“Manuscripts don’t burn...” Who said this famous phrase that has become a catchphrase? Every person familiar with the cult novel by Mikhail Bulgakov knows that this is nothing more than a replica of one of the characters. But it is no coincidence that the book “The Master and Margarita” has been studied by critics and literary scholars for more than half a century. It contains hints of the past, symbols of the present and predictions of the future.

Manuscripts don't burn?

Who said that fire can't destroy paper? The veracity of this phrase could probably only be confirmed by a representative other world. History knows many cases when writers and poets burned their creations. Some of them remained a mystery to posterity. The second volume of Nikolai Gogol's poem, full version“The Russian Trianon” by Anna Akhmatova, Pasternak’s novel “Three Names” - all these are works that have not reached the modern reader.

Symbolism of the phrase

And yet the manuscripts do not burn. Who said that fire does not destroy work? true artist, he hinted at the machinations of envious people, mediocre criticism and authoritarianism of the authorities. Because it is they who become the enemies of the truthful author.

This has always been the case. Books that did not correspond to the imposed ideology were banned, confiscated, and burned. In a word, they did everything to ensure that they did not fall into the hands of the reader. But there were works that no forces could destroy. These include those that contain wisdom and truth that is relevant at all times. That is, books that are interesting to posterity. Immortal books.

Romance of the Devil

Bulgakov's book has millions of fans. But even today it is subject to harsh criticism. Satan is portrayed as too charming and just a hero in the novel “The Master and Margarita.” There is an opinion that a true Christian believer should not read Bulgakov’s work. The unconventional image of Satan can have an impact on fragile minds Negative influence. Perhaps the whole point is that there is always something supernatural in talent. And that’s why he scares ordinary people.

Enemies of the Master

“Manuscripts don’t burn...” Who said this phrase and what role does it play in the plot of the novel? As you know, autobiographical. He, like his hero, became a victim of attacks from members of the Union of Writers. The aggressive criticism of Latunsky and Lavrovich was fatal for the Master. The impossibility of publishing a novel about the devil became obvious to Bulgakov after his wife took several chapters to the editor. The manuscripts were cruelly rejected. The author, like his hero, experienced the nervous exhaustion that comes after a long journey that leads to nowhere.

Harsh criticism and reluctance to publish the novel, artistic value which cannot go unnoticed by a professional editor, were based on envy and fear of losing one’s place in the sun. And also on many human vices, stronger than only otherworldly forces.

All-powerful protector

Being on the verge of despair, the author of the novel about Pilate did not make an agreement with Satan, like Goethe’s hero. The woman he loved did it for him. And then Woland said: “Manuscripts don’t burn.” Bulgakov did not have such a powerful defender. And like his hero, he burned the unfinished novel. But the book survived. After for long years work on restoring the text, improvements, and with the deep conviction that the novel would be read only many years after his death, Bulgakov completed his work. And therefore, there is truth in the words “manuscripts do not burn.”

Who said: “The meaning of life is in life itself”? This phrase belongs to an ancient sage. But it only applies to ordinary people. Those who are obsessed with the desire to tell the truth, and also have the ability to clothe it in art form, do not know how to enjoy the simple joys of life. This was Bulgakov and many other authors before him. However, the strength of the novel “The Master and Margarita” lies not only in the abundance of symbols pointing to the past. There are amazingly many prophecies in this book.

In Russian and foreign literature and after Bulgakov, authors were born who were unfamiliar with the phrase “manuscripts don’t burn.” Who said it, whose words it was, they all the more did not know. But they would probably appreciate the truth of wisdom that Bulgakov’s character expounded.

A book about life and fate

The writer wrote the novel, which was declared anti-Soviet, for almost ten years. It was published thirty years later. The work “Life and Fate” is worth remembering when answering questions related to deciphering the phrase of Bulgakov’s character “manuscripts don’t burn.” Who said? Whose words are these? And can they be taken literally?

These words belong to the hero of the novel “The Master and Margarita”. should not be taken literally. The author put all his hopes and hopes into it that his brainchild will one day reach his descendants. Grossman may have experienced similar feelings. Soviet writer dedicated the book “Life and Fate” to his mother, relatives, friends and, most importantly, to the millions of victims of Hitler’s and Stalin’s aggression.

