“Hero of Our Time” is the most famous prose work of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov. It owes its popularity largely to the originality of the composition and plot and the contradictory image of the main character. We’ll try to figure out what makes Pechorin’s characterization so unique.

History of creation

The novel was not the writer's first prose work. Back in 1836, Lermontov began a novel about the life of St. Petersburg high society - “Princess Ligovskaya”, where the image of Pechorin first appears. But due to the poet’s exile, the work was not completed. Already in the Caucasus, Lermontov again took up prose, leaving the same hero, but changing the location of the novel and the title. This work was called “Hero of Our Time.”

Publication of the novel begins in 1839 in separate chapters. The first to go into print are “Bela”, “Fatalist”, “Taman”. The work received many negative responses from critics. They were primarily associated with the image of Pechorin, which was perceived as slander “on an entire generation.” In response, Lermontov puts forward his own characterization of Pechorin, in which he calls the hero a collection of all the vices of the society contemporary to the author.

Genre originality

The genre of the work is a novel that reveals the psychological, philosophical and social problems of Nicholas's times. This period, which came immediately after the defeat of the Decembrists, is characterized by the absence of significant social or philosophical ideas that could inspire and unite the advanced society of Russia. Hence the feeling of uselessness and impossibility of finding one’s place in life, from which the younger generation suffered.

The social side of the novel is already evident in the title, which is imbued with Lermontov’s irony. Pechorin, despite his originality, does not fit the role of a hero; it is not for nothing that he is often called an anti-hero in criticism.

The psychological component of the novel lies in the enormous attention that the author pays to the character’s inner experiences. With the help of various artistic techniques, the author's characterization of Pechorin turns into a complex psychological portrait, which reflects all the ambiguity of the character's personality.

And the philosophical in the novel is represented by a number of eternal human questions: why does a person exist, what is he like, what is the meaning of his life, etc.

What is a romantic hero?

Romanticism as a literary movement arose in the 18th century. His hero is, first of all, an extraordinary and unique personality, who is always opposed to society. A romantic character is always lonely and cannot be understood by others. He has no place in the ordinary world. Romanticism is active, it strives for accomplishments, adventures and unusual scenery. That is why Pechorin’s characterization is replete with descriptions of unusual stories and no less unusual actions of the hero.

Portrait of Pechorin

Initially, Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is an attempt to typify young people of Lermontov’s generation. How did this character turn out?

A brief description of Pechorin begins with a description of his social status. So, this is an officer who was demoted and exiled to the Caucasus because of some unpleasant story. He is from an aristocratic family, educated, cold and calculating, ironic, endowed with an extraordinary mind, and prone to philosophical reasoning. But he doesn’t know where to use his abilities and often wastes money on trifles. Pechorin is indifferent to others and himself, even if something captures him, he quickly cools down, as was the case with Bela.

But the fault that such an extraordinary personality cannot find a place for himself in the world lies not with Pechorin, but with the entire society, since he is a typical “hero of his time.” The social situation gave birth to people like him.

Quoted description of Pechorin

Two characters speak about Pechorin in the novel: Maxim Maksimovich and the author himself. Also here we can mention the hero himself, who writes about his thoughts and experiences in his diary.

Maxim Maksimych, a simple-minded and kind man, describes Pechorin this way: “A nice fellow... just a little strange.” Pechorin is all about this strangeness. He does illogical things: he hunts in bad weather and sits at home on clear days; goes to the wild boar alone, not valuing his life; He can be silent and gloomy, or he can become the life of the party and tell funny and very interesting stories. Maxim Maksimovich compares his behavior with the behavior of a spoiled child who is used to always getting what he wants. This characteristic reflected mental tossing, worries, and inability to cope with one’s feelings and emotions.

The author’s quotation description of Pechorin is very critical and even ironic: “When he sat down on the bench, his figure bent... the position of his whole body depicted some kind of nervous weakness: he sat as Balzac’s thirty-year-old coquette sits on her downy chairs... There was something childish in his smile...” Lermontov does not at all idealize his hero, seeing his shortcomings and vices.

Attitude towards love

Pechorin made Bela, Princess Mary, Vera, and the “undine” his beloved. The characterization of the hero would be incomplete without a description of his love stories.

