Quotes from book
The Master and Margarita

The Master and Margarita
Mikhail BulgakovOriginal title Мастер и Маргарита (Russian, 1967)

The Master and Margarita is a novel by Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940 during Stalin's regime. A censored version was published in Moscow magazine in 1966–1967, after the writer's death. The manuscript was not published as a book until 1967, in Paris. A samizdat version circulated that included parts cut out by official censors, and these were incorporated in a 1969 version published in Frankfurt. The novel has since been published in several languages and editions.

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Why try to pursue what is completed?”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Source: The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Is that vodka?" Margarita asked weakly.
The cat jumped up in his seat with indignation.
"I beg pardon, my queen," he rasped, "Would I ever allow myself to offer vodka to a lady? This is pure alcohol!”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Source: The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Punch a man on the nose, kick an old man downstairs, shoot somebody or any old thing like that, that’s my job. But argue with women in love—no thank you!”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Source: The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“I challenge you to a duel!” screamed the cat, sailing over their heads on the swinging chandelier.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Source: The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Azazello begged her not to worry, assuring her that he had seen not only naked women but also women with their skin flayed clean off”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Source: The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“just like a murderer jumps of nowhere in an ally, love jumped out in front of us and struck us both at once”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Source: The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“'Kant ought to be arrested and given three years in Solovki asylum for that "proof" of his!' Ivan Nikolayich burst out completely unexpectedly. 'Ivan!' whispered Berlioz, embarrassed. But the suggestion to pack Kant off to an asylum not only did not surprise the stranger but actually delighted him. 'Exactly, exactly!' he cried and his green left eye, turned on Berlioz glittered. 'That's exactly the place for him! I said to him myself that morning at breakfast: "If you'll forgive me, professor, your theory is no good. It may be clever but it's horribly incomprehensible. People will think you're mad."' Berlioz's eyes bulged. At breakfast… to Kant?”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'Never Talk to Strangers', MG, here Woland, Berlioz and Ivan are talking about Kant's views on existence of God
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Don't be afraid, Queen … don't be afraid, Queen, the blood has long since gone into the earth. And where it was spilled, grapevines are already growing.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book Two in 'The Great Ball at Satan's', P/V
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“... said the not entirely suppressed old Ivan, rearing his head from inside the new one, although without much confidence.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'Black Magic and Its Expose', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“I had the pleasure of meeting that young man at the Patriarch's Ponds. He almost drove me mad myself, proving to me that I don't exist. But you do believe that it is really I?”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book Two in 'The Extraction of the Master, P/V, here Woland addresses the Master about Ivan (alias "Homless")
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“No documents, no person.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book Two in 'The Liberation of the Master', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“We have no idea whether there were any other strange occurences in Moscow that night, and we have no intention of trying to find out, since the time has come for us to proceed to Part Two of this true narrative. Follow me, reader!”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'Unlucky Visitors', B/O, the last lines of Book One
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“It's all over, so let's not burden the telegraph system.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'The Incident at Griboyedov', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Gods, my gods! How sad the earth is at eventide! How mysterious are the mists over the swamps. Anyone who has wandered in these mists, who has suffered a great deal before death, or flown above the earth, bearing a burden beyond his strength knows this. Someone who is exhausted knows this. And without regret he forsakes the mists of the earth, its swamps and rivers, and sinks into the arms of death with a light heart knowing that death alone...”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book Two in 'Time to Go! Time to Go!', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“There was something uncommonly fake and uncertain in every line of these articles, depite their threatening and self-assured tone. I kept thinking... that the authors of these articles weren't saying what they wanted to say, and that that was why they were so furious.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'Enter the Hero', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“In fact, I'm beginning to fear that this confusion will go on for a long time. And all because he writes down what I said incorrectly.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'Pontius Pilate', B/O, here Yeshua is speaking to Pontius Pilate
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“It was clear to him that he had lost something irretrievably that day, and that now he wanted to make up for the loss with minor, inconsequential, and most importantly, belated measures.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book Two in 'How the Procurator Tried to Save Judas of Karioth', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)

Mikhail Bulgakov photo

“Foreign visitors... how impressed you all are with foreign visitors! But they come in many different varieties.”

Mikhail Bulgakov book The Master and Margarita

Book One in 'The Evil Apartment', B/O
The Master and Margarita (1967)