Pechorin is a controversial personality
The image of Pechorin in the novel “Hero of Our Time” by Lermontov is an ambiguous image. It cannot be called positive, but it is not negative either. Many of his actions are reprehensible, but it is also important to understand the motives for his behavior before making a judgment. The author called Pechorin a hero of his time not because he recommended emulating him, and not because he wanted to ridicule him. He just showed the portrait typical representative that generation - " extra person“- so that everyone can see what a social system that disfigures the individual leads to.
Qualities of Pechorin
Knowledge of people
Can Pechorin’s quality of understanding the psychology of people and the motives of their actions be called bad? Another thing is that he uses it for other purposes. Instead of doing good and helping others, he plays with them, and these games, as a rule, end tragically. This is exactly the ending of the story with the mountain woman Bela, whom Pechorin persuaded her brother to steal. Having achieved the love of a freedom-loving girl, he lost interest in her, and soon Bela fell victim to the vengeful Kazbich.
Playing with Princess Mary also did not lead to anything good. Pechorin's intervention in her relationship with Grushnitsky resulted in the princess's broken heart and Grushnitsky's death in a duel.
Ability to analyze
Pechorin demonstrates his brilliant ability to analyze in a conversation with Dr. Werner (chapter “Princess Mary”). He quite accurately logically calculates that Princess Ligovskaya was interested in him, and not her daughter Mary. “You have a great gift for thought,” Werner notes. However, this gift again does not find worthy use. Pechorin could possibly do scientific discoveries, but he was disappointed in studying science because he saw that in his society no one needed knowledge.
Independence from the opinions of others
The description of Pechorin in the novel “A Hero of Our Time” gives many reasons to accuse him of callousness. It would seem that he acted badly towards his old friend Maxim Maksimych. Having learned that his colleague, with whom he had eaten more than a pound of salt, was staying in the same city, Pechorin did not rush to meet him. Maxim Maksimych was very upset and offended by him. However, Pechorin is essentially to blame only for not living up to the old man’s expectations. “Am I really not the same?” - he reminded, nevertheless hugging Maxim Maksimych in a friendly manner. Indeed, Pechorin never tries to pretend to be someone he is not, just to please others. He prefers to be rather than seem, he is always honest in expressing his feelings, and from this point of view, his behavior deserves all approval. He also doesn’t care what others say about him - Pechorin always acts as he sees fit. IN modern conditions such qualities would be invaluable and would help him quickly achieve his goal, to fully realize himself.
Bravery
Bravery and fearlessness are character traits thanks to which one could say “Pechorin is a hero of our time” without any ambiguity. They appear both on the hunt (Maksim Maksimych witnessed how Pechorin “went to kill a boar one on one”), and in a duel (he was not afraid to shoot with Grushnitsky on conditions that were obviously unfavorable for him), and in a situation where it was necessary to pacify the raging drunken Cossack (chapter “Fatalist”). "... worse than death nothing will happen, but you will not escape death,” Pechorin believes, and this conviction allows him to move forward more boldly. However, even the mortal danger that he faced every day in the Caucasian War did not help him cope with boredom: he quickly got used to the buzzing of Chechen bullets. It's obvious that military service was not his calling, and therefore Pechorin’s brilliant abilities in this area did not find further application. He decided to travel in the hope of finding a cure for boredom “with the help of storms and bad roads.”
Self-love
Pechorin cannot be called vain, greedy for praise, but he is quite proud. It hurts him very much if a woman does not consider him the best and prefers someone else. And he strives with all his might, by any means, to win her attention. This happened in the situation with Princess Mary, who first liked Grushnitsky. From Pechorin’s analysis, which he himself does in his journal, it follows that it was important for him not so much to achieve the love of this girl as to recapture her from his competitor. “I also confess that an unpleasant, but familiar feeling ran slightly through my heart at that moment; this feeling was envy... It is unlikely that there will be a young man who, having met a pretty woman who has attracted his idle attention and suddenly clearly distinguishes another, equally unfamiliar to her, it is unlikely, I say, there will be such a young man (of course, he lived in big world and accustomed to pampering his vanity), who would not be unpleasantly struck by this.”
