Sections: Literature

Lesson Objectives:

1. Develop episode analysis skills artwork. Continue working on the formation of a monologue answer. To instill the skills of self-assessment of literary works.
2. Deepen the concept of "artistic image".
3. To expand the literary horizons of students, to arouse their interest in the source aspect in understanding the content of the novel.

Preliminary preparation for the lesson:

2. Prepare messages:

The creative history of the chapter "The Great Ball at Satan's".
- Woland's literary prototypes.
- Prototypes of guests at the great ball at Satan's (about each hero - a separate message).
- Analysis of the final episode in the scene of the great ball at Satan's.

3. Competition of students' drawings for chapter 23 of the novel.

4. Immediately before the lesson, two students are offered individual cards with tasks:

Match the works where the image of the ball is given in the romantic and realistic traditions.
- In the English-Russian and German-Russian dictionaries, find translations of the words freedom and Frieden.

During the classes.

I. Introduction.

In the introduction, we say that in the previous lessons the students received the key to comprehending the “impossible” novel “The Master and Margarita”, that together we have already identified the directions for the search for meaning and now an important lesson, the purpose of which is to prepare for writing and ... to make new discoveries.

We write down the topic of the lesson and determine the ways of joint work (they can be presented on the board):

1. Discuss the topic of the essay (title), its traditional character in Russian literature.
2. Repeat the literary terms necessary for the disclosure of the topic, deepen the concept of "artistic image".
3. Analyze the episode "Satan's Great Ball".
4. Draw conclusions.

To work on literary concepts, we select 2 experts.

As they discuss the chapter "Satan's Great Ball," they write down terms that they will read at the end of the lesson.

II. Discussion of the topic of the essay.

1. Title.

During the discussion of the title of the topic on the board and in notebooks, the following entry may turn out:

What will you talk about?

What is this ball called? (Chapter 23 is called "The Great Ball at Satan's", in the 22nd chapter Koroviev tells Margarita that it is called "the full moon spring ball or the ball of a hundred kings".)

What is the place of chapter 23 in the novel? (She is in the second part of the novel.)

What compositional role playing this episode? (This is the climax in the life of otherworldly forces.)

What role do otherworldly forces play in the novel in terms of the narrative of the three worlds: ancient, modern and otherworldly? (The otherworldly forces in the novel play the role of a link between the ancient and modern worlds.)

Find the keyword in the title. (Image.)

You need not just to retell the events of the May night, but to show what image of the ball M. Bulgakov creates.

2. Deepening the concept of "artistic image".

In the 7th grade, drawing up a thesis plan for the introductory article of the textbook, we talked about the difference between literature and science and remembered that imagery is a property of art in general, the reproduction of life in an image, in a concrete sensual form, or, in the words of Chernyshevsky, in " forms of life itself”, and not “in the forms of thought”, not in concepts. The artistic image is dual in nature. On the one hand, it should give an idea of ​​the reflected reality, even if the work is not realistic. We take the point of view of the author and conditionally "believe" in his characters. Otherwise, we will not be able to perceive this artistic reality (for example, the distant past or a fantasy world) as a real action unfolding before us. But, on the other hand, we see that this is still not life itself, that this is skillfully done by the author.

It is capacious imagery that allows literary classics to reflect the whole world, as in a drop of water; solve huge socio-historical and enduring universal problems.

Consequently, the figurativeness of literature does not consist in separate techniques, but in the subordination of each word, each element of the work to a certain super-task aimed at the aesthetic development of all the wealth of the world.

Determine now what should be the goal, the idea of ​​your essay?

(To see how the artistic world of the author is reflected in a small drop - an episode, a separate chapter; show how the main themes of the entire work are refracted in the analyzed episode, which moral issues decided by the author.)

3. On the traditional image of the ball in Russian literature.

Let's see how traditional the image of the ball was in Russian literature. We listen to the answer of the student who completed the individual task on the card (see Appendix 1.).

4. Student's message about creative history creating a ball scene (see Appendix 2.)

III. Analysis of the episode of the novel - the 23rd chapter "The Great Ball with Satan".

1. Determine the chronotope of this episode.

Where is the grand ball taking place? (In the “bad apartment” No. 50 on Sadovaya Street 302-bis.)

In order to describe such a grandiose ball, it was necessary to expand the space of an ordinary Moscow apartment to supernatural dimensions. And, as Koroviev explains, "for those who are well acquainted with the fifth dimension, it costs nothing to push the room to the desired limits."

Here it is worth recalling Wells' "The Invisible Man", where Griffin states his idea that allowed him to achieve invisibility: "I found the general law of pigments and refraction of light formula, a geometric expression that includes four dimensions. Fools, ordinary people, even ordinary mathematicians, do not suspect what significance any general expression can have for the student of molecular physics. Bulgakov parodies the English science fiction writer by increasing the number of dimensions to five and thereby gaining the ability to see the invisible under normal conditions: the gigantic halls in which the ball takes place are placed in Berlioz's former apartment.

Show to what extent Berlioz's former apartment has been extended.

When does the action in chapter 23 begin? (“Midnight was approaching,” “no more than ten seconds until midnight.”)

2. Whose eyes show the ball? (Margaritas.)

It is no coincidence that the description of the ball and other events of that night is not in the materials of the investigation. After all, the beloved of the Master is the only person who could tell in detail about this, but she disappeared without a trace.

Let's turn to the actors. I ask you to write down the name of each and note what topic, problem the literary hero is associated with. Consultants will talk about character prototypes.

3. Conversation about Woland.

Who is throwing a big ball?

Briefly describe it.

In what form does Woland appear at the ball?

(“Then Margarita saw Woland again ... Margarita was struck by the fact that Woland went out on this last exit at the ball in the same form in which he was in the bedroom. The same dirty patched shirt hung on his shoulders, his feet were in worn-out night shoes Woland was with a sword, but he used this naked sword like a cane, leaning on it. Limping, Woland stopped near his elevation ... ").

Satan does not cause a smile. Moreover, the author's irony does not concern Woland even once. Why? Refer to the epigraph of the novel.

You can tell students about Woland in different editions of the novel (see Appendix 4).

Why did Bulgakov need a “majestic and regal” Woland, close to the literary tradition of Goethe, Lermontov and Byron, Vrubel’s painting, as we find Woland in the final text of the novel?

(This is connected with the philosophical concept of the novel. Woland personifies eternity. He is that eternally existing evil that is necessary for the existence of good.)

