Why the hero of our time is a social novel. Essay on the topic: “A Hero of Our Time” as a socio-psychological novel by M.Yu.
"A Hero of Our Time" was first published in the journal "Domestic Notes", where it was published chapter by chapter. 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.
Tale of the novel as a portrait of Pechorin
The chapter "Princess Mary" is the main one, since it most clearly reveals specific features Pechorin's character, which is why the novel can be called 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.
The ambiguity of the personality of the main character
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 towards universal values- with a strong mind, energy - with an aimless existence.
Coldness of feelings as a product of the era
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 the surrounding society. Here people are nurtured who do not know how to appreciate the feelings of others, who do not know what living life. Lermontov does not condemn the main character, Grigory himself does this.
Socio-psychological topicality of the novel
Chernyshevsky said that this book is directed against the vices of society - it shows how wonderful people under the pressure of the environment, they turn into nonentities.
Senseless, deceitful, stupid - this is how the society of aristocrats appears according to Pechorin's descriptions. Not a single living thing will survive here and sincere feeling, 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 psychological picture representative of that era, realistically depicts society and castigates its vices, creating a deep work of socio-psychological orientation.
Roman M.Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time" is considered the first Russian socio-psychological and philosophical novel. In connection with the desire of the author to reveal the "history of the human soul," Lermontov's novel turned out to be rich in deep psychological analysis. The author explores the "soul" not only of the main character, but also of all the others actors. Lermontov's psychologism is specific in that it acts not as a form of self-expression of the writer, but as an object artistic image. are analyzed and appearance hero, and his customs, and his actions, and his feelings. Lermontov is attentive to the shades of experiences, the state of a person, his gestures and postures. The author's style can be called psychological-analytical.
Pechorin's introspection is very deep, everything state of mind written out in detail and in detail, analyzes their own behavior and psychological reasons, motives and intentions of actions. Pechorin admits to Dr. Werner: “There are two people in me: one lives in the full sense of the word, the other thinks and judges him ...” Behind the visible in the work, the essential is revealed, behind the external - the internal. Psychologism serves here as a way of discovering and cognizing what, at first perception, seems mysterious, mysterious and strange. An important place in the novel, where the action takes place in different geographical points (by the sea, in the mountains, in the steppe, in Cossack village), occupies the landscape. The perception of nature in the work helps to reveal the inner world of the hero, his condition, his susceptibility to beauty. “I remember,” Pechorin writes in his journal, “this time, more than ever before, I loved nature.” The hero of the novel is close to nature with all its diversity, and it affects his inner world. Pechorin is convinced that the soul depends on nature and its forces. The landscape of each part of the novel is subject to the idea that is realized in it. So, in "Bela" Caucasian nature is depicted (rocks, cliffs, Aragva, snowy peaks of mountains), which is opposed to northern nature and a disharmoniously arranged society.
Beautiful and majestic nature contrasts with the petty, unchanging interests of people and their suffering. The restless, capricious element of the sea contributes to the romanticism in which the smugglers from the chapter "Taman" appear before us. The morning landscape, full of freshness, including golden clouds, is the exposition of the chapter "Maxim Maksimych". Nature in "Princess Mary" becomes psychological means revealing the character of Pechorin. Before the duel - in contrast - radiance is introduced sunlight, and after the duel the sun will seem dim to the hero, and its rays no longer warm. In The Fatalist, the cold light of shining stars on a dark blue vault leads Pechorin to philosophical reflections about predestination and fate.
In general, this work is a socio-psychological and philosophical novel, akin to a travel novel, close to travel notes. The psychological novel genre required the creation of a new novel structure and a special psychological plot, where Lermontov separated the author from the hero and arranged the stories in a special sequence. "Bela" is a work that combines a travel essay and a short story about the love of a European for a savage.
"Maxim Maksimych" is a story with a central episode given in close-up.
"Taman" is a synthesis of a short story and a travel essay with an unexpected ending.
"Princess Mary" - "secular story" psychological nature with the hero's diary and a satirical sketch of the mores of the "water society".
"Fatalist" philosophical tale connected to " mystical story" O fatal shot and "mysterious case".
