Woland's retinue: description, characterization and role in Bulgakov's novel

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Woland did not appear alone in Bulgakov's novel. He was accompanied by characters who played mainly the role of jesters. Woland's retinue put on a variety of shows that were disgusting. They were hated by the indignant Moscow population. After all, the entire environment of the “Messire” turned human weaknesses and vices inside out. In addition, their task was to perform all the "dirty" work at the behest of the master, serving him. Everyone who was part of Woland's retinue had to prepare Margarita for Satan's ball and send her with the Master to the world of peace.

The servants of the prince of darkness were three jesters - Azazello, Fagot (aka Koroviev), a cat named Behemoth and Gella - a female vampire. Woland's retinue were strange creatures. Each character is described separately below. Genuine interest in every reader of the famous novel arises regarding the origin of the images presented and their names.

Cat Behemoth

Describing the image of Woland and his retinue, the first thing I want to do is describe the cat. In fact, Behemoth iswerewolf animal. Most likely, Bulgakov took the character from the apocryphal book - the "Old Testament" of Enoch. Also, the author could get information about the Behemoth in the book “The History of Intercourse between Man and the Devil”, written by I. Ya. Porfiriev. In the mentioned literature, this character is a sea monster, a demon in the form of an elephant-headed creature with fangs and a trunk. The hands of the demon were human. The monster also had a huge belly, an almost imperceptible small tail and very thick hind limbs, similar to those of hippos. This similarity explains his name.

In the novel "The Master and Margarita" Bulgakov introduced the Behemoth to readers in the form of a huge cat, the prototype of which was the author's pet Flyushka. Despite the fact that Bulgakov's fluffy pet had a gray color, in the novel the animal is black, since his image is the personification of evil spirits.

Behemoth Transformation

At the time when Woland and his retinue made the final flight in the novel, Behemoth turned into a frail young page. Next to him was a purple knight. It was the transformed Fagot (Koroviev). In this episode, Bulgakov, apparently, reflected a comic legend from S. S. Zayaitsky's story "The Biography of Stepan Aleksandrovich Lososinov." It talks about a cruel knight, with whom his page constantly appears. The main character of the legend had a passion for tearing off the heads of animals. This cruelty is transferred by Bulgakov to Behemoth, who, unlike a knight, tears off a man's head -Georges of Bengal.

Tomfoolery and gluttony of Behemoth

Mythological creature Behemoth is a demon of carnal desires, especially gluttony. Hence, the cat in the novel had an unprecedented gluttony in Torgsin (currency store). Thus, the author shows irony in relation to the visitors of this all-Union institution, including himself. At a time when outside the capitals people live from hand to mouth, people in big cities were enslaved by the demon Behemoth.

The cat in the novel most often plays pranks, clows around, makes various jokes, and scoffs. This character trait of Behemoth reflects the sparkling sense of humor of Bulgakov himself. This behavior of the cat and its unusual appearance became a way of causing fear and confusion in people in the novel.

Demon Bassoon - Koroviev

What else is Woland and his retinue remembered by readers of the novel? Of course, a bright character is the representative of demons subordinate to the devil, Fagot, aka Koroviev. This is Woland's first assistant, a knight and a devil rolled into one. Koroviev introduces himself to the people of Moscow as an interpreter who works for a foreign professor and a former director of the church choir.

There are several versions of the origin of the surname and nickname of this character. It is also associated with some images of the works of F. M. Dostoevsky. So, in the epilogue of the novel The Master and Margarita, four Korovkins are mentioned among the people detained by the police due to the similarity of their surnames with Kroviev. Here, apparently, the author wanted to point out a character from Dostoevsky's story called The Village of Stepanchikovoand its inhabitants.”

Also, a number of knights, who are the heroes of some works of different times, are considered to be the prototypes of Bassoon. It is also possible that the image of Koroviev arose thanks to one of Bulgakov's acquaintances. The prototype of the demon could be a real person, a plumber Ageich, who was a rare drunkard and dirty trick. He repeatedly mentioned in conversations with the author of the novel that in his youth he was one of the choir directors in the church. This, apparently, was reflected by Bulgakov in the incarnation of Koroviev.

