The Conflict of Art and Censorship
The Master and MargaritaThe Master's novel is rejected by the literary establishment, reflecting the struggle between creative freedom and state-imposed ideology.
increasing
Bearing strength in each event
decreasing
Bearing strength in each eventdecreasingThe Master's Novel
The Submission
The Hope
The Master finishes his novel about Pontius Pilate and submits it to a literary journal. He hopes that it will be published, as he believes in the power of his work.
The Rejection
The editor rejects the novel with vague excuses. The Master is told that the journal is not accepting new material. He is dismissed without a proper explanation.
The Criticism
Later, the critics Latunsky, Ariman, and the writer Mstislav Lavrovich write scathing articles attacking the novel as 'Pilatism' and an apology for Christianity. The Master is branded as a religious propagandist.
The Persecution
The Campaign
The Articles
More articles appear, each more vicious than the last. The critics accuse the Master of being a 'militant Old Believer' and a 'icon-dauber'. The Master feels the pressure intensifying.
The Fear
The Master begins to experience fear and anxiety. He cannot sleep, and he feels as if an octopus is creeping towards his heart. He is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
The Burning
In a panic, the Master burns the manuscript of his novel. He believes that destroying the novel will end his persecution. But the act only deepens his despair.
The Triumph of Art
The Resurrection
The Restoration
Woland, through his agents, returns the burnt manuscript to the Master. The novel is restored intact, proving that 'manuscripts don't burn'.
The Victory
Despite the censorship and persecution, the Master's art survives. The novel is not destroyed, and it continues to exist, even if only in the spiritual realm.
The Message
The conflict between art and censorship is resolved in favor of art. The novel suggests that true creativity cannot be suppressed by any authority, no matter how powerful.
After completion of the novel
Autumn after the novel's completion
By the end of the novel
