DOI: 10.47743/jss-2025-71-4-8

Faculty of Law, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iași.

Abstract: This article aims to present legal identities and metaphors, with the central focus on Faust by Johann Wolfgang Goethe and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. The reason for choosing these two works lies in their interconnectedness, both being grounded in the leitmotif of the pact with the devil. We will observe the influence of Faust on Bulgakov’s novel, the links between text and mythology, and, moreover, the way in which the ancient diabolic myth leads to the myth of regeneration. Since there are numerous legal identities and metaphors, the „pact” will be regarded as a contract. Thus, we will identify the essential elements of a contract (the parties, their consent, the object, the cause, and the form) and conclude with a theme for reflection: whether or not the pact with the devil is ultimately respected. Between The Master and Margarita and Goethe’s Faust there are countless parallels, and through their examination we can approach Bulgakov’s story more closely. Although we cannot equate the two, when an author openly acknowledges a masterpiece with a recognized philosophical message as the source of inspiration, this expands the meaning of his own work. Both works present extremely interesting aspects, addressing themes such as religion, politics, and history. Mikhail Bulgakov is a proponent of literary contradictions, ultimately discovering divinity through an initiatory approach to the demonic. Indeed, certain aspects of the novel cannot be fully understood without an initiation into Goethe’s Faust. The role of the devil in The Master and Margarita is directly motivated by Goethe’s devil. Faust’s veneration of rationalism and science (as the supreme source of fulfillment) leads him on an intellectual journey that initially excludes faith or any reason to continue living. Goethe’s main character, frustrated by the human limits of his knowledge, makes a pact with the devil in search of perfection and fulfillment—things he admits cannot be achieved in this world. Both Goethe’s and Bulgakov’s devils embody „that power which eternally wills evil and eternally does good” (Goethe, Faust). From Faust to Koroviev, and from Mephistopheles to Woland, this article will explore the similarities and differences between the two works and identify the legal metaphors that place us within an objective framework of legal analysis, ultimately leading us to ask: „Does the devil need a lawyer?”

Keywords: devil, pact, contract, lawyer.

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