4. Conversation about Margarita.

We have already noted that the other world in the second part of the novel is shown, as it were, through the eyes of Margarita. What role does she play at the ball? (Margarita is the queen of the ball, she is the bride of the Devil.)

What can you say about the prototypes of this image? (Bulgakov retained the name of Goethe's heroine in his novel, but his Margarita also has a real prototype. They were Elena Sergeevna Shilovskaya, who became the third wife of Mikhail Afanasyevich. The writer made extracts about Margarita of Valois, known for her passion, and about Margarita of Navarre - both historical Margaritas, as noted in the Brockhaus and Efron dictionary, they patronized writers and poets.Since 1934, the image of the Master becomes central in the novel, next to him is a generalized poetic image of a woman who loves.)

Why exactly Margarita came up to the role of hostess of the ball? (In the 22nd chapter, Koroviev explains to Margarita the reasons for choosing her as queen: “A tradition has been established ...”.)

So, "midnight was approaching, we had to hurry." Margarita is being prepared for the ball. “From somewhere Koroviev appeared and hung Margarita on her chest ...”. We find in the text that he hung on her chest. (“Koroviev appeared from somewhere and hung on Margarita’s chest a heavy image of a black poodle in an oval frame on a heavy chain.”)

What happened? Why? (Koroviev and Behemoth began to treat her with respect. The image of a black poodle is a symbol of the power of evil. Woland had a “cane with a black knob in the form of a poodle’s head.”)

What is this small “talking” detail called in literary criticism? (Artistic detail.)

At one of the lessons, the subject of our attention was the story of the Master and Margarita, but the theme of love in a broader philosophical sense sounds from the beginning of the 23rd chapter.

(Students find in the text of the novel Koroviev’s advice to Margarita before the start of the ball: “Allow me, Queen, to give you one last piece of advice. Among the guests there will be different, oh, very different, but no one, Queen Margot, no advantage! If someone doesn’t like ... I understand that you, of course, will not express this on your face ... No, no, you can’t think about it! He will notice, notice at the same moment! You need to love him, love him, queen! The hostess of the ball will be rewarded a hundredfold for this. And more : don't miss anyone! At least a smile, if there is no time to throw a word, at least a tiny turn of the head. Anything, but not inattention. This will make them sick ... ")

In addition to the theme of Love, another main theme of the novel is also connected with the image of Margarita. Formulate it after the proposed initial data. See<Рисунок 1>

Woland is holding a great ball, and he needs a hostess for the ball. There is Margarita, who, in order to save the Master, is ready to sell her soul to the Devil. She becomes his bride, but she loves the Master.

How does she feel in front of the Master? (Guilt.)

What does she do morally? (Change.)

This is a crime for which what is inevitable? (Pay.)

What is the main theme? (The theme of guilt and retribution, crime and punishment.)

IV. Characteristics of the guests of the ball.

Let's see how this theme of the entire novel - the theme of guilt and retribution - is refracted in the ball scene. All guests of the ball can be conditionally divided into imaginary and true poisoners, great villains, and the episode with Frida occupies a special position in the chapter.

The scheme is presented on the board. See<Рисунок 2>

1. Characteristics of the guests - men, imaginary poisoners, at the great ball with Satan.

Who appears first? ("Monsieur Jacques with his wife.")

As you can see, Ker was not such a sinister figure, the accusations against him remained unproven and were generated by the slander of his eminent debtors. The historical Jacques la Coeur died a natural death, and Bulgakov's character was executed on the gallows.

Why? (There is a real crime - there must be a real punishment.)

What is the role of the first guest? Let's read how he appears, how Margarita reacts, and understand what the author's goal is. (Both by his invention of the execution of Jacques, and by this terrible scene of the appearance of the first guests, the author achieves an increase in atmosphere at the beginning of the ballroom convention. Margarita is amazed at the terrible sight, but gradually gets used to it.)

Who is the next of the guests of the men - imaginary poisoners? (“At this time, a headless skeleton with an arm torn off appeared from the fireplace, hit the ground and turned into a man in a tailcoat ... A lone tailcoat was running up the stairs.

Count Robert, - whispered to Margarita Koroviev, - is still interesting. Notice how ridiculous, queen, the opposite case: this one was the queen's lover and poisoned his wife." [T.3. – P.331-332.])

Bulgakov followed V. Scott in his interpretation of this image. He executes the count, following the principle: if the crime in the novel is real, then a fair retribution follows. It is characteristic that Leicester appears alone at the ball, since his mistress, the queen, is not involved in the crime.

What other sorcerer and alchemist was hanged? (“Queen, a second of attention: the emperor Rudolf, a sorcerer and an alchemist ... Another alchemist, he was hanged.” [T.3. - P.336.])

A number of imaginary poisoners at the ball are completed by "someone new". Do you feel in this ironic “someone new” some kind of ominous hint, omission?

Another participant in the process of the "Right-Trotsky bloc" turned out to be at the ball. Its prototype is Bukharin. Who is it? ("Lower tenant" Nikolai Ivanovich.)

As you can see, this character is connected with the main theme of the novel - the theme of art.

2. Characteristics of the guests - women, true poisoners.

Let's get back to our poisoners. All imaginary poisoners at the ball are men. But true poisoners, or rather, poisoners, pass in front of Margarita, since they are all women.

V. Analysis of the episode conventionally called "Frida".

1. In the ball scene, the image of Frida occupies a special position. The name itself has many associations.

The answer of a student who worked with English-Russian and German-Russian dictionaries before the lesson.

The word "Frida" is close to both English, meaning "freedom", and German, which translates as "peace", "calm".

Thus, Frida's name is indirectly connected with major topics novel - the theme of Freedom and with the theme developed in the final chapters of the novel - the theme of Peace. It also deals with the theme of guilt and retribution. Tell me about Frida. Who is she? Why was she at Satan's ball? How is her fate decided after the ball?

2. The student's monologue response using the text.

3. Student's message about Frida's prototypes(See Annex 11).

How is Frida's fate decided after the ball? (Chapter 24: Frida is granted mercy).

Reading the episode of Frida's forgiveness.

Who forgives Frida? Satan is a symbol of evil or God is a symbol of good?

(Man forgives man, as in the episode when the Master forgives Pilate.)

Why, of all the guests - poisoners, villains - forgiveness is granted only to Frida?