Seeing Bela, Pechorin believes that he has finally fallen in love, and this is what will help brighten up his loneliness and save him from suffering. However, time passes, and the hero realizes that he was mistaken - the girl only entertained him for a short time. Pechorin's indifference to the princess revealed all the egoism of this hero, his inability to think about others and sacrifice something for them.

The next victim of the character's troubled soul is Princess Mary. This proud girl decides to step over social inequality and is the first to confess her love. However, Pechorin is afraid of family life, which will bring peace. The hero doesn’t need this, he craves new experiences.

A brief description of Pechorin in connection with his attitude towards love can boil down to the fact that the hero appears as a cruel person, incapable of constant and deep feelings. He only causes pain and suffering to both the girls and himself.

Duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky

The main character appears as a contradictory, ambiguous and unpredictable personality. The characterization of Pechorin and Grushnitsky points to another striking feature of the character - the desire to have fun, to play with the destinies of other people.

The duel in the novel was Pechorin’s attempt not only to laugh at Grushnitsky, but also to conduct a kind of psychological experiment. The main character gives his opponent the opportunity to do the right thing and show his best qualities.

The comparative characteristics of Pechorin and Grushnitsky in this scene are not on the side of the latter. Since it was his meanness and desire to humiliate the main character that led to the tragedy. Pechorin, knowing about the conspiracy, is trying to give Grushnitsky an opportunity to justify himself and retreat from his plan.

What is the tragedy of Lermontov's hero

Historical reality dooms all Pechorin’s attempts to find at least some useful use for himself. Even in love he could not find a place for himself. This hero is completely alone; it is difficult for him to get close to people, to open up to them, to let them into his life. Sucking melancholy, loneliness and the desire to find a place for oneself in the world - these are the characteristics of Pechorin. “A Hero of Our Time” has become a novel that personifies the greatest tragedy of man - the inability to find oneself.

Pechorin is endowed with nobility and honor, which was demonstrated during the duel with Grushnitsky, but at the same time, selfishness and indifference dominate in him. Throughout the entire narrative, the hero remains static - he does not evolve, nothing can change him. Lermontov seems to be trying to show by this that Pechorin is practically half a corpse. His fate is sealed; he is no longer alive, although he is not completely dead yet. This is why the main character does not care about his safety; he fearlessly rushes forward because he has nothing to lose.

Pechorin's tragedy lies not only in the social situation, which did not allow him to find a use for himself, but also in his inability to simply live. Introspection and constant attempts to comprehend what is happening around us led to wandering, constant doubts and uncertainty.

Conclusion

The characterization of Pechorin is interesting, ambiguous and very contradictory. “A Hero of Our Time” became Lermontov’s iconic work precisely because of such a complex hero. Having absorbed the features of romanticism, social changes of the Nicholas era and philosophical problems, Pechorin’s personality turned out to be timeless. His thoughts and problems are close to today’s youth.

>Characteristics of heroes Hero of our time

Characteristics of the hero Pechorin

Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is the main character of the novel “A Hero of Our Time”, who is an extremely controversial person. Lermontov describes him as a fearless and tireless hero, sitting all day in his room, flinching at the slightest noise. Either a silent person from whom you cannot get a word, or an excellent speaker and interlocutor. We get to know him little by little, at different periods of his life.

We meet Pechorin when he is 25 years old and arrives with the rank of ensign to serve in one of the fortresses in the Caucasus. He serves under the command of Maxim Maksimych. One day, a local prince invited them to a wedding, where Pechorin met his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bela, and fell madly in love with her. He learned that Bela's brother Azamat was ready to give his life for Kazbich's horse and offered him Karagez (that was the name of the horse) in exchange for his sister. He agreed and Pechorin, having stolen Karagez, became the owner of Bela. But Kazbich could not forgive the theft of his horse and friend. He bided his time, kidnapped Bela and killed her. Pechorin suffered for a long time, and three months later he was assigned to another regiment, and he left for Georgia.

In the next chapter we learn how Pechorin, while passing through Taman, accidentally tracked down smugglers. The girl lured him onto the boat and wanted to drown him, and when he fought her off with difficulty and returned to the house, he found out that his box, saber and dagger had been stolen by a blind boy who lived in the house and given to the head of the smugglers, Yanko.

