Close Readings Fiction and the Fantastic: Mikhail Bulgakov and James Hogg
Jul 2, 2025
Adam Thirlwell, a novelist and critic celebrated for his exploration of the fantastic, dives into the eerie worlds of James Hogg and Mikhail Bulgakov. He discusses Hogg’s 'The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner', highlighting its unique narrative and themes of evil. Thirlwell also unpacks Bulgakov’s 'The Master and Margarita', examining its devilish chaos in Moscow and the blending of romanticism with modern existential questions. The conversation illuminates how both writers wield the fantastical to confront the nature of identity, fanaticism, and moral complexities.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Hogg's Complex Narrative Layers
- James Hogg's novel is a sophisticated, multilayered historical novel disguised as a found document.
- It mixes an editor's commentary with the sinner's memoirs, exploring a narrative over a century old through a metafictional frame.
Calvinist Fanaticism Explored
- The novel's theology centers on an extreme Calvinist belief in predestination and justification by faith alone.
- This leads the protagonist to believe he is justified and can do no wrong, including murder, reflecting a frightening form of antinomianism.
Gil Martin: Devil as Shadow Double
- The character Gil Martin symbolizes the devil as a shape-shifting shadow figure haunting the sinner.
- This reflects the dual nature of identity and the difficulty of self-knowledge explored in the novel.
