How does Margarita Nikolaevna’s character compare with that of other heroines of Russian literature? Some that come to my mind include:
- Natasha Ilyinichna Rostova- War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
- Sonya Semyonovna Marmeladov- Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Ekaterina “Kitty” Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya– Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy
- Tatiana- Yevgeniy Onegin, by Alexander Pushkin
- Masha Ilyichna Shamrayeva- The Seagull, by Anton Chekov
What do these characters share with Margarita, and whats sets them apart? One thing to consider might be how these characters mark points on a timeline of the modernization of Russia. To what extent do these characters embody traditional or modern values; such as, religiosity, devotion to family, worth of the individual, gender inequality/equality? And how do they contribute to the redemption of male protagonists in these stories?