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Definition of Idiom
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For... read full definition
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the... read full definition
An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on... read full definition
Chapter 9. Koroviev’s Stunts
Explanation and Analysis—Devil Knows How Far!:
In almost the same way idiom and irony cross paths, Nikanor Ivanovich bumps into the strange man with the pince-nez and jockey cap as he checks on apartment 50 at the start of Chapter 9:
‘Why, he’s gone, he’s gone already!’ shouted the interpreter. ‘Oh, he is way out by now! The devil knows how far he is!’ and the interpreter waved his hands like a windmill.
This moment breaks down the colloquial idiom and uncovers its strange irony in the process. Used humorously or for dramatic effect, the Devil is often a source of figurative flair and exaggeration. Here, a phrase of exasperation and ignorance—“the devil knows”—becomes literally true as Koroviev explains away Styopa’s disappearance. Having transported Styopa to the Yalta’s sun-warmed jetties, Woland ironically happens to know his victim’s whereabouts.
Bulgakov supplements the exchange with still more irony. Koroviev—party with the Devil—somewhat self-references in his performance of confusion. There is dramatic irony, too. Ivanovich does not know that he has just wandered into the Devil’s clutches even though the reader does. The scene layers a perplexing set of ironies and coincidences upon each other: the building chairman finds himself speaking with a member of the Devil’s crew (who himself speaks about the Devil).
Related Themes:
