What is the devil? Spider which makes a web anticipating direction of our steps. Interventionist who waits for a moment in which, as a hourglass, turns around time of big happiness to an hour of hopeless sadness. The vision opposite to everything what is the meaning of the God. Who is devil?
If in the begining we reject naive meanings which are based on primitive superstition, we will conclude very quickly that „prince of darkness“ can be explained just as a symbol. In the novel Master and Margarita demystifies his activity. He reveals himself, but not completely, as (un)usual person who talks to people who belong to different social establishment.
While he talks to Berlioz and Homeless (the editor and the poet), he is fighting against their skepticism, making them conclude that the God exists. What an apsurd! Wolands (satan) arguments are strong and clear, even if they are not philosophical. The man is not able to predict the next minute of his life, neather to organize the world order. He is not taking their lives, but makes temptation, convincted in fatal end of human narcism.
When he presents himself as a huge master of magic to public in Moscow, he is not making influence on their destinies by peeling his fingers. No, he is just waking up theis dirty fantasy and greed, giving them power to choose their own way of selfdestruction. Yes, Woland’s clues are everywhere, but behind them are deeper clues of hundreds of folowers which are, simply, have chosen their own way.
The biggest proof that the devil in this novel doesn’t have direct influence on destruction of everything which is good is his relationship with Margarita. She is strong female character who wants to leave her colorless life, she wants to choose her own way, to love. Going through all the tramps, satan is offering her to choose whatever she wants. Margarita is choosing Master, choosing love, life of her dreams. That choice is approved even from the one who turned his back to pure feelings.
Because, before you swear in your own weakness, you should remember those moments in which you were making decisions. Maybe invisible person were sitting next to you waiting for your mistake, but the choice was all yours. The novel Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov starts with quote from Goethe’s Faust:
„...who are you than?
- I am part of that power which eternally wills evil and eternally works good.”