{"id":1400,"date":"2010-09-06T08:00:25","date_gmt":"2010-09-06T08:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1400"},"modified":"2014-07-17T13:49:52","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T13:49:52","slug":"reading-master-and-margarita-chapter-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/reading-master-and-margarita-chapter-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading \u00ab\u041c\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0440 \u0438 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0430\u00bb: Chapter 13"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is mimosa<\/a>, one of the first flowers that appear at Russian markets in late winter and early spring. There\u2019s much discussion whether the flowers Margarita carried the day she met Master were indeed \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0438\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [mimosa flowers]. After all, Bulgakov never named them, not in Chapter 13 anyway. He only described them as \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435, <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0436\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u0442\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [disgusting, troubling yellow flowers]. If you still think that it might be some other kind of flower and not mimosa stick around – the answer will be revealed to you in a few chapters. In the mean time here is an interesting and highly relevant fact about mimosa. It was, by some accounts,\u00a0Stalin\u2019s favorite flower.<\/p>\n

Remember how Master came to live in his cozy little basement apartment? \u00ab<\/strong>\u041e\u043d <\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0438\u0433\u0440\u0430\u043b <\/strong>\u043b\u043e\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u044e\u00bb<\/strong> [He won a lottery]. This is another mystery. Does Master strike you as someone who buys \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u043e\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0431\u0438\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [lottery tickets] and who\u2019s interested in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0433\u0430\u0449\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [quick riches]? Besides, it seems that all the fund-raising lotteries conducted by Soviet government between 1925 and 1939 were \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0449\u0435\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0435\u00bb,<\/strong> meaning that various household items, not money, were given away as prizes. Seems like Bulgakov gave his Master an \u201ceasy way out\u201d of the daily grind, emphasized his not fitting in with the societal realities.<\/p>\n

Speaking of lottery, have you ever heard a phrase \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0438\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043b\u043e\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u044e <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043c\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 <\/strong>\u0431\u0438\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [lit: to win a lottery with a tram ticket]? It means to be so lucky that you don\u2019t even have to try hard if at all. Such person is also called \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u0447\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [the fortunate one] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0443<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [the lucky one] from the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u00bb.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> itself has a couple of meanings. One is to carry or drive as in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0421\u0435\u0440\u0433\u0435<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u043a\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Sergey will drive me to the train station]. The second meaning is to luck out, as in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u043c\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043c <\/strong>\u043c\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043e<\/span><\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [I am lucky to have such a husband] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0421\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u043b\u043e<\/span> <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0441\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0442\u0438<\/span> <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435 <\/strong>\u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u0437 <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044e\u00bb<\/strong> [Sveta lucked out and was able to carry all the jewelry through the customs].<\/p>\n

I personally don\u2019t know anyone who is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0443<\/span>\u043d\u0447\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [lucky one], a kind of person that whatever he undertakes, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0435\u043c\u0443<\/span> <\/strong>\u0444\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [the luck is on his side]. Most of my friends have \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f, <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0443<\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0435\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u0430\u043c\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [lucky streaks followed by the unlucky ones].<\/p>\n

When \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [informal – bad luck] or even \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u043f\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [even more informal – bad luck] happens many Russians ask rhetorically \u00ab<\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0435 \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u00bb <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u044d<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u0438\u043c <\/strong>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [what\u2019s lack of luck and how to overcome it]. They might complain that \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0443\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [just my luck; lit. having the luck of a drowned man]. But most know that \u00ab<\/strong>\u0435<\/span><\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430\u0445 – <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [if one is unlucky in cards, he\u2019s lucky in love] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u0432\u0438<\/span>, <\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> <\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0451\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [those unlucky in love are dealt the best hand in cards]. Besides, everyone knows that \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0443\u0440\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043c <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [fools are always lucky]. So \u00ab<\/strong>\u0435<\/span><\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432\u0430\u043c <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [if you aren\u2019t having much luck] whether \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [in love], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [in card games], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [with or at work], or even \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [in life], that\u2019s just another proof that you\u2019re a smart cookie.<\/p>\n

Like many people in many other countries, Russians believe \u00ab<\/strong>\u0447\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span> <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [number thirteen] to be a particularly unhappy one (we even had a discussion about \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430, <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0447\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [Friday, the 13th<\/sup>] on our Facebook fanpage<\/a> some time ago. Isn\u2019t it strange then that Master makes his entrance in Chapter 13?<\/p>\n

To begin with, it is not often that one has to read almost half through the novel to meet its hero. Can you think of any other \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [literary work] that does the same? I can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

And then, when the hero finally appears, he does so in Chapter 13 that increases the feeling of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [mysticism] and reinforces the reader\u2019s impression that some \u00ab<\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0442\u043e\u0432\u0449\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [devilry] is afoot.<\/p>\n

Can it also be a veiled reference to Matthew 3:13 \u201cThen cometh Jesus\u2026\u201d? After all, the title of the chapter, \u00ab<\/strong>\u042f\u0432\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0433\u0435\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [The Appearance of the Hero], evokes one of the most well-recognized Russian paintings \u00ab<\/strong>\u042f\u0432\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0425\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [The Appearance of Christ before the People].<\/p>\n

Whatever the allusion, the appearance of Master brings a third dimension to the novel. So far it had two plot lines running in parallel. One was set in the ancient Jerusalem and centered on Pontius Pilate and Yeshua; the other, mischievous one, set in Bulgakov\u2019s Moscow, involved Woland and his victims. The only link between the two was the poor \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0443\u043c\u0430\u0441\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0448\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [insane, lit. the one who left his mind] Ivan Bezdomniy. And now, we have another \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0443\u0448\u0435\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [insane, lit. the one with an ailing soul] who strengthens the link.<\/p>\n

If you know the saying \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0431\u043e\u0433 <\/strong>\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0430, <\/strong>\u043e\u043d <\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> <\/strong>\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0443\u043c\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [when god wants to punish a man, he deprives him of the faculty of reason], you might find it very curious indeed that the only two people in the entire Moscow who have an inkling as of Woland\u2019s true nature are the two mental patients. Things are getting more and more mysterious!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

This is mimosa, one of the first flowers that appear at Russian markets in late winter and early spring. There\u2019s much discussion whether the flowers Margarita carried the day she met Master were indeed \u00ab\u043c\u0438\u043c\u043e\u0437\u044b\u00bb [mimosa flowers]. After all, Bulgakov never named them, not in Chapter 13 anyway. He only described them as \u00ab\u043e\u0442\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435, \u0442\u0440\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0435…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1018,9273,8982,1248,1250,1818,9179,1681],"class_list":["post-1400","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bulgakov","tag-doing-things-together","tag-master-margarita","tag-russian-language","tag-russian-literature","tag-1818","tag-9179","tag-1681"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1400"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6203,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1400\/revisions\/6203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}