METAPHORS AND SYMBOLS IN MIKHAIL BULGAKOV’S NOVEL “THE MASTER AND MARGARITA”

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the linguistic analysis of metaphors and symbols in Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita”. The study examines how the novel’s metaphorical system shapes its semantic structure, defining its artistic and philosophical concept. The research demonstrates that metaphors and symbols play a crucial role in creating textual polysemy, expressing socio-political critique, and conveying religious and philosophical ideas. Special attention is given to the binary opposition of light and darkness, the metaphor of the manuscript as a symbol of the immortality of creativity, and the psychiatric hospital as a representation of the suppression of dissent. The study employs cognitive and semantic analysis, allowing for a deeper understanding of the interaction between metaphors and their role in the interpretation of the text.