Pechorin loves to achieve victory in everything. He managed to redirect Mary's interest to own person, make the proud Bela his mistress, get a secret meeting from Vera, outplay Grushnitsky in a duel. If he had a worthy cause, this desire to be first would allow him to achieve enormous success. But he has to give vent to his leadership inclinations in such a strange and destructive way.
Selfishness
In an essay on the topic “Pechorin - a hero of our time,” one cannot help but mention such a trait of his character as selfishness. He does not really care about the feelings and fates of other people who have become hostages of his whims; all that matters to him is the satisfaction of his own needs. Pechorin did not even spare Vera, the only woman he believed he really loved. He put her reputation at risk by visiting her at night in the absence of her husband. A striking illustration of his disdainful, selfish attitude is his beloved horse, which he drove, and was unable to catch up with the carriage with the departing Vera. On the way to Essentuki, Pechorin saw that “instead of a saddle, two ravens were sitting on his back.” Moreover, Pechorin sometimes enjoys the suffering of others. He imagines how Mary, after his incomprehensible behavior, “will spend the night without sleep and cry,” and this thought gives him “immense pleasure.” “There are moments when I understand the Vampire...” he admits.
Pechorin’s behavior is the result of the influence of circumstances
But can this bad character trait be called innate? Is Pechorin initially vicious or was he made so by the conditions of his life? This is what he himself told Princess Mary: “... this has been my fate since childhood. Everyone read on my face signs of bad feelings that were not there; but they were anticipated - and they were born. I was modest - I was accused of deceit: I became secretive... I was ready to love the whole world - no one understood me: and I learned to hate... I told the truth - they didn’t believe me: I began to deceive... I became moral cripple».
Finding himself in an environment that does not correspond to his inner essence, Pechorin is forced to break himself, to become what he really is not. This is where this one comes from internal inconsistency, which left its mark on his appearance. The author of the novel paints a portrait of Pechorin: laughter with unlaughing eyes, a bold and at the same time indifferently calm look, a straight figure, limp, like that of Balzac’s young lady when he sat down on the bench, and other “inconsistencies.”
Pechorin himself is aware that he makes an ambiguous impression: “Some people consider me worse, others better than I really am... Some will say: he was a kind fellow, others – a scoundrel. Both will be false.” But the truth is that under the influence external circumstances his personality has undergone such complex and ugly deformations that it is no longer possible to separate the bad from the good, the real from the false.
In the novel “A Hero of Our Time,” the image of Pechorin is a moral, psychological portrait of an entire generation. How many of its representatives have not found a response of “soul” in those around them? wonderful impulses”, were forced to adapt, become the same as everyone around, or die. The author of the novel, Mikhail Lermontov, whose life ended tragically and prematurely, was one of them.
Work test
", perhaps one of the most outstanding works Mikhail Lermontov. The author has long been concerned about the fate of young and educated people during the "Dark Decade". At that time, any manifestation of dissent or expression of new ideas was persecuted and severely punished. Lermontov writes his novel with deliberate violation chronological order. This allows the reader to pay attention to the internal experiences of the main characters, and not to the external world. In fact, “A Hero of Our Time” can confidently be called a psychological novel.
The main character of Lermontov's novel “A Hero of Our Time” is the young nobleman Grigory Pechorin.
Pechorin was a man who lived without love, without aspiration, he had no goal in life, he was bored with the world. The main character even treats himself with contempt. He says that if he dies, it will not be a great loss either for the world or for himself. These words, according to Pechorin, reflect his life lived in vain. The main character often wonders why he was born, what is his purpose, what is his mission? He feels that he was created for something high, something necessary, but, following the lead of worldly passions, he has lost his purpose.
It must be said that Grigory Alexandrovich was not always such a gloomy and disillusioned person in life. In my younger years main character was filled with ardent hopes and passions. He was ready for action, to accomplish a feat. His inner ideals pushed him to move, to bring them to life. Therefore, young Pechorin decided to fight for them. But soon it broke. There was only “one feeling of fatigue, as after a night battle with a ghost, and a vague memory filled with regrets...”. The world around him did not accept him. Pechorin was alien to the old, but, unfortunately, he did not know the new. This conflict between internal and outside world causes Pechorin apathy, with youth he is doomed to wither and grow old. The main character finally loses the meaning of life. Having withdrawn into himself, he becomes angry at the world, becomes selfish. Pechorin becomes an instrument of evil in the hands of fate. He begins to chase life, but this only leads to tragic consequences for the people around him. So, the smugglers are forced to flee to another place, leaving behind the old woman and the blind boy; dies and; stays with broken hearted, and - offended.
But still, Pechorin remains a strong, strong-willed and gifted person. He will note to himself that he is a “moral cripple.” Pechorin was a very contradictory person. This can be seen both in his appearance and in his actions. Showing us the appearance of his main character, Lermontov writes that Pechorin’s eyes “did not laugh when he laughed”, his gait “was careless and lazy, but I noticed that he did not wave his arms - a sure sign of some secrecy of character.” Although Pechorin was about thirty years old, his smile remained childish.
The strangeness and inconsistency of the protagonist’s character was also noticed by Maxim Maksimych. He noted that, while hunting in the pouring rain, Pechorin felt good, while others were freezing and chilly, and while at home, he was afraid of drafts and knocking windows, although he had previously hunted wild boar alone.
In this contradictory character of Pechorin, Lermontov sees the illness of the then younger generation. Pechorin himself would later say that his life consisted of such contradictions, a struggle of heart and mind.
The inconsistency of the protagonist’s character also manifests itself in relationships with the opposite sex. Pechorin sought the favor of women, forced them to love himself only for the sake of satisfying his ambition. But at the same time, the main character is capable of a sharp impulse, manifestation own feelings. When Grigory Alexandrovich receives last letter from Vera, he immediately decides to go to Pyatigorsk. “With the possibility of losing her forever,” he writes, “Faith became dearer to me than anything in the world,” more valuable than life, honor, happiness!
It is this inconsistency of character that does not allow Pechorin to live to the fullest. This is what makes him a “moral cripple.”
The tragedy of the main character was emphasized by the fact that two people lived in his soul. The first one commits actions, and the second one condemns them for them. Because he cannot find application for his knowledge, skills and ideas.
Why did Pechorin, being an educated young nobleman, become a “superfluous” person? The main character answered this question like this: “My soul is spoiled by light.” Thus, Pechorin became a hostage to his environment, its laws and customs from which he could not get rid of.
Pechorin became another “superfluous” person in Russian literature and in Russian society of the 19th century, standing on a par with Chatsky and Onegin.
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A person is always driven by the desire to know his purpose. Should you go with the flow or resist it? What position in society would be correct, should all actions comply with moral standards? These and similar questions often become the main ones for young people who are actively comprehending the world and human essence. Youthful maximalism demands to give for these problematic issues clear answers, but it is not always possible to give an answer.
It is precisely this seeker of answers that M.Yu. tells us about. Lermontov in his novel "Hero of Our Time". It should be noted that Mikhail Yuryevich was always on good terms when writing prose, and his same position remained until the end of his life - all the prose novels he started were never finished. Lermontov had the courage to bring the matter with “Hero” to its logical conclusion. This is probably why the composition, the manner of presentation of the material and the style of narration look, compared to other novels, quite unusual.
“Hero of Our Time” is a work imbued with the spirit of the era. Characteristics of Pechorin - central figure novel by Mikhail Lermontov - allows you to better understand the atmosphere of the 1830s - the time the work was written. It is not for nothing that “A Hero of Our Time” is recognized by critics as the most mature and ambitious in philosophical sense novels by Mikhail Lermontov.
