GALINA SEDOVA’S BULGAKOV. XLI.

The Theme of Violence Against Human Dignity. Part II

 

“Do not accuse me, oh, Almighty,

And do not punish me, I pray.”

 

M. Yu. Lermontov.

 

Violence against human dignity takes different forms. With Varenukha the violence is physical, and with Rimsky it is purely psychological, while with Frieda it is both psychological and physical. The hounding of Master is psychological violence, leading to the heart condition known as angina pectoris. (“Some kind of supple and cold octopus was reaching its tentacles directly and closely toward my heart.”) We know nothing about his interrogations, except that since then “spasms now and then were distorting his face. In his eyes there swam and flounced fear and fury.”

Both personages of Varenukha and Rimsky have nothing heroic or revolutionary about them. As a matter of fact, they are two bureaucrats utterly devoid of imagination, and no one can ever mistake them for adventure seekers. Nor are they very bright, in a word, they are “ordinary people,” at first sight totally undeserving of the things which befell them.

Yet it is the scenes of violence against Varenukha and Rimsky which reach tragic heights in the novel, even though Bulgakov with his unceasing sense of humor tries to lighten up the narrative. However, it is impossible to accept the scene of the storm as comedy, and although Varenukha turns into a comical figure with all his lip-smacking and eye-winking, he is still so pitiful that he is practically unable to relieve the tension of psychological terror in the scene with Rimsky.

Still, until he is transformed into a vampire, Varenukha shows no fear, particularly when someone tries to scare him on the phone, with regard to getting further involved with Stepa Likhodeev’s cables.

Varenukha returns the threat to the intimidator on the phone. As Bulgakov writes, “he shouted some other threat…” Varenukha not being too bright does not understand and does not want to understand that he is in no position to make threats.

And now, right here, Bulgakov shows himself as a great humanist: it is this dumb-witted Varenukha whom God Himself takes under His protection. First in the form of the storm (threatening Azazello and company), which reveals God’s anger. Next, he makes the rooster crow three times much earlier than would be normal (the clock is striking midnight, when Varenukha comes after Rimsky) and thus God stops Varenukha in the process of committing a terrible sin which consists of turning his colleague Rimsky into a vampire.

And a third time God causes Varenukha to appear before Woland, who is unaware of what this is about, but he understands as well as Azazello does whose intercession they owe Varenukha’s arrival to.

“And who is this now?” disdainfully asked Woland shielding himself from the light of the candles.

Bulgakov associates light with God. You may remember how Woland asks Levi Matthew why his company does not wish to take Master into light, that is, to Paradise. And there is also this other matter. Why should Woland shield himself from the light of the same candles whose light had not bothered him the whole night?

In such a manner Bulgakov draws our attention to the fact that Varenukha’s appearance had not been accidental. None of the demonic force had any intention to summon him. And therefore we cannot arrive at any other conclusion rather than that God sent the innocent Varenukha so that the demonic force would “close his account,” letting the innocent man go back to his life.

Now, what strikes the most in the scene of Varenukha’s appearance before Woland and Azazello is a complete absence of fear in the man, which is always the proof of one’s innocence. And indeed, Varenukha is a basically innocent man, as he was turned into a vampire totally against his will, and now he shows his horror and categorically protests against his altered condition. He certainly never liked his intended victim Rimsky and he shows it in his verbal attack on Rimsky during that same horror scene. Yet afterwards he sincerely repents his attitude, even while he is still a vampire when he appears before Voland and Azazello with a passionate plea to be released. No wonder he has deserved a special attention from God, who surely knew all along that Varenukha is not a villain!

Let us now get back to Bulgakov’s text.

“Varenukha hung his head, sighed and said faintly: ‘Let me go back. I just can’t be a vampire. You know, I and Gella almost brought Rimsky to death! And I am not bloodthirsty… Let me go.’”

How simple, how elegant! And one more curious thing:

“…By the true… that is…”

Having started the sentence, Varenukha intended to say “By the true God I swear…” Hence, Woland’s disdain: the demonic force does not like religious people.

“What’s that delirium? What kind of nonsense is that?” asked Woland. Varenukha pressed his hands to the chest and was pleadingly looking at Azazello.

Sincere repentance, this is the quality that allows Varenukha to get out of a tough situation unscathed.

Varenukha’s story described above calls for a parallel from Russian history. In the year 1337, Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Tverskoy, after ten years in exile made a journey to the Horde and made the following speech to Khan Uzbek there: “Even if I did much harm to you, now is the time to take from you either life or death. Whatever God puts in your soul, I am ready for anything.” Uzbek liked such straightforwardness: “You see that?” he asked his entourage (according to the annals). That’s how Alexander Mikhailovich spared himself from death by meek wisdom.

 

(To be continued…)