Clavis Libri

Character

Hella

Who She Is

Red-haired young woman of Woland's retinue, whom he introduces to Margarita as his own maid. She appears earlier in scenes where the novel does not yet name her, in chapters 10, 12, and 14; then she opens the door to Sokov in chapter 18, where Korovyov calls her by name, and she is in the scenes in apartment 50 (see apartment 50) in chapters 22 to 24.

One of the scenes in which she still has no name, in chapter 10:

Let me give you a little kiss
Part One, Chapter 10: News from Yalta

Trajectory

In chapter 10 she intercepts Varenukha in the vestibule of apartment 50, still unnamed, and it is she who closes the chapter.

In chapter 14 a red-haired young woman, matching her description, forces the garden window and even steps onto the sill, her body marked by patches of decay, while Varenukha bolts the door to prevent Rimsky's escape. The two only retreat at the crowing of the rooster.

The rooster, with its trained voice, crowed, announcing that the day was approaching Moscow from the east.
Part One, Chapter 14: Glory to the rooster!

In chapter 18 it is she who opens the door of apartment 50 to Sokov, naked and wearing a lace apron, and Korovyov calls her Hella when he sends her to see the visitor out. The narrator records a single flaw in her.

The girl's perfect appearance had only one flaw: the pinkish scar on her neck.
Part One, Chapter 18: The unlucky visitors

In chapter 22 she tends to Woland's sore knee when Margarita is introduced to the retinue, and the narrator ties her earlier appearances into a single person.

The naked witch, that same Hella who had so mortified the snack bar attendant at the Variety Theatre and who, fortunately, had been frightened by the rooster on the night of the famous performance, was sitting on the rug beside the bed
Part Two, Chapter 22: By candlelight

After the ball, she types up the statement that Behemoth dictates to Nikolai Ivanovich.

open parentheses, Hella, parentheses! Inside the parentheses write “pig.” Signed: Behemoth.
Part Two, Chapter 24: The rescue of the master

Themes Embodied

The standard theme that runs through her is Supernatural.

Relationships

  • Woland: whose knee she tends.
  • Korovyov, Behemoth, and Azazello: the rest of the retinue.
  • Abaddon: the demon in dark glasses whom Woland shows to Margarita, outside the retinue's introduction.
  • Varenukha and Rimsky, the two Variety Theatre employees she intercepts, and Sokov, to whom she opens the door.