METAPHYSICAL TOPOGRAPHY AS A FORM OF ARTISTIC WORLD MODELING IN M.A.BULGAKOV’S NOVEL «THE MASTER AND MARGARITA»

Abstract

In contemporary literary studies, space is no longer understood solely as a descriptive or aesthetic category but is increasingly interpreted as a fundamental form of artistic world modeling. This article examines the concept of metaphysical topography as a theoretical framework for analyzing spatial organization in literary texts. Drawing on the ideas of M. M.Bakhtin, Y.M.Lotman, M.Heidegger, M.Eliade, and G.Bachelard, the study explores metaphysical space as a hierarchically structured system of ontological, axiological, and existential meanings. The theoretical model is applied to M.A.Bulgakov’s novel «The Master and Margarita», where spatial organization functions as a key mechanism of meaning production. The analysis demonstrates that the novel constructs a          multi-level metaphysical topography integrating Moscow, Jerusalem, and otherworldly dimensions into a unified philosophical model of being, moral responsibility, and freedom of choice. The novelty of the study lies in interpreting Bulgakov’s spatial model not merely as a narrative structure but as a coherent metaphysical system that integrates ontological hierarchy with psychological reality.