In the next chapter we see Pechorin in Pyatigorsk, on the waters. There he meets Princess Mary, whom his friend Grushnitsky claims. Out of envy, he also begins to court her, although he does not love her at all. There on the waters, he meets his former love Vera, who loves him madly. When he turned Mary's head, she gave up to Grushnitsky, and he in response began to spread dirty rumors about him and Mary. Pechorin had to challenge him to a duel and kill him. Immediately after the duel, he told Mary that he did not love her. Having learned that Vera has left, he rushes after her, but having driven the horse, he returns to Pyatigorsk.

In another chapter, we see Pechorin in the Cossack village, where he first predicts the tragic fate of Vulich, and then experiences his own when he alone rushes at the armed murderer Vulich and twists him.

In the end, Pechorin becomes indifferent to everything in the world, he is deeply dissatisfied with his life. And soon, after losing the joy of life, he, returning from Persia, dies.

Maxim Maksimych about Pechorin:

“He was a nice guy, I dare to assure you; just a little strange. After all, for example, in the rain, in the cold, hunting all day; everyone will be cold and tired - but nothing to him. And another time he sits in his room, smells the wind, assures him that he has a cold; the shutter knocks, he shudders and turns pale; and with me he went to hunt wild boar one on one; It happened that you wouldn’t get the word out for hours at a time, but sometimes when he started talking, you’d burst your stomach with laughter...”

Pechorina achieves Bela by any means. Having conceived the “last” means to conquer Bela, Pechorin no longer understands what is good, what is bad, what is lies and manipulation, and what is the truth:

“I am guilty before you and must punish myself; goodbye, I'm going - where? why do I know? Perhaps I won’t be chasing a bullet or a saber strike for long; then remember me and forgive me.” “He turned away and extended his hand to her in farewell. She did not take her hand, she was silent... Without hearing the answer, Pechorin took a few steps towards the door; he was trembling - and should I tell you? I think he was able to actually fulfill what he was talking about jokingly. That’s the kind of man he was, God knows!”

Subsequently, Pechorin justifies his cooling towards Bela by the characteristics of his personality:

“I was wrong again: the love of a savage is little better than the love of a noble lady; the ignorance and simple-heartedness of one are just as annoying as the coquetry of the other. If you want, I still love her, I am grateful to her for a few rather sweet minutes, I would give my life for her, but I’m bored with her... Am I a fool or a villain, I don’t know; but it is true that I am also very worthy of pity, perhaps more than she: my soul is spoiled by light, my imagination is restless, my heart is insatiable; I can’t get enough of it: I get used to sadness just as easily as to pleasure, and my life becomes emptier day by day...”

The old man can express briefly and simply the impression that Pechorin makes on Maxim Maksimych:

“Only Grigory Aleksandrovich, despite the heat and fatigue, did not want to return without booty, that’s the kind of man he was: whatever he thinks, give it to him; apparently, as a child he was spoiled by his mother...

And this is the impression Pechorin makes on the author:

“When he sat down on the bench, his straight body bent, as if he didn’t have a single bone in his back; the position of his whole body depicted some kind of nervous weakness: he sat as Balzac’s thirty-year-old coquette sits on her downy chairs after a tiring ball. There was something childish in his smile..."

Pechorin constantly gets involved in other people’s destinies, without asking and to no avail:

“I felt sad. And why did fate throw me into the peaceful circle of honest smugglers? Like a stone thrown into a smooth spring, I disturbed their calm and, like a stone, I almost sank to the bottom!...”

Pechorin’s communication with Grushnitsky, seemingly friendly, contains a whole river of undercurrents:

“I lied; but I wanted to annoy him. I have an innate passion for contradiction; my whole life was just a chain of sad and unsuccessful contradictions to my heart or reason. The presence of an enthusiast fills me with a baptismal chill, and I think frequent intercourse with a sluggish phlegmatic person would make me a passionate dreamer.”

Pechorin claims that he is incapable of friendship and characterizes his relationship with Dr. Werner as follows:

“We soon understood each other and became friends, because I am incapable of friendship: of two friends, one is always the slave of the other, although often neither of them admits this to himself; I cannot be a slave, and in this case commanding is tedious work, because at the same time I must deceive; and besides, I have lackeys and money!..."

Pechorin believes that indifference and weariness from life are inherent in all smart people, and not just him:

“Look, here we are two smart people; We know in advance that we can argue about everything ad infinitum, and therefore we don’t argue... Sad things are funny to us, funny things are sad, but in general, to be honest, we are quite indifferent to everything except ourselves.”

