«Housing problem» in Bulgakov‘s novel: the history of supposed context

The article puts forward a hypothesis that Bulgakov writes his novel «The Master and Margarita» basing on the vocabulary and imagery of «Budilnik» magazine. This magazine can be compared to the best satirical weekly magazine of Europe at the frontier of XIX–XX centuries «Simplicissimus». The writer refers not to the specific text, but its model, he uses the key words of the original generalized text as quotes of individual style. The motifs of «Budilnik» magazine define the topic and form the novel semantics.