Lermontov created his novel at a very difficult time. That is why the protagonist of the novel turned out to be disappointed in life, a lonely egoist. Pechorin is a truly unique personality. He is smart, decisive, prudent. Based on this, it is difficult to dare to call Pechorin a hero. On his conscience there are actions that are unusual for heroes. Suffice it to recall what he did with Mary. He fell in love with a girl, and then left. He didn't care about the girl's suffering. This situation helped Mary to become more spiritual. And Pechorin showed his act of disrespect for women.
But a woman appears in the life of the hero, thanks to whom he understands that he is capable of strong and deep feelings. And when Pechorin realizes that he can lose his beloved, he is overwhelmed with feelings. He realizes that Faith is dearer to him than his own life. Even madly in love with this woman, he breaks her heart.
According to some strange pattern, Pechorins bring misfortune to people. Because of him, people are dying, women are suffering.
Consider his duel with Grushnitsky. At the beginning of the duel, Pechorin tries to make peace with his opponent. But he does not pay any attention to all the attempts of Pechorin and shoots first. The bullet hits the knee. Pechorin shoots back, no longer thinking about mercy. The defeat of the enemy does not bring any joy to our hero. In my opinion, this duel made no sense and could have been avoided.
I would like to note Pechorin's ability to criticize not only others, but also himself. And he hates himself for his selfishness. About himself, Pechorin says that in his youth he was completely different: “My colorless youth passed in the struggle with myself and the light; my best feelings, fearing ridicule, I buried in the depths of my heart, they died there ... ". Based on his words, it becomes clear that the society surrounding him is to blame for the callousness and selfishness of the hero. As a personality, our hero was formed in high society and this left an imprint on him.
In Pechorin's Diary we see a complete psychological analysis. Lermontov shows all the features of the hero's soul, his experiences, motives. Through an analysis of Pechorin's character and feelings, we see all the social problems of that time. The author subjects the entire era to a rather harsh psychological analysis.
The novel reveals the main problems of mankind - love troubles, narcissism and selfishness of a person, the conflict of different cultures. The problem of cultures is very deeply described. No one could have imagined the consequences of Pechorin's passion for the highlander's daughter. And the consequences were very tragic.
The novel "A Hero of Our Time" is a mirror that reflects the entire generation of that era.
M. Yu. Lermontov was not only a great poet, but also a prose writer, in whose work the darkness of reaction, changes in the psychology of people were reflected. The main goal of the young genius was the desire to deeply reveal the complex nature of his contemporary. The novel "A Hero of Our Time" became a mirror of the life of Russia in the 30s of the XX century, the first Russian socio-psychological novel.
The author's intention determined the peculiar construction of the novel. Lermontov deliberately violated the chronological sequence so that the reader's attention shifted from the events to the inner world of the characters, to the world of feelings and experiences.
The main attention in the novel is given to Pechorin. Lermontov first makes it possible to find out the opinion of other people about Pechorin, and then what this young nobleman thinks about himself. Belinsky said about the hero of the novel: "This is the Onegin of our time, the hero of our time." Pechorin was a representative of his era, his fate is more tragic than the fate of Onegin. Pechorin lives in a different time. The young nobleman had to either lead the life of a secular idler, or be bored and wait for death. The era of reaction left its mark on people's behavior. The tragic fate of a hero is the tragedy of an entire generation, a generation of unrealized opportunities.
The influence of light was reflected in Pechorin's behavior. An outstanding personality, he soon became convinced that in this society a person cannot achieve either happiness or fame. Life has depreciated in his eyes (he was seized by melancholy and boredom - the faithful companions of disappointment. The hero suffocates in the stuffy atmosphere of the Nikolaev regime. Pechorin himself says: “My soul is corrupted by light.” These are the words of a man of the 30s reptiles of the 20th century, a hero of his time .
Pechorin is a gifted person. He has a deep mind capable of analyzing, a steel will, a strong character. The hero is endowed with self-esteem. Lermontov speaks of his "strong build, capable of enduring all the hardships of a nomadic life." However, the author notes the strangeness, inconsistency of the character of the hero. His eyes, which “did not laugh when he laughed,” suggest how deeply the hero has lost faith in all the seductions of the world, with what hopelessness he looks at his own life prospects.
This doom developed in him during his life in the capital. The result of complete disappointment in everything was "nervous weakness." The fearless Pechorin was frightened by the clatter of the shutters, although one hunted a wild boar, he was terribly afraid of a cold. This inconsistency characterizes the “disease” of an entire generation. It is as if two people live in Pechorin, rationality and feeling, mind and heart are fighting. The hero claims: “For a long time I have been living not with my heart, but with my head.” I weigh, analyze my own passions and actions with strict curiosity, but without participation.
The attitude of the hero towards Vera shows Pechorin as a person capable of a strong feeling. But both Vera, and Mary, and the Circassian Bela Pechorin bring misfortune. The tragedy of the hero is that he wants to do good, but brings only evil to people. Pechorin dreams of the fate of a person capable of great deeds, and does things that are at odds with ideas about high aspirations.
Pechorin longs for the fullness of life, looking for an ideal that was unattainable at that time. And it’s not the hero’s fault, but his misfortune that life was fruitless, his forces were wasted. “My colorless youth passed in the struggle with myself and the light; my best feelings, fearing ridicule, I buried in the depths of my heart: they died there, ”Pechorin says bitterly.
In the novel, the main character is opposed to all the other characters. The good Maksim Maksimych is noble, honest and decent, but he cannot understand Pechorin's soul because of his lack of education. Against the backdrop of the scoundrel Grushnitsky, the wealth of Pechorin's nature, the strength of the protagonist's character, is even more pronounced. Only Dr. Werner is somewhat similar to Pechorin. But the doctor is not completely consistent, he does not have the courage that distinguishes Pechorin. Supporting the hero before the duel with Grushnitsky, after the duel Werner did not even shake hands with Pechorin, he refused friendship with someone who "had the courage to take on all the burden of responsibility."
Pechorin is a person who is distinguished by stubbornness of will. The psychological portrait of the hero is fully revealed in the novel, reflecting the socio-political conditions that form the "hero of the time". Lermontov is little interested in the everyday, external side of people's lives, but is concerned about their inner world, the psychology of the actions of the characters in the novel.
"A Hero of Our Time" was the forerunner of Dostoevsky's psychological novels, and Pechorin became a natural link in the series of "superfluous people", "Onegin's younger brother". One can treat the hero of the novel in different ways, condemn him or pity the human soul tormented by society, but one cannot but admire the skill of the great Russian writer who gave us this image, a psychological portrait of the hero of his time.
"A Hero of Our Time" was first published in the journal "Domestic Notes", where it was published chapter by chapter. The literary critic Belinsky highly appreciated the novel, he was the first to understand that these were not separate stories, but a single work, the intention of which becomes clear only when the reader gets acquainted with all the stories.
The chapter "Princess Mary" is the main one, since it most clearly reveals Pechorin's specific character traits, which is why the novel can be called a psychological work. Here the hero writes about himself, which makes it possible for him to most fully pour out his emotional unrest. It is not without reason that the author pointed out in the preface to Pechorin's Journal that here the reader is faced with the history of the human soul.
Diary entries allow the hero to talk about what he feels and thinks, as well as to blame himself for his sins. These lines contain the clues to his character and the explanation of the oddities of his behavior.
It is impossible to say that Grigory Pechorin is only black or only white. His character is multifaceted, ambiguous. Reading about relations with Bela or Maxim Maksimych, we see an egoist in front of us, but this is a smart, educated, brave egoist. He does not know how to make friends or love, but he critically perceives himself, without whitewashing his actions.
Gregory feels that his personality consists of two people, and one condemns the other for bad deeds. Egocentrism is combined with sober self-criticism, skepticism in relation to universal values - with a strong mind, energy - with an aimless existence.
The book shows us Pechorin's relationship in love and friendship. Either it is passionate love, following hand in hand with death, chases, war, deceit (“Bela”), then romantic and mysterious (“Taman”), then tragic (“Princess Mary”). Friendship is shown with their peers - for example, with Grushnitsky, or with an old officer. But every story shows him not up to par.
Gregory is not vicious, he is just a product of his era, the result of upbringing in that suffocating social and psychological climate of the surrounding society. Here people are nurtured who do not know how to appreciate the feelings of others, who do not know what a living life is. Lermontov does not condemn the main character, Grigory himself does this.
Chernyshevsky said that this book is directed against the vices of society - it shows how wonderful people turn into nonentities under the pressure of the environment.
Senseless, deceitful, stupid - this is how the society of aristocrats appears according to Pechorin's descriptions. Not a single living and sincere feeling will survive here, here ignorance and malice, arrogance and rudeness of the noble circle burn out life itself. Heroes cannot be born here, and those that are, over time, become indistinguishable from other members of society - without feelings, aspirations, goals, love and affection.
The author shows that even the smartest personalities are devastated in this rotten environment. Pechorin's attempt to distance himself from society turns him into a yearning, restless individualist, with increased egoism, from which not only those around him suffer, but he himself. Lermontov skillfully draws a psychological portrait of a representative of that era, realistically portrays society and castigates its vices, creating a deep work of socio-psychological orientation.
The writing
With the creation of the novel "A Hero of Our Time" Lermontov made a huge contribution to the development of Russian literature, continuing Pushkin's realistic traditions. Like his great predecessor, Lermontov generalized in the image of Pechorin the typical features of the younger generation of his era, creating a vivid image of a man of the 30s of the XIX century. The main problem of the novel was the fate of an outstanding human personality in an era of stagnation, the hopelessness of the situation of gifted, intelligent, educated young nobles.
The main idea of Lermontov's novel is connected with its central image Pechorin; everything is subordinated to the task of a comprehensive and deep disclosure of the character of this hero. Belinsky very accurately noticed the originality of the description by the author of Pechorin. Lermontov, but in the words of the critic, portrayed the "inner man", speaking as a deep psychologist and realist artist. This means that Lermontov, for the first time in Russian literature, used psychological analysis as a means to reveal the character of the hero, his inner world. Deep penetration into the psychology of Pechorin helps to better understand the severity of the social problems posed in the novel. This gave Belinsky reason to call Lermontov "the solver of important contemporary issues."
The unusual composition of the novel draws attention. It consists of separate works in which there is not a single plot, no permanent characters, not a single narrator. These five stories are united only by the image of the main character Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin. They are located in such a way that the chronology of the hero's life is clearly violated. In this case, it was important for the author to show Pechorin in different situations in communication with a variety of people, to choose the most important, significant episodes of his life for description. In each story, the author places his hero in a new environment, where he encounters people of a different social status and mentality: highlanders, smugglers, officers, noble "water society". And each time Pechorin opens up to the reader from a new side, revealing new facets of character.
Recall that in the first story "Bela" we are introduced to Pechorin by a man who served with Grigory Alexandrovich in the fortress and was an involuntary witness to the story of Bela's abduction. The elderly officer is sincerely attached to Pechorin, takes his actions to heart. He draws attention to the external oddities of the character of the "thin ensign" and cannot understand how a person who easily endures both rain and cold, who went one on one against a wild boar, can shudder and turn pale from the accidental knock of a shutter. In the story with Bela, the character of Pechorin seems unusual and mysterious. The old officer cannot comprehend the motives of his behavior, as he is unable to comprehend the depths of his experiences.
The next meeting with the hero takes place in the story "Maxim Maksimych", where we see him through the eyes of the narrator. He no longer acts as the hero of some story, utters a few meaningless phrases, but we have the opportunity to look closely at the bright, original appearance of Pechorin. The sharp, penetrating look of the author notes the contradictions of his appearance: a combination of blond hair and black mustaches and eyebrows, broad shoulders and pale thin fingers. The attention of the narrator is captured by his gaze, the strangeness of which is manifested in the fact that his eyes did not laugh when he laughed. "This is a sign of either an evil disposition, or a deep constant sadness," the author notes, revealing the complexity and inconsistency of the hero's character.
Pechorin's diary, which combines the last three stories of the novel, helps to understand this extraordinary nature. The hero writes about himself sincerely and fearlessly, not being afraid to expose his weaknesses and vices. In the preface to Pechorin's Journal, the author notes that the history of the human soul is almost more useful and no more interesting than the history of a whole people. In the first story "Taman", which tells about the hero's accidental encounter with "peaceful smugglers", the complexities and contradictions of Pechorin's nature seem to be relegated to the background. We see an energetic, courageous, resolute person who is full of interest in the people around him, craves action, tries to unravel the mystery of the people with whom his fate accidentally confronts. But the ending of the story is banal. Pechorin's curiosity destroyed the well-established life of "honest smugglers", dooming a blind boy and an old woman to a beggarly existence. Pechorin himself writes with regret in his diary: "Like a stone thrown into a smooth spring, I disturbed their calmness." In these words, pain and sadness are heard from the realization that all Pechorin's actions are petty and insignificant, devoid of a lofty goal, do not correspond to the rich possibilities of his nature.
The originality, originality of Pechorin's personality, in my opinion, is most clearly manifested in the story "Princess Mary". It is enough to read his well-aimed, accurate descriptions given to representatives of the noble "water society" of Pyatigorsk, his original judgments, amazing landscape sketches, to understand that he stands out from the people around him with the strength and independence of character, deep analytical mind, high culture, erudition, developed aesthetic feeling. Pechorin's speech is full of aphorisms and paradoxes. For example, he writes: "After all, nothing worse than death will happen and death cannot be avoided."
But what does Pechorin waste his spiritual wealth, his immense strength on? For love affairs, intrigues, skirmishes with Grushnitsky and dragoon captains. Yes, he always comes out the winner, as in the story with Grushnitsky and Mary. But this does not bring him any joy or satisfaction. Pechorin feels and understands the discrepancy between his actions and high, noble aspirations. This leads the hero to a split personality. He focuses on his own actions and experiences. Nowhere in his diary will we find even a mention of his homeland, people, political problems of modern reality. Pechorin is only interested in his own inner world. Constant attempts to understand the motives of his actions, eternal merciless introspection, constant doubts lead to the fact that he loses the ability to simply live, feel joy, fullness and strength of feeling. From himself he made an object for observation. He is no longer able to experience excitement, because, as soon as he feels it, he immediately begins to think that he is still capable of worrying. This means that a merciless analysis of one's own thoughts and actions kills the immediacy of perception of life in Pechorin, plunges him into a painful contradiction with himself.
Pechorin is completely alone in the novel, since he himself repels those who are able to love and understand him. But still, some entries in his diary say that he needs a loved one, that he is tired of being alone. Lermontov's novel leads to the conclusion that the tragic discord in the hero's soul is caused by the fact that the rich forces of his soul did not find a worthy application, that the life of this original, extraordinary nature was wasted and completely devastated.
Thus, the story of Pechorin's soul helps to better understand the tragedy of the fate of the young generation of the 30s of the 19th century, makes you think about the causes of this "disease of the century" and try to find a way out of the moral impasse into which the reaction led Russia.
The novel by M.Yu. Lermontov “A Hero of Our Time” is the first “analytical” novel in Russian literature, in the center of which is not a person’s biography, but his personality, that is, spiritual and mental life as a process. This artistic psychologism can be considered a consequence of the era, since the time when Lermontov lived was a time of deep social upheaval and disappointment caused by the failed Decembrist uprising and the era of reactions that followed it. Lermontov emphasizes that the time of heroic figures has passed, a person seeks to withdraw into his own world and plunges into introspection. And since introspection becomes a sign of the times, then literature should also turn to the consideration of the inner world of people.