Nevertheless, in the soul of Grigory Pechorin there are echoes of all the feelings, bright and strong, that he has ever experienced:

“There is no person in the world over whom the past would acquire such power as it does over me: every reminder of past sadness or joy painfully strikes my soul and draws out the same sounds from it... I was created stupidly: I don’t forget anything, nothing! »

Pechorin once became disillusioned with love:

“Yes, I have already passed that period of spiritual life when one seeks only happiness, when the heart feels the need to love someone strongly and passionately - now I just want to be loved...”

His personal life is unhappy, it did not work out, despite numerous love stories and novels:

“However, it has always been strange to me: I have never become a slave to the woman I love; on the contrary, I always acquired invincible power over their will and heart, without even trying to do so. Why is this? - Is it because I never value anything very much and that they were constantly afraid to let me out of their hands? or is it the magnetic influence of a strong organism? Or have I just never met a woman with a stubborn character?

Nevertheless, Pechorin continues to deliberately attract people, including women. He gets involved in adventures, intrigues, dangers and confrontations, love stories with an unhappy ending:

“I feel this insatiable greed within me, devouring everything that comes my way; I look at the sufferings and joys of others only in relation to myself, as food that supports my spiritual strength... My first pleasure is to subordinate to my will everything that surrounds me; to arouse feelings of love, devotion and fear - isn’t this the first sign and the greatest triumph of power?

Pechorin understands happiness this way:

“What is happiness? Intense pride. If I considered myself better, more powerful than everyone else in the world, I would be happy; if everyone loved me, I would find endless sources of love in myself..."

Intentionally, in order to please his pride by falling in love with the young girl Mary, Pechorin experiences the following feelings:

“I walked slowly; I was sad... Was it really, I thought, that my only purpose on earth was to destroy other people’s hopes? Since I have been living and acting, fate has somehow always led me to the outcome of other people's dramas, as if without me no one could die or despair! I was the necessary face of the fifth act; I unwittingly played the pathetic role of an executioner or a traitor.”

But the evil demon pushes the hero to continue the game:

“She will spend the night awake and cry. This thought gives me immense pleasure: there are moments when I understand the Vampire... And I am also known as a kind fellow and achieve this title!”

Before the duel with Grushnitsky, Pechorin sums up his life, in case it ends in a duel:

“I run through my entire past in my memory and involuntarily ask myself: why did I live? for what purpose was I born?.. And, it’s true, it existed, and, it’s true, I had a high purpose, because I feel immense powers in my soul... But I didn’t guess this purpose, I was carried away by the lures of empty and ungrateful passions; I came out of their crucible hard and cold as iron, but I lost forever the ardor of noble aspirations - the best light of life. And since then, how many times have I played the role of an ax in the hands of fate! Like an instrument of execution, I fell on the heads of the doomed victims, often without malice, always without regret... My love did not bring happiness to anyone, because I did not sacrifice anything for those I loved: I loved for myself, for my own pleasure: I only satisfied a strange need of the heart, greedily absorbing their feelings, their joys and sufferings - and could never get enough..."

Pechorin soberly understands what a dangerous person he is for others:

“For a long time now I have been living not with my heart, but with my head. I weigh and examine my own passions and actions with strict curiosity, but without participation. There are two people in me: one lives in the full sense of the word, the other thinks and judges it...”

Speaking about the characterization of Grigory Pechorin, first of all it should be noted that the author of the work, Mikhail Lermontov, clearly showed his attitude towards the hero Grigory Pechorin. Pechorin does not fit into society, he seems to “fall out” of it, and the point is not at all in his appearance. Indeed, Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is a handsome officer, has a sharp mind, a lively and ebullient nature, and has an explosive character. However, Mikhail Lermontov himself, mentioning the characterization of Grigory Pechorin, notes: “This is a portrait made up of the vices of our entire generation, in their full development.”

Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is, of course, a put together image of the people of that time, namely the 30s of the 19th century.

So, Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is, of course, a put together image of the people of that time, namely the 30s of the 19th century. What interesting things can be said about the characterization of Grigory Pechorin?

He leads a rather boring lifestyle, he is lonely, and it’s hard to keep himself busy. Although at one time Pechorin moved in the best circles of society, he became bored with everything: courting ladies and social amusements.