(She also experienced pangs of conscience during her lifetime. For 30 years in the other world, every day the maid put a handkerchief on her, with which she strangled the baby. Consequently, Frida paid for her guilt in full. She deserved Freedom and Peace precisely because she suffered in earthly life. )

Now let's make a conclusion-an assumption about the connection between the image of Margarita and a series of guests at the ball in the thematic sense of guilt and retribution.

Agree: the fact that a string of villains, murderers, poisoners, interspersed with harlots and bawds, passes in front of Margarita is not accidental.

Additional questions:

1) How does Margarita herself assess her guilt before the Master?

2) Why are there so many poisoners and poisoners walking in front of her at the ball?

3) Who will poison the Master and Margarita in the future?

4) What opportunity does Bulgakov leave for the thinking reader?

5) Why does Woland introduce Margarita to the famous villains and whores?

6) What alternative reading gives

What episode ends the great ball with Satan? (“Woland stopped near his dais, and Azazello immediately appeared in front of him with a dish in his hands, and on this dish Margarita saw the severed head of a man with knocked out front teeth.” [T.3. - P.341.] This is the head of Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz.)

Why is Woland so cruel to Berlioz?

What thesis, which gives spiritual light to human life, permeates the entire novel as a whole? (“To each will be given according to his faith.”)

AT the art world Bulgakov "to each is given according to his faith." Berlioz is a man without fantasy, he is devoid of imagination and the ability to perceive someone else's point of view, he does not believe in anything except his own dogma, he receives "according to his faith" - non-existence.

It is noteworthy that in the work Woland almost verbatim repeats the words of Christ quoted by the Evangelist Matthew: "According to your faith, be it to you." The devil is quoting Jesus... This already suggests that in Bulgakov's novel they are not antagonists, they make up the harmony of the universe, in which there is a place for darkness and light.

V. Results of the analysis of the episode "The Great Ball with Satan".

1) How is the theme of guilt and retribution refracted in this episode?

(- According to Bulgakov, if the crime is real, and not imaginary, then a fair retribution follows it.

If a person experiences pangs of conscience during his lifetime, he deserves forgiveness.

Bulgakov leaves an alternative to the Master and Margarita: imaginary poisoning - in the end, they find themselves not in the world of Evil (in hell), they are granted Peace.

So, each will be given according to his faith.)

2) In the same way, starting from the prototypes of the characters, you can consider how the main themes of the novel are refracted in this episode: the theme of Good and Evil, the theme of Love, the theme of Creativity, the theme of the Artist, the theme of Light and Peace. This book will help you:

Sokolov B.V. M. Bulgakov's novel "Master and Margarita": Essays on creative history. – M.: Nauka, 1991.

3) And now let's listen to the experts. What literary concepts did you write down?

(Episode, composition, climax, artistic image, figurativeness, association, portrait, grotesque, tradition, parody, fantasy, prototype, epigraph, author's irony, humor, satire, personification, symbol, artistic detail.)

VI. Homework: write an essay on the topic "The image of the ball in the novel by M.A. Bulgakov."

List of used literature:

1. Bulgakov M.A. Works: in 3 volumes. V.3. The Master and Margarita. Novel. Letters. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria, 2002.
2. Marantsman V.G. The study of literature in the 9th grade. Method. A guide for the teacher. – M.: Enlightenment, 1992.
3. Modern dictionary-reference book on literature / Comp. and scientific ed. S.I. Kormilov.- M.: Olimp; OOO AST, 1999.
4. Sokolov B.V. M. Bulgakov's novel "Master and Margarita": Essays on creative history. - M.: Nauka, 1991.
5. Chebotareva V.A. Prototype of Bulgakov's Margarita. // Lit. Azerbaijan.-1998.- №2. - S. 117-118.

Bulgakov used many literary sources when describing the Sabbath in The Master and Margarita. Also in preparatory materials extracts from Orlov's book have been preserved for the first edition: “Antesser. Shack games. Sawdust and a bell”, as well as from the Encyclopedic Dictionary article “Witches Sabbath”.

The author of the article points out that witches and devils, who, according to popular beliefs, are participants in the Sabbath, originated from ancient pagan gods and goddesses, traditionally depicted riding a boar. Recall that this is how Margaret's servant, Natasha, travels.

In the 1936 version, much more was given detailed description coven in Berlioz's apartment. Margarita got there through a pipe in the midst of fun and saw “couples jumping in a furious polka”.

In the final text of The Master and Margarita, the sabbath takes place not in an apartment, but on the river bank, and leading role it is played by a goat-legged man who brings Margarita a glass of champagne. A fat man appears here, making everyone laugh with his awkwardness. Fat man's feet, in muddy mud, like black boots.

The flight of Margarita and the sabbath are a kind of prelude to the most striking scenes associated with the great ball and Satan.

According to the memoirs of E.S. Bulgakova, original description the ball was very different from the one we now know from the final text of the novel: “First, a small ball was written. It took place in Woland's bedroom. And I really liked him. But then, already during his illness, Mikhail Afanasyevich wrote a big ball. For a long time I did not agree that a big ball is better than a small one ... and one day ... he destroyed the manuscript with the first ball. I noticed this, but didn't say anything… Mikhail Afanasyevich… was a master, he couldn't make a mistake, and that's why he destroyed that variation. And in the luxury of the big ball, it seems to me, the reception from W.K. Bulit, the American ambassador to the USSR, was reflected.

In order to describe such a grandiose ball, it was necessary to expand the space of an ordinary Moscow apartment to supernatural dimensions. And, as Koroviev explains, “for those who are well acquainted with the fifth dimension”, it costs nothing to push the room to the desired limits.

Some details of the ball scene are to a certain extent oriented to the articles of Brockhaus and Efron, and a number of other sources. So, richly decorating the ballrooms with roses, Bulgakov, no doubt, took into account the complex and multifaceted symbolism associated with this flower. In the Encyclopedic Dictionary article on roses in ethnography, literature and art, it is noted that roses acted both as a symbol of mourning and as a symbol of love and purity.

With this in mind, Bulgakov's roses can simultaneously be considered both as symbols of Margarita's love for the Master and as a harbinger of their imminent death. The abundance of roses - a flower alien to the Russian tradition - emphasizes the foreign origin of the diaboliad played in Moscow and its heroes, and if we recall the widespread use of roses to decorate Catholic services, roses add an additional element to the ball - a parody of a church service.