Great importance there is a historical context for understanding the novel. In the 1830s Russian history was reactive. In 1825, the Decembrist uprising occurred, and subsequent years contributed to the development of a mood of loss. The Nikolaev reaction unsettled many young people: young people did not know which vector of behavior and life to choose, how to make life meaningful.
This caused the emergence of restless individuals, unnecessary people.
Origin of Pechorin
Basically, the novel singles out one hero, who is centrally in the story. It seems that this principle was rejected by Lermontov - based on the events told to the reader, the main character is Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin - a young man, an officer. However, the style of the narration gives the right to doubt - the position in the text of Maxim Maksimovich is also quite weighty.
In fact, this is a misconception - Mikhail Yuryevich has repeatedly emphasized that in his novel the main character is Pechorin, this corresponds to the main purpose of the story - to talk about typical people of the generation, to point out their vices and mistakes.
Lermontov provides rather scant information about childhood, conditions of upbringing and the influence of parents on the process of formation of Pechorin’s positions and preferences. Several fragments of it past life lift this veil - we learn that Grigory Alexandrovich was born in St. Petersburg. His parents, according to existing orders, tried to give their son a proper education, but young Pechorin did not feel the burden of science, he “quickly got bored” with them and he decided to devote himself to military service. Perhaps such an act is not connected with the emerging interest in military affairs, but with the special disposition of society towards military people. The uniform made it possible to brighten up even the most unattractive actions and character traits, because the military was loved for what they were. In society it was difficult to find representatives who did not have a military rank - military service was considered honorable and everyone wanted to “try on” honor and glory along with the uniform.
As it turned out, military affairs did not bring proper satisfaction and Pechorin quickly became disillusioned with it. Grigory Alexandrovich was sent to the Caucasus because he was involved in a duel. The events that happened to the young man in this area form the basis of Lermontov's novel.
Characteristics of Pechorin's actions and deeds
The reader gets his first impressions of the main character of Lermontov’s novel after meeting Maxim Maksimych. The man served with Pechorin in the Caucasus, in a fortress. It was the story of a girl named Bela. Pechorin treated Bela badly: out of boredom, while having fun, the young man kidnapped a Circassian girl. Bela is a beauty, at first cold with Pechorin. Gradually, the young man kindles the flame of love for him in Bela’s heart, but as soon as the Circassian woman fell in love with Pechorin, he immediately lost interest in her.
Pechorin destroys the destinies of other people, makes those around him suffer, but remains indifferent to the consequences of his actions. Bela and the girl's father die. Pechorin remembers the girl, feels sorry for Bela, the past resonates with bitterness in the hero’s soul, but does not cause Pechorin to repent. While Bela was alive, Grigory told his comrade that he still loved the girl, felt gratitude to her, but boredom remained the same, and it was boredom that decided everything.
An attempt to find satisfaction and happiness pushes the young man to experiments that the hero performs on living people. Psychological games, meanwhile, turn out to be useless: the same emptiness remains in the hero’s soul. The same motives accompany Pechorin’s exposure of “honest smugglers”: the hero’s act does not bring good results, only leaving the blind boy and the old woman on the brink of survival.
The love of a wild Caucasian beauty or a noblewoman - it does not matter for Pechorin. Next time, the hero chooses an aristocrat, Princess Mary, for the experiment. Handsome Gregory plays with the girl, arousing love for him in Mary’s soul, but then leaves the princess, breaking her heart.
The reader learns about the situation with Princess Mary and the smugglers from the diary that the main character kept, wanting to understand himself. In the end, even Pechorin gets tired of his diary: any activity ends in boredom. Grigory Alexandrovich does not complete anything, unable to bear the suffering of losing interest in the subject of his former passion. Pechorin's notes accumulate in a suitcase, which falls into the hands of Maxim Maksimych. The man experiences a strange attachment to Pechorin, perceiving the young man as a friend. Maxim Maksimych keeps Grigory’s notebooks and diaries, hoping to give the suitcase to a friend. But the young man does not care about fame, fame, Pechorin does not want to publish the entries, so the diaries turn out to be unnecessary waste paper. This secular disinterest of Pechorin is the peculiarity and value of Lermontov’s hero.