About what is worse than fire

Grossman never burned the manuscript. It was seized by KGB officers. He never dreamed of publishing it. One of the prominent figures, a contemporary of the writer, argued that this could happen no earlier than in two hundred years. This man had not read Bulgakov’s novel, but he seemed to know Woland’s prophetic phrase “manuscripts don’t burn.”

Who said “The Master and Margarita” is a novel about Soviet society in the thirties? Bulgakov's work is a book about human vices that were, are and will be at all times. They have no nationality or state affiliation. And they are capable of ruining a person’s destiny. But they cannot destroy a true work of art.

Burning manuscripts is not uncommon for a writer. Solzhenitsyn used to burn every chapter of his novel “In the First Circle.” But before that, he memorized what he wrote. Akhmatova, fearing search or arrest, regularly destroyed her unfinished works. Pasternak sent an entire novel to the oven, which was subsequently never restored.

All these authors burned their creations primarily to save their lives. Famous phrase Wolanda from the novel “The Master and Margarita” could serve as a slogan for masters artistic word. It would give strength to a writer who, even being in exile and risking his life, is not able to give up literary creativity.

Manuscripts don't burn

Manuscripts don't burn
From the novel (chapter 24 “Extraction of the Master”) “The Master and Margarita” (1928-1940) by Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov (1891 -1940). Woland became interested in the novel about Pontius Pilate:
“Let me see,” Woland extended his hand, palm up.
“Unfortunately, I cannot do this,” the master answered, “because I burned it in the stove.”
Sorry, I don’t believe it,” Woland replied, “this can’t be.” Manuscripts don't burn. - He turned to Behemoth and said: - Come on, Behemoth, give me the novel.
The cat immediately jumped up from his chair, and everyone saw that he was sitting on a thick stack of manuscripts. The cat gave the top copy to Woland with a bow.”
The meaning of the expression: a word, a living human thought, cannot be destroyed or prohibited.

encyclopedic Dictionary winged words and expressions. - M.: “Locked-Press”. Vadim Serov. 2003.

See what “Manuscripts don’t burn” is in other dictionaries:

- (Meyrink) ( real name- Meyer), Gustav (1868 1932), Austrian writer, one of the founders of mystical realism (other definitions " magical realism", "black fiction", "black romance"). Influenced... ... Bulgakov Encyclopedia

A character in the novel “The Master and Margarita”, a historian who became a writer. M. is in many ways an autobiographical hero. His age at the time of the novel (“a man about thirty-eight years old” appears in the hospital before Ivan Bezdomny) is… … Bulgakov Encyclopedia

1. Lifetime publications works of M.A. Bulgakov in Russian 1) Selected editions of Bulgakov M.A. Diaboliad. M.: Nedra, 1925. Contents: Diaboliad Fatal Eggs No. 13. House Elpit... ... Bulgakov Encyclopedia

Zensur in der Sowjetunion- war die Kontrolle sowjetischer Behörden sowie der Kommunistischen Partei über den Inhalt und die Verbreitung von Druckwerken, Musikstücken, dramaturgischen Werken, Werken darstellender Kunst, Fotografien, Radio und Fernsehübertragungen. Sie... ...Deutsch Wikipedia

Daniel Kharms Name at birth: Daniil Ivanovich Yuvachev Nicknames ... Wikipedia

Censorship By country Censorship by country By industry Censorship of the Internet Banned books Book burning By method... Wikipedia

Novel. During Bulgakov's lifetime it was not completed and was not published. For the first time: Moscow, 1966, No. 11; 1967, No. 1. The time of the beginning of work on M. and M. Bulgakov dated in different manuscripts either 1928 or 1929. Most likely, it dates back to 1928... ... Bulgakov Encyclopedia

MANUSCRIPT, and, female. 1. The original or a copy of the text, written by hand or transcribed on a typewriter. Chekhov's manuscripts. Typewritten r. Pass R. to the publishing house. Manuscripts do not burn (aphorism; it is said in the meaning: a work of creative labor does not ... Dictionary Ozhegova

White Guard ... Wikipedia

Fictional novel about Pontius Pilate literary work, with which many events of M. A. Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita” are connected. Contents 1 Authorship of the novel and the history of its writing 2 ... Wikipedia

Books

• Manuscripts don’t burn, Barsky L.. The hero of the story, a “hypothetical physicist,” decided to use the method of logical research to “read” Einstein’s burned manuscripts using the method of logical research into the development of the thoughts of a genius according to the information he received...
• Manuscripts don't burn. Science fiction story, Barsky L.A.. The hero of the story, 171;hypothetical physicist 187;, decided to use the 171;reading 187;burned manuscripts of Einstein by the method of logical research into the development of the thoughts of a genius according to...