The resemblance of a bassoon to a musical instrument

The musical instrument bassoon was invented by a resident of Italy, the monk Afraniodegli Albonesi. In the novel, the connection (functional) of Koroviev with this canon from Ferrara is sharply indicated. Three worlds are clearly defined in the novel, representatives of each of which form certain triads according to similar qualities. The demon Fagot belongs to one of them, which also includes: Stravinsky's assistant Fyodor Vasilyevich and Aphranius, the "right hand" of Pontius Pilate. Koroviev made Woland his main associate, and his retinue did not argue against this.

The bassoon even outwardly resembles the long and thin instrument of the same name, folded in three. Koroviev is tall and thin. And in his imaginary subservience, he is ready to fold three times in front of the interlocutor, but only in order to later unhinderedly harm him.

Transformation of Koroviev

At the moment when Woland and his retinue made their last flight in the novel, the author presentsto the reader of Fagot in the form of a dark purple knight, who has a gloomy, incapable of smiling face. He was thinking about something of his own, resting his chin on his chest and not looking at the moon. When Margarita asked Woland why Koroviev had changed so much, messire replied that once this knight joked badly, and his mocking pun about light and darkness was inappropriate. He was punished for this with jester manners, a gay look and circus tattered clothes for a long time.

Azazello

What other representatives of the forces of evil did Woland's retinue consist of? "The Master and Margarita" has another bright character - Azazello. Bulgakov created his name by converting one of the Old Testament ones. The book of Enoch mentions the fallen angel Azazel. It was he, according to the apocrypha, who taught people to create weapons, swords, shields, mirrors and various jewelry made of precious stones and more. In general, Azazel managed to corrupt the population of the Earth. He also taught men to fight and women to lie, and turned them into godlessness.

Azazzello in Bulgakov's novel gives Margarita a magic cream that magically changes her appearance. Probably, the author was attracted by the idea of combining in one character the ability to kill and seduce. Margarita sees the demon in the Alexander Garden just like that. She perceives him as a seducer and murderer.

The main duties of Azazello

Azazello's main duties are bound to involve violence. Explaining his functions to Margarita, he admits that his direct speci alty is to slap the administratorin the face, shoot someone or put out of the house, and other "trifles" of this kind. Azazello transfers Likhodeev to Y alta from Moscow, expels Poplavsky (Uncle Berlioz) from the apartment, deprives Baron Meigel of life with the help of a revolver. The demon killer invents a magical cream that he gives to Margarita, giving her the ability to acquire witch beauty and some demonic powers. From this cosmetic product, the heroine of the novel gains the ability to fly and become invisible at will.

Gella

Only one woman was allowed into their entourage by Woland and his retinue. Characteristics of Gella: the youngest member of the diabolical union in the novel, a vampire. Bulgakov took the name of this heroine from an article called "Sorcery", published in the encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron. It noted that such a name was given to the dead girls who later became vampires on the island of Lesbos.

The only character from Woland's retinue who is missing from the description of the final flight is Hella. One of Bulgakov's wives considered this fact the result of the fact that the work on the novel was not fully completed. But it may also be that the author deliberately excluded Hella from the important scene, as an insignificant member of the devil's retinue, performing only auxiliary functions in the apartment, variety show and at the ball. In addition, Woland and his retinue could not equally perceive in such a situation next to them a representative of the lowest category of evil spirits. Among other things, Gella had no one to turn into, because she hadhis original form since transforming into a vampire.

Woland and his retinue: characteristics of the devilish forces

In the novel "The Master and Margarita" the author defines the forces of evil with unusual roles for them. After all, the victims of Woland and his retinue are not righteous, not decent and kind people whom the devil should lead astray, but already accomplished sinners. It is their sir and his assistants who denounce and punish, choosing peculiar measures for this.

So, the director of the variety show, Stepa Likhodeev, has to go to Y alta in an unusual way. He is simply mystically thrown there from Moscow. But, escaping with a terrible fright, he safely returns home. But Likhodeev has a lot of sins - he gets drunk, makes numerous connections with women, using his position, does nothing at work. As Koroviev says in the novel about the director of the variety show, he has been terribly swine lately.

In fact, neither Woland himself, nor the devilish assistants in any way influence the events taking place in Moscow during their visit to it. The non-traditional representation of Satan in Bulgakov's way is manifested in the fact that the leader of otherworldly impure forces is endowed with some clearly expressed attributes of God.