In the preface to the novel, the main character - Pechorin - is characterized as "a portrait made up of the vices of our entire generation in their full development." Thus, the author was able to trace how the environment affects the formation of personality, to give a portrait of the entire generation of young people of that time. But the author does not relieve the hero of responsibility for his actions. Lermontov pointed to the “disease” of the century, the treatment of which is to overcome individualism, struck by unbelief, bringing deep suffering to Pechorin and destructive to those around him. Everything in the novel is subordinated to the main task - to show the state of the hero's soul as deeply and in detail as possible. The chronology of his life is broken, but the chronology of the narrative is strictly built. We comprehend the world of the hero from the initial characterization that Maxim Maksimovich gives through the author's characterization to the confession in Pechorin's Journal.
Pechorin is a romantic in character and behavior, a man of exceptional abilities, an outstanding mind, strong will, high aspirations for social activities and an indestructible desire for freedom. His assessments of people and their actions are very accurate; he has a critical attitude not only to others, but also to himself. His diary is a self-disclosure “I have two people in me: one lives in the full sense of the word, the other thinks and judges him,” says Pechorin. What are the reasons for this split, he himself answers: “I told the truth - they did not believe me: I began to deceive; knowing well the light and springs of society, I became skilled in the science of life ... ". So he learned to be secretive, vindictive, bilious, ambitious, he became, in his words, a moral cripple.
But Pechorin is not devoid of good impulses, endowed with a warm heart capable of deeply feeling (for example: Bela's death, a meeting with Vera and the last meeting with Mary). Risking his life, he is the first to rush into the hut of the killer Vulich. Pechorin does not hide his sympathy for the oppressed, it is about the Decembrists exiled to the Caucasus that he says that “an ardent heart is hidden under a numbered button and an educated mind is hidden under a white cap,” but Pechorin’s trouble is that he hides spiritual impulses under a mask of indifference. This is self-defense. He is a strong man, but all his forces carry not a positive, but a negative charge. All activities are aimed not at creation, but at destruction. The spiritual emptiness of high society, the socio-political reaction distorted and drowned out the possibilities of Pechorin. That is why Belinsky called the novel "a cry of suffering" and "a sad thought."
Almost all the secondary characters of the work become victims of the hero. Because of him, Bela loses her home and dies, Maxim Maksimovich is disappointed in friendship, Mary and Vera suffer, Grushnitsky dies at his hands, smugglers are forced to leave their home. Indirectly, he is guilty of the death of Vulich. Grushnitsky helps the author to save Pechorin from the ridicule of readers and parodies, because he is his reflection in a crooked mirror.
Pechorin realized that under the conditions of autocracy, meaningful activity in the name of the common good is impossible. This led to his characteristic skepticism and pessimism, the conviction that "life is boring and disgusting." Doubts devastated him to the point that he had only two convictions left: birth is a misfortune, and death is inevitable. Dissatisfied with his aimless life, longing for an ideal, but not seeing it, Pechorin asks: “Why did I live? For what purpose was I born?
The "Napoleonic problem" is the central moral and psychological problem of the novel, it is a problem of extreme individualism and egoism. A person who refuses to judge himself according to the same laws by which he judges others loses moral guidelines, loses the criteria of good and evil.
Saturated pride - this is how Pechorin defines human happiness. He perceives the suffering and joy of others as food that supports his spiritual strength. In the chapter "The Fatalist" Pechorin reflects on faith and unbelief. Man, having lost God, has lost the main thing - the system of moral values, morality, the idea of spiritual equality. Respect for the world and people begins with self-respect, humiliating others, he elevates himself; triumphing over others, he feels stronger. Evil begets evil. The first suffering gives the concept of the pleasure of torturing another, Pechorin himself argues. The tragedy of Pechorin is that he accuses the world, people and time of his spiritual slavery and does not see the reasons for the inferiority of his soul. He does not know the true freedom, he is looking for it in solitude, in wanderings. That is, in external signs, so it turns out to be superfluous everywhere.
Lermontov, conquering with psychological truth, vividly showed a historically specific hero with a clear motivation for his behavior. It seems to me that he was the first in Russian literature to be able to accurately reveal all the contradictions, complexities and the whole depth of the human soul.