Pechorin has one important feature- sincerity towards yourself. The hero’s actions evoke antipathy and even condemnation in the reader, but one thing needs to be recognized: Pechorin is open and honest, and the touch of vice comes from weakness of will and the inability to resist the influence of society.
Pechorin and Onegin
After the first publications of Lermontov’s novel, both readers and literary critics began to compare Pechorin from Lermontov's novel and Onegin from Pushkin's work with each other. Both heroes share similar character traits and certain actions. As researchers note, both Pechorin and Onegin were named according to the same principle. The surname of the characters is based on the name of the river - Onega and Pechora, respectively. But the symbolism doesn't end there.
Pechora is a river in the northern part of Russia (modern Komi Republic and Nanetsky autonomous region), by its nature it is a typical mountain river. Onega - located in modern Arkhangelsk region and more calm. The nature of the flow has a relationship with the characters of the heroes named after them. Pechorin's life is full of doubts and active searches for his place in society; he, like a seething stream, sweeps away everything without a trace in his path. Onegin is deprived of such a scale of destructive power; complexity and inability to realize himself cause him to feel a state of dull melancholy.
Byronism and the “superfluous man”
In order to holistically perceive the image of Pechorin, understand his character, motives and actions, it is necessary to have knowledge about the Byronic and superfluous hero.
The first concept came to Russian literature from England. J. Bynov in his poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” created unique image endowed with the desire to actively search for one's purpose, characteristics of egocentrism, dissatisfaction and desire for change.
The second is a phenomenon that arose in Russian literature itself and denotes a person who was ahead of his time and therefore alien and incomprehensible to those around him. Or someone who, based on his knowledge and understanding of everyday truths, is higher in development than the rest and, as a result, he is not accepted by society. Such characters become the cause of suffering for female representatives who love them.
Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin - classic representative romanticism, which combined the concepts of Byronism and the superfluous man. Dejection, boredom and spleen are the product of this combination.
Mikhail Lermontov considered the life story of an individual more interesting than the history of a people. Circumstances make Pechorin a “superfluous man.” The hero is talented and smart, but the tragedy of Grigory Alexandrovich lies in the lack of a goal, in the inability to adapt himself, his talents to this world, in the general restlessness of the individual. In this, Pechorin’s personality is an example of a typical decadent.
Powers young man They go not to find a goal, not to realize themselves, but to adventure. Sometimes literary critics compare images Pushkinsky Evgeniy Onegin and Lermontov's Grigory Pechorin: Onegin is characterized by boredom, and Pechorin is characterized by suffering.
After the Decembrists were exiled, progressive trends and tendencies also succumbed to persecution. For Pechorin, a progressive-minded person, this meant the onset of a period of stagnation. Onegin has every opportunity to take the side of the people's cause, but refrains from doing so. Pechorin, having a desire to reform society, finds himself deprived of such an opportunity. Grigory Alexandrovich wastes the wealth of spiritual powers on trifles: he hurts girls, Vera and Princess Mary suffer because of the hero, Bela dies...
Pechorin was ruined by society and circumstances. The hero keeps a diary, where he notes that, as a child, he spoke only the truth, but adults did not believe in the boy’s words.
Then Gregory became disillusioned with life and his previous ideals: the place of truth was replaced by lies. As a young man, Pechorin sincerely loved the world. Society laughed at him and this love - Gregory’s kindness turned into anger.
The hero quickly became bored with his secular surroundings and literature. Hobbies were replaced by other passions. Only travel can save you from boredom and disappointment. Mikhail Lermontov unfolds on the pages of the novel the entire evolution of the protagonist’s personality: Pechorin’s characterization is revealed to the reader by all the central episodes in the formation of the hero’s personality.
The character of Grigory Alexandrovich is accompanied by actions, behavior, and decisions that more fully reveal the characteristics of the character’s personality. Pechorin is also appreciated by other heroes of Lermontov’s novel, for example, Maxim Maksimych, who notices the inconsistency of Grigory. Pechorin is a strong young man with a strong body, but sometimes the hero is overcome by a strange physical weakness. Grigory Alexandrovich turned 30 years old, but the hero’s face is full of childish features, and the hero looks no more than 23 years old. The hero laughs, but at the same time one can see sadness in Pechorin’s eyes. Opinions about Pechorin, expressed by different characters in the novel, allow readers to look at the hero, respectively, with different positions.
Pechorin's death expresses the idea of Mikhail Lermontov: a person who has not found a goal remains superfluous, unnecessary for those around him. Such a person cannot serve for the benefit of humanity and is of no value to society and the fatherland.
In “Hero of Our Time,” the writer described the entire generation of contemporaries - young people who have lost the purpose and meaning of life. Just as Hemingway’s generation is considered lost, so Lermontov’s generation is considered lost, superfluous, restless. These young people are susceptible to boredom, which turns into a vice in the context of the development of their society.
Pechorin's appearance and age
At the beginning of the story, Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin is 25 years old. He looks very good, well-groomed, so in some moments it seems that he is much younger than he actually is. There was nothing unusual in his height and build: average height, strong athletic build. He was a man with pleasant features. As the author notes, he had a “unique face,” one that women are madly attracted to. Blonde, naturally curly hair, a “slightly upturned” nose, snow-white teeth and a sweet, childish smile - all this complements his appearance favorably.
His eyes brown color seemed to be living separate life– they never laughed when their owner laughed. Lermontov names two reasons for this phenomenon - either there is a person in front of us evil temper or in a state of deep depression. Lermontov does not give a direct answer which explanation (or both at once) is applicable to the hero - the reader will have to analyze these facts themselves.
His facial expression is also incapable of expressing any emotion. Pechorin does not restrain himself - he simply lacks the ability to empathize.
This appearance is finally blurred by a heavy, unpleasant look.
As you can see, Grigory Alexandrovich looks like a porcelain doll - his cute face with childish features seems like a frozen mask, not a face real person.
Pechorin's clothes are always neat and clean - this is one of those principles that Grigory Alexandrovich follows impeccably - an aristocrat cannot be an unkempt slob.
While in the Caucasus, Pechorin easily leaves his usual outfit in the closet and dresses in the national men's attire of the Circassians. Many note that these clothes make him look like a true Kabardian - sometimes people who belonged to this nationality do not look so impressive. Pechorin looks more like a Kabardian than the Kabardians themselves. But even in these clothes he is a dandy - the length of the fur, the trim, the color and size of the clothes - everything is chosen with extraordinary care.
Characteristics of character qualities
Pechorin is a classic representative of the aristocracy. He himself comes from noble family, who received a decent upbringing and education (knows French, dances well). All his life he lived in abundance, this fact allowed him to begin his journey of searching for his destiny and an activity that would not let him get bored.
At first, the attention shown to him by women pleasantly flattered Grigory Alexandrovich, but soon he was able to study the types of behavior of all women and therefore communication with ladies became boring and predictable for him. The impulses of creation are alien to him own family, and as soon as it comes to hints about the wedding, his ardor for the girl instantly disappears.
Pechorin is not assiduous - science and reading push him even more than secular society, blues. A rare exception in this regard is provided by the works of Walter Scott.
When Savor became too burdensome for him, and travel, literary activity and science did not bring the desired result, Pechorin decides to start military career. He, as is customary among the aristocracy, serves in the St. Petersburg Guard. But he doesn’t stay here for long either - participation in a duel dramatically changes his life - for this offense he is exiled to serve in the Caucasus.
If Pechorin were a hero folk epic, then his constant epithet would be the word “strange.” All the heroes find something unusual in him, different from other people. This fact is not related to habits, mental or psychological development - the point here is precisely the ability to express one’s emotions, adhere to the same position - sometimes Grigory Alexandrovich is very contradictory.