On the one hand, Grigory is afraid that society will negatively affect him, so internally he shuns its influence, but on the other hand, Pechorin does not worry about the welfare and well-being of others. Not only does he not value true love and friendship, but on top of everything else, Lermontov’s main character does not worry about the fact that by his behavior he is ruining the fates of those close to him. This fact, of course, significantly overshadows the characterization of Grigory Pechorin.

Characteristics of Grigory Pechorin in the chapter "Bela"

As you read the book and analyze Lermontov's hero Pechorin, it becomes clear that Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin indulges in recklessness simply because he is bored. But when the passion of adventure takes possession of him, he is calculating and ready to do anything - sacrifice friendship, hurt someone's feelings, break something inside himself. For example, in the chapter “Bela” Pechorin burns with passion for the girl Bela, and does everything possible to achieve her favor. It seems that Grigory Pechorin loves Bela, but how can one explain the fact that he mercilessly destroys her family, forcibly kidnaps the girl, pushes Bela’s brother Azamat to madness, and then puts on a guise and tries to evoke sympathy and pity for himself? It is unlikely that such actions can be explained by true love.

Reflecting on the characterization of Grigory Pechorin after reading this chapter, it is clear that in fact Lermontov’s hero Pechorin did not need Bela, she became a fleeting quenching of boredom and for a time, while he was seeking her, dispersed his melancholy.

True, Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is not devoid of compassion. Realizing that he doesn’t need Bela, but he won her heart, Pechorin continues to deceive her, only now his deception lies in the fact that he supposedly loves her dearly.

Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin indulges in recklessness simply because he is bored. But when the passion for adventure takes hold of him, he is calculating and ready to do anything.

Conclusions about the characteristics of Grigory Pechorin

Speaking in simple terms about Lermontov's hero Pechorin, let's say that Pechorin is a bad person who combines the vices of his generation and modern society. But still, from his actions and way of thinking, one can draw important conclusions about the morality of people in general, and look at oneself through the prism of the vicious character of Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin.

“A Hero of Our Time” is the first psychological novel in our country, in which Lermontov, by analyzing the actions and thoughts of the main character, reveals his inner world to the readers. But despite this, characterizing Pechorin is not an easy task. The hero is ambiguous, as are his actions, largely due to the fact that Lermontov created not a typical character, but a real, living person. Let's try to understand this person and understand him.

The portrait description of Pechorin contains a very interesting detail: “his eyes did not laugh when he laughed.” We can see that the hero is reflected even in his external description. Indeed, Pechorin never feels his life entirely; in his own words, two people always coexist in him, one of whom acts, and the second judges him. He constantly analyzes his own actions, which is “observation of a mature mind over itself.” Perhaps this is what prevents the hero from living life to the fullest and makes him cynical.

The most striking character trait of Pechorin is his selfishness. His desire at all costs to arrange everything exactly as it came to his mind, and nothing else. By this he reminds that he does not retreat until he gets what he wants. And, being childishly naive, Pechorin never realizes in advance that people may suffer from his petty selfish aspirations. He puts his own whim above the rest and simply does not think about others: “I look at the suffering and joy of others only in relation to myself.” Perhaps it is thanks to this trait that the hero moves away from people and considers himself superior to them.

The characterization of Pechorin should contain one more important fact. The hero feels the strength of his soul, feels that he was born for a higher goal, but instead of searching for it, he wastes himself on all sorts of trifles and momentary aspirations. He constantly rushes around in search of entertainment, not knowing what he wants. So, in pursuit of small joys, his life passes. Without any goal in front of him, Pechorin wastes himself on empty things that bring nothing but short moments of satisfaction.

Since the hero himself does not consider his life to be something valuable, he begins to play with it. His desire to enrage Grushnitsky or turn his gun on himself, as well as the test of fate in the chapter “Fatalist” - all these are manifestations of morbid curiosity generated by the hero’s boredom and inner emptiness. He does not think about the consequences of his actions, be it even his death or the death of another person. Pechorin is interested in observation and analysis, not the future.

It is thanks to the hero’s introspection that Pechorin’s characterization can be completed, since he himself explains many of his actions. He has studied himself well and perceives each of his emotions as an object for observation. He sees himself as if from the outside, which brings him closer to the readers and allows us to evaluate Pechorin’s actions from his own point of view.

Here are the main points that a brief description of Pechorin should contain. In fact, his personality is much more complex and multifaceted. And it’s unlikely that a characterization can help to understand it. Pechorin needs to be found within himself, to feel what he feels, and then his personality will become clear to the heroes of our time.