When describing the ball with Satan, Bulgakov also took into account the tradition of Russian symbolism. So, Woland's ball is called "the full moon spring ball, or the ball of a hundred kings", and Margarita acts as a queen. At Bulgakov's, Margarita receives the guests of the ball, standing on one knee. The guests are men in tailcoats, and naked women in hats with feathers kiss her on the hand and knee, and Margarita is forced to smile at everyone. During the ceremony, she is on a marble staircase towering over the hall.

The description of the luxurious swimming pool at Woland's ball also reflected Bulgakov's impression of visiting the American embassy. At the ball, Margarita sees that the water in one of the pools is ruby ​​​​colored, they scoop it with silver scoops, and a giant black fountain in the form of Neptune throws a jet into the pool.

It is by no means accidental that a long line of guests is chosen, which passes in front of Margarita. The procession is opened by “Mr. Jacques with his wife”, “a convinced counterfeiter, a traitor, but a very good alchemist”, who “poisoned the royal mistress. We are talking here about the famous French statesman of the XV century. Jacquet la Quere.

Ker was a less sinister figure. In the novel, Bulgakov deliberately puts into the mouth of Woland Koroviev's assistant a negative characterization of the French financier - a man undoubtedly gifted. Here the connection between talent and evil spirit. Woland and his retinue provide patronage to both criminals and prominent people of the past, who were often unreasonably accused of crimes. At Satan's ball, good and evil are, if not merged, then closely intertwined.

All imaginary poisoners at the ball are men. But the true poisoners, or rather the poisoners, pass before Margarita, since they are women. The first to speak is “Ms. Tofana”. The writer got information about this famous Italian poisoner from an article about the poison “Aqua Tofana”. It noted that in 1709 a Sicilian poisoner was arrested, tortured and strangled in prison.

In front of Margarita are the famous harlots and procuresses of the past and present. Here is a Moscow dressmaker who organized a meeting house in her workshop, and the third wife of the Roman emperor Claudius Messalina, distinguished by debauchery and executed after an unsuccessful attempt to enthrone her lover.

Finally, Margarita sees just famous villains. The fact that a string of villains, murderers, poisoners, whores passes in front of Margarita is not accidental. Bulgakov's heroine is tormented by her betrayal of her husband and, albeit subconsciously, puts this misconduct on a par with the greatest crimes of the past and present. Woland, introducing Margarita to the famous villains and whores, as if testing her love for the Master, intensifies the pangs of her conscience.

The image of Frida occupies a special position in the ball scene. The name itself evokes many associations. It is also close to the English word freedom, meaning “freedom”. Bulgakov's Frida kills her child in infancy and with the help of a handkerchief. In the episode with Frida, it was the innocent baby that was important to Bulgakov as the last measure of good and evil. The handkerchief that Bulgakov's Frida sees every evening on her table is not only a symbol of the pangs of conscience tormenting her, but also the ghost of the existence of her obsession.

Bulgakov's Frida is granted mercy. The story of Frida in some way echoes the story of Goethe's Margarita from Faust and is opposed to the fate of Bulgakov's Margarita, genetically ascending to this heroine of Goethe's tragedy.

And, finally, a character that appears at the very end of the ball, the only one of Woland's guests who still belongs to the circle of the living, but is about to go to the other world. This is Baron Meigel. Perhaps the features of one of the Meigels, Bulgakov's contemporaries, were reflected in the image of Meigel.

At Bulgakov, Baron Meigel serves in the entertainment commission and is engaged in familiarizing foreigners with the sights of Moscow, offering his services to Woland in this capacity. Cold-blooded and indifferent to his victims, Meigel can be regarded as a kind of parody of the same indifferent to his victims and working like a soulless machine, jailer in the general's epaulettes E.I. Maidel.

The transformation of Berlioz's head into a skull cup from which they drink wine and blood takes place in strict accordance with the laws of the Sabbat. Even in the preparatory materials for the first edition of the novel there is an extract from the article "The Sabbath of Witches": "A horse skull from which they drink." In the original source, this place sounds like this: that the participants in the coven "eat horse meat, and drink drinks from cow hooves and horse skulls." At the ball of the dead, Woland, a specialist in “black magic”, Satan, refers to the severed head of Berlioz, on which “living eyes full of thought and suffering” are preserved: “... everyone will be given according to his faith. May it come true! You go into non-existence, and I will be happy to drink from the cup into which you turn into being.

What kind of “faith” does the chairman of MASSOLIT profess? In this context, it comes down to a simple thought: “after cutting off the head, life in a person stops ... and he goes into oblivion.” Woland raises a toast “to being”, a toast to life.

However, “life” is only a superficial, far from exhaustive content that the author puts into the concept of “being”. Woland's conversation with the Moscow writer at the Patriarch's Ponds deals with evidence of the existence of God and, accordingly, the devil. Woland "begs" his interlocutors: "Believe at least that the devil exists." God and devil are creatures spiritual world, spiritual value. Being - in a broad sense - the reality of the spiritual world, rejected by Berlioz. The essence of his "faith" Woland forms in an ironic maxim: "... whatever you miss, there is nothing." Such is the "faith" of Berlioz. Woland refutes Berlioz's views point by point, he proves that they contradict "facts", the most stubborn thing in the world. “Full of thoughts and suffering” eyes on the severed head testify that the truth of the fact has reached Berlioz’s still unquenched consciousness.

During Margarita's stay with Woland, an anti-war theme suddenly enters the novel. In Woland's crystal globe, the heroine sees a picture of military disasters for which Abadonna, the demon of war and destruction, is responsible. The very description of the suffering of the civilian population is undoubtedly inspired by the events of the civil war in Spain. These events were invariably present in news releases on the radio, in newsreels. This episode was included in the novel in 1937, when the war in Spain was in full swing. Here is declared a clear anti-war position of Bulgakov - a participant in the First World and Civil Wars. He is deeply convinced that in the event of war, "the results for both sides are always the same." This position is especially close to us today, when for all sane people the destructiveness of any war for human civilization is obvious.

Olga STRIZHEVSKAYA,
11th grade
Economics and Mathematics Lyceum,
Izhevsk
(literature teacher -
N.R. Vanyushev)

Analysis of the episode "The Great Ball at Satan's" in M. Bulgakov's novel "The Master and Margarita"

The uniqueness of the novel "The Master and Margarita" lies primarily in the complex motive structure, in the diverse interweaving of repetitive dynamic images, themes. The connections between them are mostly associative, and sometimes the logic of linkages can be reversed. It is this feature of the novel that creates difficulty in its analysis, therefore, considering the ball scene, which is key for understanding the work, we will try to understand the logic of associative connections and “stretch the strings” from it to the general figurative structure and problems of the novel.