But all these genre forms, individual narratives became Lermontov's parts of a single whole - research spiritual world modern hero, whose personality and fate unite the entire narrative. Pechorin's backstory is deliberately excluded, which gives his biography a touch of mystery.
It is interesting to know what is the second person in Pechorin, thinking and condemning, first of all, himself. Pechorin's Journal reveals the character of the hero, as it were, "from the inside", it reveals the motives of his strange deeds, his attitude towards himself, self-esteem.
For Lermontov, not only the actions of a person were always important, but their motivation, which for one reason or another could not be realized.
Pechorin compares favorably with other characters in that he is concerned about questions of conscious human being- about the purpose and meaning of human life, about its purpose. He is worried that his only purpose is to destroy other people's hopes. Even he is indifferent to his own life. Only curiosity, the expectation of something new excites him.
However, by asserting human dignity, Pechorin is actively acting, resisting circumstances throughout the novel. Pechorin judges and executes himself, and this right is emphasized by the composition in which the last narrator is Pechorin. Everything important that was hidden from the people around him, who lived next to him, who loved him, was conveyed by Pechorin himself.
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 typical features younger generation of his era, creating vivid image man 30s 19th century. The main problem 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 criticism, portrayed " inner man", acting as a deep psychologist and realist artist. So, for the first time in Russian literature, Lermontov used psychological analysis as a means to reveal the character of the hero, his inner peace. 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 individual 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 Alexandrovich 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 various situations in communication with the most different people, choose to describe the most important, significant episodes of his life. In each story, the author places his hero in a new environment, where he encounters people of a different social status and mental warehouse: highlanders, smugglers, officers, noble "water society". And each time Pechorin opens up to the reader with new side discovering 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, says a few nothing meaningful 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: the combination blonde hair and black mustache and eyebrows, wide 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 not more curious than history the 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 energetic, bold, decisive 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 " honest smugglers", condemning the blind boy and the old woman to a miserable existence. Pechorin himself writes with regret in his diary: "Like a stone thrown into a smooth source, I disturbed their calmness." In these words, pain and sadness are heard from the realization that all Pechorin's actions are shallow 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 strength and independence of character, a deep analytical mind, high culture, erudition, developed aesthetic sense. Pechorin's speech is full of aphorisms and paradoxes. For example, he writes: "Because worse than death nothing will happen - and death will not escape.
But what does Pechorin waste his spiritual wealth, his immense strength on? On 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 indicate that he needs close person that he was 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 hero of our time is several frames nested in one large frame, which consists in the title of the novel and the unity of the characters.
V. Belinsky Everyone literary hero(If we are talking O great literature) is always a favorite creation of its author. Any writer puts a piece of his soul, his views, beliefs, ideals into his hero. And each literary hero invariably bears the features of his era and his environment: he lives in accordance with his own kind or "breaks out" from generally accepted schemes. social behavior. So, in Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin" a young man of the 20s lives and acts: smart, educated, belonging to high aristocracy, but dissatisfied with the existing reality, having spent best years life into a meaningless and aimless existence. The appearance of such a hero caused a whole storm of passions in society and literary circles of the twenties. Before they had time to subside, he was born new hero, but already the hero of the thirties of the XIX century - Grigory Pechorin from the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time".
Why are disputes about Onegin and Pechorin still very topical, although the way of life is currently completely different. Everything else: ideals, goals, thoughts, dreams. In my opinion, the answer to this question is very simple: meaning human existence worries everyone, no matter what time we live, what we think and dream about.
The central part of the novel, Pechorin's Diary, is characterized by a particularly in-depth psychological analysis. For the first time in Russian literature, such a merciless exposure by the hero of his personality appears. The hero's experiences are analyzed by him with "the severity of a judge and a citizen." Pechorin says: "I still try to explain to myself what kind of feelings boil in my chest." The habit of introspection is complemented by the skills of constant observation of others. In essence, all Pechorin's relationships with people are a kind of psychological experiments that interest the hero in their complexity and entertain them with luck for a while. Such is the story with Bela, the story of the victory over Mary. Similar was the psychological "game" with Grushnitsky, whom Pechorin fools, declaring that Mary is not indifferent to him, in order to later prove his deplorable mistake. Pechorin argues that "ambition is nothing but a thirst for power, and happiness is just pompous pride."
If A.S. Pushkin is considered to be the creator of the first realistic novel in poetry about modernity, then Lermontov is the author of the first socio-psychological novel in prose. His novel is distinguished by the depth of analysis of the psychological perception of the world. Depicting his era, Lermontov exposes it to deep critical analysis without succumbing to any illusions and seductions. Lermontov shows all the most weak sides of his generation: coldness of hearts, selfishness, futility of activity.
The realism of "A Hero of Our Time" is in many ways different from realism Pushkin's novel. Pushing aside everyday elements, the life story of the heroes, Lermontov focuses on their inner world, revealing in detail the motives that prompted this or that hero to do something. The author depicts all sorts of overflows of feelings with such depth, penetration and detail, which the literature of his time did not yet know.
The rebellious nature of Pechorin refuses joys and peace of mind. This hero is always "asking for storms". His nature is too rich in passions and thoughts, too free to be content with little and not demand from the world big feelings events, sensations. Self-analysis is necessary for a modern person in order to correctly correlate his fate and destiny with real life to understand your place in this world. Lack of conviction is a real tragedy for the hero and his generation. In Pechorin's Diary, a lively, complex, rich, analytical work mind. This proves to us not only that main character- a typical figure, but also the fact that in Russia there is a youth who is tragically lonely. Pechorin ranks himself among the miserable descendants who wander the earth without conviction. He says: "We are no longer capable of great sacrifices, either for the good of mankind, or even for our own happiness." The same idea is repeated by Lermontov in the poem "Duma":
We are rich, barely from the cradle,
The mistakes of the fathers and their late mind,
And life is already tormenting us, like a smooth path without a goal,
Like a feast at someone else's holiday.
Every truly Russian person becomes uneasy at the thought that M.Yu. Lermontov died so early. Deciding moral problem purpose of life, the main character of his work, Grigory Pechorin, could not find application for his abilities. “Why did I live? For what purpose I was born ... But, it’s true, I had a high appointment, since I feel immense forces in my soul,” he writes. It is in this dissatisfaction with oneself that the origins of Pechorin's attitude towards the people around him lie. He is indifferent to their experiences, therefore, without hesitation, he distorts other people's destinies. Pushkin wrote about such young people: bipedal creatures millions, for them the name is one.
Using Pushkin's words, one can say about Pechorin that in his views on life "the century was reflected, and modern man depicted quite faithfully, with his immoral soul, selfish and dry. "This is how Lermontov saw his generation.
The novel by M. Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time" was published in 1840. The writer composed the main work of his life for two years, publishing it on the pages of the popular magazine Otechestvennye Zapiski. This work has become a landmark not only in his work, but also in Russian literature in general, because this book became the first bold and at the same time successful experience of a detailed psychological analysis of the main character. The very composition of the narrative, which turned out to be broken, was also unusual. All these features of the work attracted the attention of critics, readers, and also made it a standard in its genre.
Intention
Lermontov's novel did not appear on empty place. The author relied on both foreign and domestic sources that inspired him to create ambiguous character and unusual plot. Mikhail Yuryevich's book, in its idea, is very similar to Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin", although it is written in a more dramatic style. In addition, the writer relied on foreign experience in creating the inner world of the hero. Psychological novel already known in Europe. "A Hero of Our Time" can be defined as a psychological novel due to close attention the author to the behavior and mood of Pechorin.
Such features were especially clearly manifested in the work of the French educator Rousseau. You can also draw parallels between the author's work and the works of Byron, Bestuzhev-Marlinsky. Creating his original work, the author focused primarily on the realities of his time, which is reflected in the title. According to the writer himself, he sought to create general portrait of their generation - young intelligent people who cannot occupy themselves with anything and spend their energy on useless activities that harm both themselves and those around them.
Composition features
Lermontov's novel has an unusual construction compared to other works of a similar kind. First, it violates the chronological sequence of events; secondly, the narration is conducted from several characters, including the main character himself. This technique was chosen by the author not by chance. He deliberately began the story from the middle of Pechorin's life. The reader gets an idea about it from the words stranger, his former colleague Maxim Maksimych. Then the writer shows him through the eyes of the narrator, who saw him briefly, but nevertheless managed to form a generally correct idea about him.
Hero Image
Since the psychological novel involves a detailed analysis of the character's inner world, the last two parts are written on behalf of Pechorin himself in the form diary entries. Thus, the reader sees the character at different moments of his life, which outwardly seem to be in no way connected with each other. So Lermontov achieved the effect of the fragmentation of time, trying to show the aimlessness of the existence of his character, who in different periods his life shows himself not from the best sides.
Comparison with Onegin
The genre of the work "A Hero of Our Time" is a psychological novel. This work, as mentioned above, was the first experience in Russian literature in creating a new type of character - the so-called extra person. However, even before Lermontov, some writers created a character who did not fit into the established socio-political framework of Russian reality in the first half of the 19th century. Most a prime example- Eugene Onegin, who, like Pechorin, was a nobleman and just as unsuccessfully tried to find at least some use for his strengths and abilities. However, if Pushkin portrayed his character with good-natured humor, then Lermontov focused on the dramatic component. The psychological novel of Mikhail Yuryevich became one of the most significant works that time.
Feature of the image of Pechorin
Through the mouth of his hero, he maliciously criticizes the vices of his contemporary society, biliously ridicules the shortcomings of the world around him. This is what salient feature image of Pechorin - he does not spend idly time, like Onegin in the village, his attitude to life is quite active, he not only criticizes negative sides of that society where it rotates, but also acts, exposing others to peculiar psychological tests.
First part
The genre of the work "A Hero of Our Time" also determined the peculiarity of the construction of the text of the novel. The author set out to break the tradition of Russian literature, laid down by Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, which assumed an adventurous plot and a dynamic narrative. Lermontov focused on detailed analysis internal state your hero. First of all, he was interested in explaining the reasons for the strange, unusual, inconsistent behavior Pechorin. The first attempt to explain the nature of the young officer was made by Maxim Maksimych, the commander of the Caucasian fortress where Pechorin served.
The good captain sincerely tried to give at least some explanation for the eccentric actions of his colleague: the abduction of Bela, his love for her and the rapid cooling of feelings, his apparent, seeming indifference to her terrible death. However, Maxim Maksimych, a very simple and ingenuous person, could not understand the reason for Pechorin's mental turmoil. He only tells the narrator that the latter seemed to him a very strange person, since with his appearance a whole chain of strange and tragic events followed.
Portrait
In school literature lessons, it is very important that students understand the genre of the work “A Hero of Our Time”. This book is a psychological portrait of Pechorin, which, in turn, is a collective portrait of modern writer younger generation. The second part of the work is interesting in that in it the reader sees Pechorin through the eyes of a person who is one with him social status, age, education and upbringing. Therefore, the description given by the narrator to this character deserves special attention, because it, despite the fluency of the inspection and the brevity of the meeting, is more true than the captain's explanations. It is important that the narrator describes not only the appearance, but also tries to guess Pechorin's state of mind, and he partially succeeds. This is what explains the fact why the novel "A Hero of Our Time" is called psychological. The narrator notices in the character of Pechorin such features as thoughtfulness, relaxation and fatigue. Moreover, he notes that it was not a physical, but a mental decline. Special attention the author pays attention to the expression of his eyes, which shone with some kind of phosphorescent light and did not smile when he himself laughed.
Meeting
The culmination of this part is the description of Pechorin's meeting with the staff captain. The latter longed for this meeting, he hurried to the young officer as to an old friend, but met with a rather cool reception. The old captain was very offended. However, the author, who subsequently published Pechorin's diary entries, noted that after reading them, he understood a lot about the character of the character, who analyzed in detail his own actions and shortcomings. This is what makes it possible to understand why the novel "A Hero of Our Time" is called psychological. However, in the scene of the meeting with Maxim Maksimych, the reader may be surprised and even reproach the character for such indifference. In this episode, sympathy is entirely on the side of the old captain.
