Custine is not at all kind in his opinion of the Russians. In fact he is the sort of man who holds the exact opinions Russians fear Europeans have of them.
Ironic the scene when the Czar explains his actions towards the Decemberists. Custine, a revolutionized Frenchman, should have been far less eager to agree with the Czar.
Even the Czar himself tells Custine “Petersburg is Russian, but it is not Russia”.
It feels like there are a lot of images of superstitions and folklore that haunt around the edges of the story. Margarita, naked and flying a broom like a witch, is followed by her maid, Natasha who is flying a pig. The critic who ruined the Master, has his home destroyed by an invisible, naked woman who only stops when she sees she’s frightened a small boy who she convinces him it’s all a bad dream.
Brilliant.