Magic and the Supernatural - Lancaster University

Natalia Kaloh Vid
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symbolism evoked, particularly the symbolism attaching to the character of
Margarita’. 5 First, transformed into a witch, Margarita continues functioning as the
bearer of maternal compassion in the novel. The impulse of the holy Mary lies in
the heart of her witchery, depicted on a spiritual level. Her thrilling metamorphosis
does not alert her fundamental concern with the destiny of her lover and her
believe in spiritual reality. It has to be noted that Satan himself appears as the agent
for dispensing cosmic justice.
The women attending the Sabbath, especially the hostesses, were expected to
have sexual intercourse with the devil. However, Margarita is not involved in any
kind of sexual harassment or orgies, staying pure and untouched in the Orthodox
tradition of Virgin Mary. She also enjoys respect and admiration on the part of
Satan himself and his servants which is quite unusual for a normal witch. In fact all
the more horrific and degrading aspects of making a pact with the Satan are not
present in the novel along with traditional designation of Satan as the incarnation
of Evil. 6 To take just several of the examples, the guests of the Satan’s ball kisses
Margarita’s knee instead of kissing Satan’s ass as it is prescribed by a traditional
Sabbath; Margarita doesn’t have to spit on the destroyed holy relics; there are no
children or animal sacrifices, etc. Her role keeps her at a far remove from such
blasphemous actions. The references to holy Virgin appear constantly during the
Satan’s ball. The Satan himself calls her ‘Madonna’ 7 and she wears a crone being
associated with the Queen of Heaven. Bulgakov uses numerous allusions to
apocryphal texts. Thus, Easter Orthodox tradition envisioned not only Christ but
also the Virgin Mary paying a visit to hell and being involved in the harrowing of
hell. It is a substance of a popular Orthodox medieval apocryphal text 8 ‘The
Descent of the Virgin into Hell’ 9 – 10 th /12 th centuries. Her visit occurs between
Christ’s death and resurrections and she represents divine mercy. Margarita drinks
blood at the end of the Ball but the blood turns into the wine, establishing an
intertextual reference to the blood of Christ. Margarita also exhibits faith and
divine mercy, as she uses the wish granted to her by Satan to save a young woman
Frida who strangles her own child. Margarita’s power to do good is immeasurably
increased by her alliance with the dark prince of the world. Margarita is
represented in the novels as ‘real, true, eternal love’ 10 and this description too is
clarified by her symbolic connection to Mary.
Margarita’s role as a witch finishes at the end of the Satan’s ball. She survives
this ordeal without breaking, and for her pains and her integrity she is rewarded.
Woland reunites Master and Margarita and restores the Master’s novel, burned in a
long-ago moment of despair. At the end of the novel Master and Margarita go off
in the eternity on symbolic level.
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