The story "Taman"
This work opens the beginning of Pechorin's diary entries. In it, a young officer not only tells about an eccentric adventure in a small sea town, but also analyzes his behavior. He himself is surprised at his irrepressible thirst for life, noting that he aimlessly and senselessly intervened in the lives of smugglers.
The desire of the character to participate in the lives of the people around him, even against their will, is the main theme in this case. "A Hero of Our Time" is a novel that focuses not so much on the description of external events as on detailed analysis internal state of actors. In the second part, Pechorin becomes a witness to the machinations of smugglers and rather carelessly reveals his secret. As a result, he was almost drowned, and the gang was forced to flee from their homes. Thus, Pechorin's attempt to understand his own inappropriate behavior is the main theme in the second part. "A Hero of Our Time" is interesting in that it consistently reveals the image of the character from various and unexpected sides.
"Princess Mary"
This is perhaps the most important and interesting part in the work. It is in this part that the character is fully revealed. The action takes place on the healing Caucasian waters.
The young officer, in order to tease his friend Grushnitsky, falls in love with the young princess Mary. Despite the fact that he himself is not indifferent to her, nevertheless, he is not able to love her truly. Pechorin in the novel "A Hero of Our Time" in this story shows himself from the most disadvantageous side. He not only deceives the girl, but also kills Grushnitsky in a duel. At the same time, it is in this part that Grigory Alexandrovich most mercilessly denounces his shortcomings. Here he explains his character: according to him, aimless pastime, lack of friends, sympathy and understanding led to the fact that he became bilious, vicious and unsociable. At the same time, he concludes that "the human heart in general is strange." He relates his statement not only to others, but also to himself.
Pechorin in the novel "A Hero of Our Time" in this story is fully revealed. Most interesting is his recording of reflections on the eve of the duel with Grushnitsky, in which he sums up his life. The young officer claims that his life certainly had meaning, but that he never managed to understand it.
love line
Better understand the hero help his relationship with women. There are three love stories in the novel, each of which reveals the identity of a young officer with different parties. The first of these is connected with the Bela line. By her nature, she was a freedom-loving girl, as she grew up in the mountains among the Caucasian tribes.
Therefore, Pechorin's rapid cooling towards her actually killed her. The novel "A Hero of Our Time" female heroes which allows you to better understand the psychological portrait of the character, is devoted to a detailed explanation of the behavior of a young officer. There is also a love line in the second part, but it is rather superficial.
Nevertheless, it was this plot that served as the basis of the intrigue in the second story. The hero himself does not know how to evaluate his own actions: “Am I a fool or a villain, I don’t know,” he says about himself. The reader sees that Pechorin is well versed in the psychology of the people around him: he immediately guesses the character of the stranger. However, he is prone to adventurous adventures, which he himself admits, which led to a strange denouement.
The work “A Hero of Our Time”, whose female characters are interesting because they somehow influenced the fate of Pechorin, ends with the last love line officer and princess. The latter became interested in the original character of Pechorin, but failed to fully understand him. In the same story there is a description of the relationship of Grigory Alexandrovich with Princess Vera, who understood his character better than anyone else. So, the first psychological novel in domestic literature became the work "Hero of Our Time". Quotes of the main character show him as a complex and ambiguous person.
"HERO OF OUR TIME - A SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL NOVEL Many writers different eras and peoples sought to capture their contemporary, through him conveying to us their time, their ideas, their ideals. What is he, a young man, different eras? Pushkin in the novel "Eugene Onegin captured young man 20s: smart, dissatisfied with the existing reality, whose life was so useless.
Following them, a whole gallery of heroes of their time appears in literature: Turgenev's Bazarov, a nature completely opposite to Onegin and Pechorin, Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov - the best representatives advanced nobility from L. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace". Why are disputes about Onegin and Pechorin still very topical, although the way of life is currently completely different. Everything else: ideals, goals, thoughts, dreams.