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"Manuscripts don't burn"

"Manuscripts don't burn"

In our opinion, the Albigensian associations in “The Master and Margarita” are joined by the aphorism “manuscripts do not burn,” which has become so widespread as a result of the popularity of the novel. Let us remember under what circumstances these words were uttered by Woland in a conversation with the Master.

When the Master casually mentioned the novel he had written, Woland, in turn, asked what it was about.

“- A novel about Pontius Pilate.

Here again the candle tongues swayed and jumped, the dishes on the table rattled, Woland laughed thunderously, but did not frighten anyone and did not surprise anyone with his laughter. For some reason the hippopotamus applauded.

About what, about what? About whom? - Woland spoke, stopping laughing. - Now? It's amazing! And you couldn't find another topic? Let me see,” Woland extended his hand, palm up.

“Unfortunately, I cannot do this,” answered the Master, “because I burned it in the stove.”

Sorry, I don’t believe it,” Woland replied, “this can’t be.” Manuscripts don't burn. - He turned to Behemoth and said: - Come on, Behemoth, give me the novel.

The cat immediately jumped up from his chair, and everyone saw that he was sitting on a thick stack of manuscripts. The cat gave the top copy to Woland with a bow. Margarita trembled and screamed, worried again to the point of tears:

Here is the manuscript!

The question arises: why did the novel, which the Master burned, turn out unharmed in the end? Moreover, its author, unlike one of his prototypes - the Ukrainian philosopher Skovoroda, did not give anyone the lists of his book thrown into the fire in advance.

Let us finally ask ourselves the question that we have posed before every time when approaching the deciphering of the “dark places” of the novel. Namely, doesn’t the fantastic situation described by Bulgakov have any more or less identical model, say, in fairy tales, legends, apocrypha, hagiographic (hagiography) literature?

In fact, the manuscript was put on fire, burned, but in the end it turned out to be unburnt!

The reader of our book already understands that a model of such a situation exists and that we found it, again, among the book sources of Bulgakov’s novel related to the history of the Albigenses.

Let's look at it in more detail.

Four years before the start of the Albigensian Wars, in 1205, Prior Dominic de Guzman, the future founder of the Dominican monastic order (and subsequently a Catholic saint), arrived from Spain to Languedoc to fight the Albigensian heresy, famous for his fanaticism. He gave sermons, conducted fierce debates with Albigensian theologians, and once, as legends and extensive hagiographic literature about him tell, at the end of the dispute he presented his arguments in writing and handed the manuscript to his opponents. But the Albigensians, after consulting, decided to burn this manuscript. What was their shock, the legend tells (it is cited, in particular, in N. Peyre’s “History of the Albigensians”) when “the flame treated Dominic’s manuscript with reverence and pushed it away three times.”

This legend, I think, served as Bulgakov’s starting point for developing a fantastic story that happened to the Master’s manuscript. After all, Dominic’s manuscript, which “the flame treated with reverence,” was of an exegetical nature, that is, it was an interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. But a unique interpretation of the latter is the Master’s novel about Yeshua and Pilate. Why, according to Bulgakov, or rather, according to the logic of the model he chose (and to the greater interest of the plot), the manuscript of such an essay could not burn!

However, truly, not only books, but also words have their own destiny: for about twenty years now, since Woland’s words that manuscripts do not burn, not only “ordinary readers” of the novel, but also literary critics understand them completely differently than Woland himself interpreted them and how this is consistent with the concept of the novel. In any case, until now the words “manuscripts don’t burn” have been and are being interpreted by Bulgakov scholars and readers alike quite unambiguously: if, they say, a literary work is written with truly talent, but for one reason or another has not yet seen the light of day, it will not under no circumstances will it disappear or die.

In this regard, critics in various ways have expressed the belief that the stubborn force of the creative spirit will pave its way and triumph; that history will sooner or later put everything in its place and the truth will come out; that everything will come true for the one who knows how to wait; that Bulgakov himself fervently believed in the undoubted triumph of justice, in the fact that real art would eventually win recognition/

And this enthusiastic and romantic interpretation of the words “manuscripts do not burn,” put by the writer into the mouth of the devil and based on the legend about the incorruptibility of the exegetical manuscript, is unlikely to ever leave the reader’s consciousness.