In the development of the plot, the episode of the ball is the climax: this is a turning point in the fate of the master and Margarita (a love story), this is the apotheosis of Woland's power (“cruel” novel). The scene of the ball at Satan's, as it were, pulls together all the novel knots of the "Moscow novel". However, this is not his only role: the climax of the episode, rather, creates an atmosphere of tension for closer attention to the inner, associative side of the episode, which “connects” another part of The Master and Margarita - an ancient novel. More on that later, but first it's important to define the context of the ball scene.

“Annually messire gives one ball. It is called the spring ball of the full moon, or the ball of a hundred kings ... So, sir: sir is single ... - you need a hostess ... A tradition has been established that the hostess must certainly bear the name of Margarita. We found one hundred and twenty-one Margaritas in Moscow - none of them fit.”

Everything is important in this detailed explanation. First, Satan needs an earthly mistress with a living soul. It is no coincidence that the name Margarita, which means “pearl”. In Gnostic literature, this was the name given to the precious human soul, or the Soul of the World - Sophia, which the Gnostic Savior came to free from the captivity of the satanic dragon and return to the realm of divine light. Margarita at Bulgakov, on the contrary, voluntarily agrees to give her soul to the devil. This immediately suggests the “invertedness”, the ambivalence of meanings in the episode: Margarita does not play the role that the name determines. This idea is also supported by the symbol of the moon (“full moon ball”), because in Bulgakov the image of the moon is a recurring motif of distorted light. The associations associated with the very concept of “Satan's ball” are also important. On the one hand, the ball is familiar secular entertainment, but this - "from Satan" - puts a mystical religious meaning into it, layering and deepening the inner meaning of the concept. “Satan's ball” is an interweaving, a synthesis of the real and the supernatural, it is the border of two worlds, where everything is “on the contrary”. The mysticism and solemnity of the ball scene is also “on the contrary” consistent with the episode preceding it, which purely ironically represents Woland's retinue. But behind this possibility of "switching" from irony to pathos lies Bulgakov's necessary metamorphosis, that is, transformation. This is the key word for the episode of Satan's ball, with which you can try to reveal his inner essence, moving from “line to line”.

First, the description of the ball is carried out in relation to Margarita. She is the queen and a kind of center of the story, while Woland himself appears at the end of the ball. Thus, the episode receives a natural tension associated with the expectation of a semantic denouement.

What world does Margarita open up to, that is, what is the spatio-temporal organization of the text? "The ball fell on her immediately in the form of light, along with it - sound and smell." This description shows that Bulgakov sought to create a concrete-sensual, objective, “tangible” atmosphere of the supernatural ball. The space is infinitely expanded: the tropical forest gives way to the coolness of the ballroom, walls of tulips, roses, terry camellias appear out of nowhere, all around are hissing fountains, pouring water. Irreal, in fact, the world is not only seen, but also heard: the roar of pipes, a jazz orchestra. When describing the ball, the orchestra also uses color painting, painting the gloomy world in bright colors. The fight between light and shadow also manifests itself: “... Koroviev met her in the darkness with a lamp.” The time of the ball slows down: “Those ten seconds seemed extremely long to Margarita.”

What is this - a hint of overcoming death by stopping time?

So, Bulgakov creates the atmosphere of the ball oversaturated with external details, makes its space objective, but at the same time capable of incredible metamorphoses (a quick change of visual “pictures”). Another important point: bright, beautiful images can be associated with dark, devilish ones: hissing fountains - hissing boilers, blacks in silver armbands - devils, light-darkness. Similar transformations occur with the characters.

From the very beginning, Margarita was doused with “hot, thick and red” blood. This detail is associated with the motif of baptism, only Bulgakov has blood instead of holy water. Causes Christian associations and the mention of "a heavy image of a black poodle in an oval frame on a heavy chain that burdened Margarita." This attribute of black forces in reverse lighting is a Christian cross. Indeed, the main task of Margarita at the ball is to love everyone and thereby resurrect the souls of the dead. Koroviev insists: “... no one, Queen Margot, no advantage! .. just not inattention ... fall in love, love!” Margarita came to the ball with her living soul (remember the name), so that, having given it to sinners, “grant” them new life. With the same mission Christ came to earth. It is no coincidence that the conductor of the orchestra shouts after Margarita: “Hallelujah!”, Which means “praise to God.” The mention of rose oil is also symbolic: this detail correlates the ball scene with the master's novel about Pontius Pilate. Bulgakov also emphasized the suffering, martyr role of Margarita: “The worst suffering was caused to her by her right knee, which was kissed. It was swollen, the skin on it turned blue, despite the fact that several times Natasha's hand appeared near this knee with a sponge. The sponge is another detail that connects Margarita with Christ at the associative level.

So, the path of Margaret at the ball with Satan is a distorted representation of the mission of Christ. Has Queen Margot done her part? How does resurrection take place?

And it is interesting to note that all Woland's guests - resurrected dead sinners - are historically real persons. Bulgakov confronts a fantastic, supernatural event with a real, over-the-plot person participating in it. Thus, three realities come into contact in the ball scene: concrete historical, artistic (the heroes of the novel - Margarita, Berlioz, Meigel) and realities of a higher order (Satan, witches). How does the synthesis process take place?

Guests at the ball emerge from an immense fireplace, reminiscent of a "cold mouth". There is an association with ashes, decay, the extinct fire of life. “Suddenly something crashed downstairs in a huge fireplace, a gallows jumped out of it with half-scattered ashes hanging on it ... and a black-haired handsome man in a tailcoat and patent leather shoes jumped out of it.” Using reduced verbs to describe this metamorphosis, Bulgakov expresses irony in relation to everything that happens. This is not how they depict the resurrection, the transfiguration, the victory of life over death. All these “headless skeletons”, “running out coffins”, “decayed corpses” are a parody of people. The triumph of the moment is deliberately distorted by Bulgakov. Woland’s retinue is ridiculous, pretending to repeat to each guest: “I am in awe!” The queen of the ball cannot fulfill her mission - she did not fall in love with everyone. Margarita gave preference to Frida, seized by simple human, and not divine compassion. Everything that Margarita does is feigned: “... she mechanically raised and lowered her hand and, grinning uniformly, smiled at the guests ... her face was pulled into a motionless mask of greeting.” Exactly - everything that happens begins to resemble a big masquerade.

