LIT 80 — The Devil Came to Moscow: Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita
Quarter: Spring
Instructor(s): Kristen Edwards, Natalya Sukhonos
Date(s): Apr 3—May 22
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Class Meeting Time: 5:00—6:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $425
Refund Deadline: Apr 5
Unit(s): 1
Status: Registration opens Feb 24, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Spring
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 8 weeks
Time: 5:00—6:30 pm (PT)
Date(s): Apr 3—May 22
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $425
Refund Deadline: Apr 5
Instructor(s): Kristen Edwards, Natalya Sukhonos
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Feb 24, 8:30 am (PT)
Mikhail Bulgakov’s (1891–1940) brilliant satire, The Master and Margarita, takes readers on a wild journey through Soviet Moscow, where Satan stirs chaos, bureaucrats run amok, and art collides with rebellion. In this course, we will explore Bulgakov’s critique of Soviet society, shaped by his experiences living under Lenin and Stalin. We will begin by examining Bulgakov's early works set during World War I and the Russian Civil War and his satirical novella, Heart of a Dog, which mocks the early Soviet state. Next, we will dive into a close reading of The Master and Margarita, highlighting the links between this masterpiece of the 1930s with his works from the 1920s, such as their themes—good and evil, culture and authority—and the subversive power of humor in his writing. We will explore the novel's layered storytelling, from its recounting of Satan’s antics in Moscow to its bold portrayal of Jesus as an anarchist philosopher. Alongside the novel’s rich blend of mysticism and humor, we will consider its lasting relevance in critiquing authoritarianism, drawing parallels between Bulgakov’s world and contemporary Russia under Putin’s rule. Whether you’re new to Russian literature or a longtime fan, this course offers fresh insight into one of the most entertaining and politically charged works of 20th-century fiction.
KRISTEN EDWARDS
Independent Scholar
Kristen Edwards received a PhD in history from Stanford. Since then, she has taught Russian, European, and world history at Stanford, Menlo College, Notre Dame de Namur University, and the Osher Institute at Santa Clara University. She has contributed to the online media archive Seventeen Moments in Soviet History and led Stanford Travel/Study trips to Russia. Having taught Russian film in her history courses since Putin's early years in power, Edwards is researching his use of film in shaping Russian culture and society today. NATALYA SUKHONOS
Independent Scholar
Natalya Sukhonos’s area of research is 20th-century Russian and Latin American literature. She has taught literature, humanities, and writing at Stanford, Harvard, Cogswell College, UC Davis, and SUNY Albany, among other institutions, and she is a published poet. She received a PhD in comparative literature from Harvard. Textbooks for this course:
(Recommended) J A E Curtis, A Reader’s Companion to Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita (ISBN 978-1644690789)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Diana Burgin (trans), Master and Margarita (ISBN 978-1419756504)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Mirra Ginsburg (trans), Heart of a Dog (ISBN 978-0802150592)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Michael Glenny(trans), A Country Doctor's Notebook (ISBN 978-0099529569)
(Recommended) Mikhail Bulgakov, The White Guard (ISBN 978-0099490661)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Andrew Upton, The White Guard (ISBN 978-0571268597 )
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Diana Burgin (trans), Master and Margarita (ISBN 978-1419756504)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Mirra Ginsburg (trans), Heart of a Dog (ISBN 978-0802150592)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Michael Glenny(trans), A Country Doctor's Notebook (ISBN 978-0099529569)
(Recommended) Mikhail Bulgakov, The White Guard (ISBN 978-0099490661)
(Required) Mikhail Bulgakov & Andrew Upton, The White Guard (ISBN 978-0571268597 )