The Master and Margarita: What Is the Novel Really About?
Thursday 22. January 2026 at 19:00 - 22:00
Localie Hub, Amsterdam
The Master and Margarita — one of the most enigmatic and most quoted novels of the 20th century — has repeatedly become the subject of interpretation by literary scholars, critics, and film and theater directors. Who is Woland — the devil, a philosopher, or a metaphor for power? Why is Margarita’s love stronger than death? And what did Bulgakov really mean by combining satire and mysticism?
In this lecture, we will look at The Master and Margarita through the eyes of a philologist: how the novel is structured, which motifs and symbols run throughout the narrative, and why, after 80 years, no one has yet given a definitive answer to the question of what this book is truly about. Special attention will be paid to Mikhail Lokshin’s film adaptation and how it offers a new perspective on Bulgakov’s vision.
We’ll talk about:
- how Bulgakov combines satire, mysticism, and philosophy;
- who the true protagonist is — the Master, Margarita, or Woland;
- what lies behind the novel’s key scenes and symbols.
About the speaker:
Oleg Lekmanov is a philologist and literary scholar, Doctor of Philological Sciences, and author of over 800 published works. He is a laureate of the “Big Book” award (2019) and a visiting professor at Princeton University. A specialist in 20th-century Russian poetry, he has written both scholarly and popular books on Pasternak, Brodsky, Mandelstam, and other poets of the Silver Age.
When: January 22, 19:00
Where: Localie Hub
The lecture will be delivered in Russian.
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Localie Hub • Rudi van Dantzigstraat 3, 1095 PK Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