Further - more terrible. The masquerade turns into a real bacchanalia, Bulgakov's irony - into sarcasm. When the staircase with the flow of guests was empty, everything changed in the very atmosphere of the ball: “... on the stage, where the waltz king's orchestra was playing, monkey jazz was now raging. A huge, shaggy-whiskered gorilla with a trumpet in his hand, dancing heavily, conducted. Sinners were transformed into monkeys, and not into angels with pure souls - this is the result of the diabolical version of the resurrection.

The gloomy ending is also emphasized by the attributes, the description of the scope of the bacchanalia: “...immediately, with a hiss and a roar, the agitated mass of champagne left the pool, and Neptune began to spew... a wave of dark yellow color” (cognac). The appearance of ancient pagan deities at a ball that began with Christian motives, shows how polar the semantic accents have shifted: from the expectation of light to darkness. Erupting champagne is now associatively associated with boiling lava, “hellish fireboxes”, “devilish white cooks” are mentioned. The resurrection turned into an orgy. Hopes are broken - this is the end.

No, on the contrary, this is the time of the appearance of Woland, the devil himself, the second, after Margarita, the semantic center of the episode. It is he who is instructed by Bulgakov to summarize everything that has happened, to say his word.

“Woland went out into this last great exit at the ball in exactly the same form in which he was in the bedroom. Still the same dirty patched shirt...” After a while, a metamorphosis took place. Woland found himself in some kind of black mantle with a steel sword on his hip. What transformed Woland? No, not the living soul of Margarita, but the blood of the murdered Meigel, drunk from the cup - the skull of Berlioz. This symbolically represents the idea of ​​Woland: "You are going into non-existence, and I will be happy to drink from the cup into which you turn into, to drink for being." Thus, the devil proclaims the infinity and power of being as such, punishing those who do not believe in eternal life with non-existence: "It will be given to each according to his faith."

Woland comes, bringing with him not only death and blood, but - the triumph of retribution. He gives the last, final chord to the ball, proclaiming death as a guarantee future life. Evil, according to Woland, is an integral part of the universe in general. It is no coincidence that a pagan motif appears at the end of the episode, contained in the last phrase before the “general decay”: “Do not be afraid, queen, the blood has long gone into the ground. And where it spilled, bunches of grapes are already growing.”

And so, it can be summed up that the episode of the ball with Satan not only “finishes” the central image of Woland in the novel, “voices” his philosophy, not only shows Margarita’s sacrifice ... This, I think, is his side function. The main thing is that the fantastic episode of the ball is a hidden metaphor for the link between life and death. On about fifteen pages, Bulgakov unfolds a whole mythological picture of the world. Two poles are indicated in advance: Margarita (soul), associated with Christian martyrdom, and Woland (blood), reminiscent of a pagan worldview; and the logic of the development of events is clearly indicated by the movement from dust (non-existence) to resurrection (imaginary), and then to death and decay, promising eternal life. It turns out a compositional, vicious circle. But it is important that Bulgakov's death at the end is more solemn and, if you like, life-affirming than the resurrection at the beginning.

That is why Woland is important at the end of the ball, because he “saves the resurrection”, just as in the novel as a whole, Woland puts everything in its place - after all, he is initially above the world and its vanity. From this comes his famous: “What would your good do if there were no evil?” Bulgakov himself proves the integrity and indivisibility of all the "fragments" of life, linking opposites, connecting disparate images and details into the synthetic fabric of a work of art. Violating the clear logic of the mutual correlation of images, he holds them together with barely visible associative links, creating a whole symphony of sounds, colors, images, thoughts and ideas.

Teacher's note

Every year, at the end of April - beginning of May, we free our graduates in the schedule for the day when they “train” to write an essay for 6 hours. Everything goes like a real exam: 6 hours, lunch break, literary texts after 1 hour from the start. In advance, children are informed only of the circle of authors whose names will be associated with topics.

The work of Olya Strizhevskaya was written in May 2001 under precisely such conditions.

The novel "The Master and Margarita" was written for twelve years. This work became the final in the life and work of Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov. It reveals the writer's views on Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, Love and Hate. And also throughout the book runs the idea of ​​the true value of true art.

"The Master and Margarita" in composition is a novel within a novel. The two stories told by the author seem to develop parallel to each other, without touching either the characters or the ideological pathos. But this is only an appearance, in fact, the images of the Master and Yeshua Ganotsri have much in common. And yet, Moscow history and reworked by Bulgakov New Testament can be separated from each other without prejudice to the artistic canvas of the work. Thus, the novel about Woland's adventures in Moscow has its own plot and compositional structure.

The chapter "Satan's Great Ball" is the climax of the novel. This is a decisive moment in the development of characters (Margarita, Woland). This episode solves the problem of mercy, which is connected in the novel with the image of Margarita. Even becoming a witch, this heroine does not lose the brightest human qualities. Even before the ball, when she destroys Drumlit's house, Margarita sees a frightened boy in one of the rooms and stops the rout. At the ball, the heroine also shows generosity. Having heard from Behemoth the story of Frida, who killed her child because she had nothing to feed him, Margarita asks what happened to the one who seduced the unfortunate woman. She decides to help Frida - to save her from eternal torture. And after the ball, he fulfills his promise.

The chapter begins with Marguerite preparing for the ball, where she is to be queen. She is bathed in blood, rose oil and dressed in rose petal slippers. A heavy medallion with the image of a poodle is put on the neck: “This decoration extremely burdened the queen. The chain immediately began to rub her neck, the image pulled her to bend. Margarita appears at the ball three times: the first time to greet the guests; second, so that they don't "feel abandoned"; and in the third - at the exit of Woland.

Main actors episodes are Margarita and Woland. However, almost all the action is concentrated around Margarita. Very often, the ball is shown through her eyes: “flying away, Margarita saw ...”, “Margarita tried to look around ...”, “Margarita stopped seeing what was happening in the Swiss ...”. The work of the queen turned out to be difficult, but the heroine with honor withstands all the tests, since the fate of the Master depends on it. But for the sake of love, as it is already clear, she is capable of anything.

