, interested, funny)?
For me it was interesting. I like all the scenes with the cat, it was a little bit funny even. In the end, my overall opinion was a little confused, but I liked it.
But also, I took this part, because it shows consequences for actions, even such minor as expressing one`s own opinion. How it was said at the beginning – the brick never falls on somebodies’ head without a reason. In such way I wanted to pay your attention on some unformal rule of life – everything that is done or said should be thought out before; everything has its sense and purpose.
About relevance of topics raised in novel. Most of you have agreed, that they are relevance, universal and immortal. As far as people will exist, they will live. To live means to find yourself (to understand your characteristics), and to do this you need to define the definitions of main things – what is good, and what is bad, and what direction to choose. Human understand the world in oppositions.
Of course, to live means to love. Does it need any explanation? And when you are in love, you are happy. And there are no any evil things around you. Certainly, they are, but they don’t affect you … the world become colorful, and full of good.
And when you are, for example, greedy, you will not be happy, because the ‘box’ will never be filled, you will be unpleasant and will accumulate bad things, strange people, sometimes even mystical situations, around you…
That’s why it is important to know how to cope with yourself and not to find yourself in ‘unfortunate’ situation)).