Master of Arts before the revolution (4)
I believe the answer is:
tsar
'master' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'arts before the revolution' is the wordplay.
'arts' becomes 'ras' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'before' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'the' becomes 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects).
'revolution' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'ras'+'t'='rast'
'rast' written backwards gives 'TSAR'.
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tsar that I've seen before include "Monarch of old Russia" , "Rats to the Russian emperor" , "Old Russian 22" , "Once-powerful Russian" , "Autocrat" .)