Woland appears at the very end of the ball. He demonstrates his strength to the guests, including the queen. He drinks from the recently living head of Berlioz the still hot blood of Baron Miguel, a spy and an earpiece, and his outfit is transformed: “The patched shirt and worn shoes have disappeared. Woland ended up in some kind of black mantle with a steel sword on his hip. Thus, the idea that the devil lives as long as there are sinners is emphasized, since Woland got drunk on the blood of the criminal. It is no coincidence that he says: “I drink your health, gentlemen!”
This phrase sounds both like a toast and like a curse. After Margarita also took a sip, the guests crumble to dust ...

Margarita was very helpful at the Behemoth ball. He prepared her for the exit, entertained her during a boring welcome ceremony with stories about the sins of the guests, and generally directed and encouraged her. And if not for Koroviev, the queen would never have known Frida's story. An interesting question is why Margarita wanted to help her? Most likely because Margarita considered Frida only partially guilty, since her crime was committed out of desperation. Margarita took pity on the girl.

In the episode "The Great Ball at Satan's", Bulgakov reproduces a modern version of the folklore motif of Satan's ball, which is found in many plots (Gogol, Faust and others). Time and space during this action are very conditional: the ball begins with the first stroke of the clock, and ends with the last; a small apartment turns into a huge hall, into which, nevertheless. can be accessed through front door. Among the champagne fountains, an image of infernal fireboxes suddenly appears: “... she flew over the glass floor with hellish fireboxes burning under it and diabolical white cooks rushing between them.” This is, as it were, another reminder in honor of whom and by whom the ball was arranged.

Despite the power that Satan displays, his power is illusory. He knows only death and sin, at his ball, except for Margarita, there is not a single living person. All the splendor of what was happening turned into dust: “The smoldering in front of Margarita engulfed the hall, the smell of the crypt flowed over it.” In these last words, the voice of the author clearly sounds.

Olga STRIZHEVSKAYA,
11th grade
Economics and Mathematics Lyceum,
Izhevsk
(literature teacher -
N.R. Vanyushev)

Analysis of the episode "The Great Ball at Satan's" in M. Bulgakov's novel "The Master and Margarita"

The uniqueness of the novel "The Master and Margarita" lies primarily in the complex motive structure, in the diverse interweaving of repetitive dynamic images, themes. The connections between them are mostly associative, and sometimes the logic of linkages can be reversed. It is this feature of the novel that creates difficulty in its analysis, therefore, considering the ball scene, which is key for understanding the work, we will try to understand the logic of associative connections and “stretch the strings” from it to the general figurative structure and problems of the novel.

In the development of the plot, the episode of the ball is the climax: this is a turning point in the fate of the master and Margarita (a love story), this is the apotheosis of Woland's power (“cruel” novel). The scene of the ball at Satan's, as it were, pulls together all the novel knots of the "Moscow novel". However, this is not his only role: the climax of the episode, rather, creates an atmosphere of tension for closer attention to the inner, associative side of the episode, which “connects” another part of The Master and Margarita - an ancient novel. More on that later, but first it's important to define the context of the ball scene.

“Annually messire gives one ball. It is called the spring ball of the full moon, or the ball of a hundred kings ... So, sir: sir is single ... - you need a hostess ... A tradition has been established that the hostess must certainly bear the name of Margarita. We found one hundred and twenty-one Margaritas in Moscow - none of them fit.”

Everything is important in this detailed explanation. First, Satan needs an earthly mistress with a living soul. It is no coincidence that the name Margarita, which means “pearl”. In Gnostic literature, this was the name given to the precious human soul, or the Soul of the World - Sophia, which the Gnostic Savior came to free from the captivity of the satanic dragon and return to the realm of divine light. Margarita at Bulgakov, on the contrary, voluntarily agrees to give her soul to the devil. This immediately suggests the “invertedness”, the ambivalence of meanings in the episode: Margarita does not play the role that the name determines. This idea is also supported by the symbol of the moon (“full moon ball”), because in Bulgakov the image of the moon is a recurring motif of distorted light. The associations associated with the very concept of “Satan's ball” are also important. On the one hand, the ball is the usual secular entertainment, but this - “at Satan's” - puts a mystical religious meaning into it, layering and deepening the inner meaning of the concept. “Satan's ball” is an interweaving, a synthesis of the real and the supernatural, it is the border of two worlds, where everything is “on the contrary”. The mysticism and solemnity of the ball scene is also “on the contrary” consistent with the episode preceding it, which purely ironically represents Woland's retinue. But behind this possibility of "switching" from irony to pathos lies Bulgakov's necessary metamorphosis, that is, transformation. This is the key word for the episode of Satan's ball, with which you can try to reveal his inner essence, moving from “line to line”.

First, the description of the ball is carried out in relation to Margarita. She is the queen and a kind of center of the story, while Woland himself appears at the end of the ball. Thus, the episode receives a natural tension associated with the expectation of a semantic denouement.

What world does Margarita open up to, that is, what is the spatio-temporal organization of the text? "The ball fell on her immediately in the form of light, along with it - sound and smell." This description shows that Bulgakov sought to create a concrete-sensual, objective, “tangible” atmosphere of the supernatural ball. The space is infinitely expanded: the tropical forest gives way to the coolness of the ballroom, walls of tulips, roses, terry camellias appear out of nowhere, all around are hissing fountains, pouring water. Irreal, in fact, the world is not only seen, but also heard: the roar of pipes, a jazz orchestra. When describing the ball, the orchestra also uses color painting, painting the gloomy world in bright colors. The fight between light and shadow also manifests itself: “... Koroviev met her in the darkness with a lamp.” The time of the ball slows down: “Those ten seconds seemed extremely long to Margarita.”

What is this - a hint of overcoming death by stopping time?

So, Bulgakov creates the atmosphere of the ball oversaturated with external details, makes its space objective, but at the same time capable of incredible metamorphoses (a quick change of visual “pictures”). Another important point: bright, beautiful images can be associated with dark, devilish ones: hissing fountains - hissing boilers, blacks in silver armbands - devils, light-darkness. Similar transformations occur with the characters.