In my opinion, the answer to this question is very simple: the meaning of human existence excites everyone, regardless of what time we live, what we think and dream about. The central part of the novel, Pechorin's Diary, is characterized by a particularly in-depth psychological analysis.
For the first time in Russian literature, such a merciless exposure by the hero of his personality appears. The hero's experiences are analyzed by him with "the severity of a judge and a citizen."
Pechorin says; "I still try to explain to myself what kind of feelings boil in my chest." The habit of introspection is complemented by the skills of constant observation of others.
In essence, all Pechorin's relationships with people are a kind of psychological experiments that interest the hero in their complexity and entertain them with luck for a while. Such is the story with Bela, the story of the victory over Mary. Similar was the psychological "game of Grushnitsky, whom Pechorin fools, declaring that Mary is not indifferent to him, in order to later prove his deplorable mistake. Pechorin argues that" ambition is nothing more than a thirst for power, and happiness is just pompous pride " .
If A. S. Pushkin is considered to be the creator of the first realistic poetic novel about modernity, then, in my opinion, he is the author of the first socio-psychological novel in prose. His novel is distinguished by the depth of analysis of the psychological perception of the world.
Depicting his era, Lermontov subjects it to a deep critical analysis, not succumbing to any illusions and seductions. Lermontov shows all the weakest sides of his generation: coldness of hearts, selfishness, futility of activity.
The realism of "The Hero of Our Time" is in many respects different from the realism of Pushkin's novel. Pushing aside everyday elements, the life story of the heroes, Lermontov focuses on their inner world, revealing in detail the motives that prompted this or that hero to do any deeds. The author depicts all sorts of overflows of feelings with such depth, penetration and detail, which the literature of his time did not yet know.
Many considered Lermontov the predecessor of Leo Tolstoy. And with this I absolutely agree, because it was from Lermontov that Tolstoy learned the techniques of revealing the inner world of characters, portraiture and speech style.
Dostoevsky also proceeded from Lermontov's creative experience, but Lermontov's thoughts about the role of suffering in the spiritual life of a person, about the split consciousness, about the collapse of individualism strong personality Dostoevsky turned into an image of painful tension and painful suffering of the heroes of his works. The rebellious refuses joys and peace of mind. This hero is always "asking for storms". His nature is too rich in passions and thoughts, too free to be content with little and not demand great feelings, events, sensations from the world.
Self-analysis is necessary for a modern person in order to correctly correlate his destiny and destiny with real life, in order to understand his place in this world. Lack of conviction is a real tragedy for the hero and his generation. In Pechorin's Journal, a lively, complex, rich, analytical work of the mind is revealed. This proves to us not only that the protagonist is a typical figure, but also that there are young people in Russia who are tragically lonely. Pechorin considers himself among the miserable descendants who roam the earth without conviction.
He says: "We are no longer capable of great sacrifices, either for the good of mankind, or even for our own happiness." The same idea is repeated by Lermontov in the poem "Duma": We are rich, barely from the cradle, With the mistakes of the fathers and their late mind, And life already torments us, like a smooth path without a goal, Like a feast at a stranger's holiday. Every truly Russian person becomes uneasy at the thought that M. Yu. Lermontov passed away early. Solving the moral problem of the purpose of life, the main character of his work, Grigory Pechorin, could not find an application for his abilities.
“Why did I live? For what purpose I was born ... But, it’s true, I had a high appointment, since I feel immense forces in my soul,” he writes. It is in this dissatisfaction with oneself that the origins of Pechorin's attitude towards the people around him lie. He is indifferent to their experiences, so he, without hesitation, distorts other people's destinies.
Pushkin wrote about such young people: "There are millions of two-legged creatures, for them there is one name." Using Pushkin's words, one can say about Pechorin that in his views on life "the age is reflected, and modern man is depicted quite correctly, with his immoral soul, selfish and dry."
This is how Lermontov saw his generation.
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 - Faith is dearer to him 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. How the personality of our hero was formed in high society and it left its mark 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 everything social problems that time. Pretty tough psychological analysis the author exposes the whole era.
The novel reveals the main problems of mankind - love troubles, narcissism and selfishness of a person, conflict 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.