From the very beginning, Margarita was doused with “hot, thick and red” blood. This detail is associated with the motif of baptism, only Bulgakov has blood instead of holy water. Causes Christian associations and the mention of "a heavy image of a black poodle in an oval frame on a heavy chain that burdened Margarita." This attribute of black forces in reverse lighting is a Christian cross. Indeed, the main task of Margarita at the ball is to love everyone and thereby resurrect the souls of the dead. Koroviev insists: “... no one, Queen Margot, no advantage! .. just not inattention ... fall in love, love!” Margarita came to the ball with her living soul (remember the name), so that, having given it to sinners, “to give” them a new life. With the same mission Christ came to earth. It is no coincidence that the conductor of the orchestra shouts after Margarita: “Hallelujah!”, Which means “praise to God.” The mention of rose oil is also symbolic: this detail correlates the ball scene with the master's novel about Pontius Pilate. Bulgakov also emphasized the suffering, martyr role of Margarita: “The worst suffering was caused to her by her right knee, which was kissed. It was swollen, the skin on it turned blue, despite the fact that several times Natasha's hand appeared near this knee with a sponge. The sponge is another detail that connects Margarita with Christ at the associative level.

So, the path of Margaret at the ball with Satan is a distorted representation of the mission of Christ. Has Queen Margot done her part? How does resurrection take place?

And it is interesting to note that all Woland's guests - resurrected dead sinners - are historically real persons. Bulgakov confronts a fantastic, supernatural event with a real, over-the-plot person participating in it. Thus, three realities come into contact in the ball scene: concrete historical, artistic (the heroes of the novel - Margarita, Berlioz, Meigel) and realities of a higher order (Satan, witches). How does the synthesis process take place?

Guests at the ball emerge from an immense fireplace, reminiscent of a "cold mouth". There is an association with ashes, decay, the extinct fire of life. “Suddenly something crashed downstairs in a huge fireplace, a gallows jumped out of it with half-scattered ashes hanging on it ... and a black-haired handsome man in a tailcoat and patent leather shoes jumped out of it.” Using reduced verbs to describe this metamorphosis, Bulgakov expresses irony in relation to everything that happens. This is not how they depict the resurrection, the transfiguration, the victory of life over death. All these “headless skeletons”, “running out coffins”, “decayed corpses” are a parody of people. The triumph of the moment is deliberately distorted by Bulgakov. Woland’s retinue is ridiculous, pretending to repeat to each guest: “I am in awe!” The queen of the ball cannot fulfill her mission - she did not fall in love with everyone. Margarita gave preference to Frida, seized by simple human, and not divine compassion. Everything that Margarita does is feigned: “... she mechanically raised and lowered her hand and, grinning uniformly, smiled at the guests ... her face was pulled into a motionless mask of greeting.” Exactly - everything that happens begins to resemble a big masquerade.

Further - more terrible. The masquerade turns into a real bacchanalia, Bulgakov's irony - into sarcasm. When the staircase with the flow of guests was empty, everything changed in the very atmosphere of the ball: “... on the stage, where the waltz king's orchestra was playing, monkey jazz was now raging. A huge, shaggy-whiskered gorilla with a trumpet in his hand, dancing heavily, conducted. Sinners were transformed into monkeys, and not into angels with pure souls - this is the result of the diabolical version of the resurrection.

The gloomy ending is also emphasized by the attributes, the description of the scope of the bacchanalia: “...immediately, with a hiss and a roar, the agitated mass of champagne left the pool, and Neptune began to spew... a wave of dark yellow color” (cognac). The appearance of ancient pagan deities at the ball, which began with Christian motives, shows how polar the semantic accents have shifted: from the expectation of light to darkness. Erupting champagne is now associatively associated with boiling lava, “hellish fireboxes”, “devilish white cooks” are mentioned. The resurrection turned into an orgy. Hopes are broken - this is the end.

No, on the contrary, this is the time of the appearance of Woland, the devil himself, the second, after Margarita, the semantic center of the episode. It is he who is instructed by Bulgakov to summarize everything that has happened, to say his word.

“Woland went out into this last great exit at the ball in exactly the same form in which he was in the bedroom. Still the same dirty patched shirt...” After a while, a metamorphosis took place. Woland found himself in some kind of black mantle with a steel sword on his hip. What transformed Woland? No, not the living soul of Margarita, but the blood of the murdered Meigel, drunk from the cup - the skull of Berlioz. This symbolically represents the idea of ​​Woland: "You are going into non-existence, and I will be happy to drink from the cup into which you turn into, to drink for being." Thus, the devil proclaims the infinity and power of being as such, punishing those who do not believe in eternal life with non-existence: "It will be given to each according to his faith."

Woland comes, bringing with him not only death and blood, but - the triumph of retribution. He gives the last, final chord to the ball, proclaiming death as a guarantee of a future life. Evil, according to Woland, is an integral part of the universe in general. It is no coincidence that a pagan motif appears at the end of the episode, contained in the last phrase before the “general decay”: “Do not be afraid, queen, the blood has long gone into the ground. And where it spilled, bunches of grapes are already growing.”

And so, it can be summed up that the episode of the ball with Satan not only “finishes” the central image of Woland in the novel, “voices” his philosophy, not only shows Margarita’s sacrifice ... This, I think, is his side function. The main thing is that the fantastic episode of the ball is a hidden metaphor for the link between life and death. On about fifteen pages, Bulgakov unfolds a whole mythological picture of the world. Two poles are indicated in advance: Margarita (soul), associated with Christian martyrdom, and Woland (blood), reminiscent of a pagan worldview; and the logic of the development of events is clearly indicated by the movement from dust (non-existence) to resurrection (imaginary), and then to death and decay, promising eternal life. It turns out a compositional, vicious circle. But it is important that Bulgakov's death at the end is more solemn and, if you like, life-affirming than the resurrection at the beginning.

That is why Woland is important at the end of the ball, because he “saves the resurrection”, just as in the novel as a whole, Woland puts everything in its place - after all, he is initially above the world and its vanity. From this comes his famous: “What would your good do if there were no evil?” Bulgakov himself proves the integrity and indivisibility of all the "fragments" of life, linking opposites, connecting disparate images and details into the synthetic fabric of a work of art. Violating the clear logic of the mutual correlation of images, he holds them together with barely visible associative links, creating a whole symphony of sounds, colors, images, thoughts and ideas.

Teacher's note

Every year, at the end of April - beginning of May, we free our graduates in the schedule for the day when they “train” to write an essay for 6 hours. Everything goes like a real exam: 6 hours, lunch break, literary texts after 1 hour from the start. In advance, children are informed only of the circle of authors whose names will be associated with topics.

The work of Olya Strizhevskaya was written in May 2001 under precisely such conditions.