He likes to cause pain and suffering to others, he is aware of this and understands that such behavior does not look good not only on him specifically, but on any person. And yet he doesn’t try to restrain himself. Pechorin compares himself to a vampire - the realization that someone will spend the night in mental anguish, he is incredibly flattered.
Pechorin is persistent and stubborn, this creates many problems for him, because of this he often finds himself in not the most pleasant situations, but here courage and determination come to his rescue.
Grigory Alexandrovich becomes the cause of destruction life paths many people. By his mercy, the blind boy and the old woman are left to their fate (the episode with the smugglers), Vulich, Bella and her father die, Pechorin’s friend dies in a duel at the hands of Pechorin himself, Azamat becomes a criminal. This list can still be replenished with many names of people to whom the main character insulted and became a reason for resentment and depression. Does Pechorin know and understand the full gravity of the consequences of his actions? Quite, but this fact does not bother him - he does not value his life, let alone the destinies of other people.
Thus, the image of Pechorin is contradictory and ambiguous. On the one hand, it is easy to find positive features character, but on the other hand, callousness and selfishness confidently reduce all his positive achievements to “no” - Grigory Alexandrovich destroys with his recklessness both his fate and the fates of the people around him. He is a destructive force that is difficult to resist.
Psychological portrait of Grigory Pechorin
Lermontov helps to imagine the character's character traits by referring to the hero's appearance and habits. For example, Pechorin is distinguished by a lazy and careless gait, but at the same time the hero’s gestures do not indicate that Pechorin is a secretive person. The young man’s forehead was marred by wrinkles, and when Grigory Alexandrovich sat, it seemed that the hero was tired. When Pechorin's lips laughed, his eyes remained motionless, sad.
Pechorin's fatigue was manifested in the fact that the hero's passion did not linger for long on any object or person. Grigory Alexandrovich said that in life he is guided not by the dictates of his heart, but by the orders of his head. This is coldness, rationality, periodically interrupted by a short-term riot of feelings. Pechorin is characterized by a trait called fatality. The young man is not afraid to go wild and seeks adventure and risk, as if testing fate.
The contradictions in Pechorin’s characterization are manifested in the fact that with the courage described above, the hero is frightened by the slightest cracking of window shutters or the sound of rain. Pechorin is a fatalist, but at the same time convinced of the importance of human willpower. There is a certain predestination in life, expressed at least in the fact that a person will not escape death, so why then are they afraid to die? In the end, Pechorin wants to help society, to be useful by saving people from the Cossack killer.
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IN real life It is rare to meet a person who has exclusively negative qualities. There may be a majority of them, but no matter what kind of person you are, it is still possible to find at least a few positive qualities. Literature has the ability to draw the most unusual plots, images and events - sometimes surreal, which would be impossible to realize in real life. Oddly enough, but here there are no absolutely negative or positive characters. Each hero is unique in his own way; he can act in the most dishonest way, but at the same time it will not be difficult to find at least one good motive in him. One of the controversial characters is the image of Grigory Pechorin in the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov "Hero of Our Time".
Pechorin's inconsistency
Grigory Pechorin in the novel is presented as the engine of trouble, his appearance in the lives of all the characters ends in some kind of tragedy, or becomes the cause of death. Most of these situations are created unintentionally. Pechorin does not plan to kill anyone or bring irreparable consequences into the lives of certain people; tragedy occurs in a random, unplanned way, due to the characters’ contradictory perception of reality, a certain amount of misunderstanding of the essence of what is happening.
Positive qualities of Pechorin
At the beginning, it seems that there should be significantly fewer positions on this matter, since Pechorin does more harm than good, but in reality everything is far from being so.
First of all, the character’s education and intelligence are striking. Pechorin received a good education, but this fact alone does not make him smart - he is inquisitive by nature, so his knowledge was never limited to dry sciences, he always wanted to get to the bottom of the truth, to comprehend the essence.
Grigory knows how to present himself in society - he has the gift of getting his interlocutor interested in even the most mundane topic, and has a good sense of humor, which also contributes to his communicative influence.
Pechorin not only has knowledge about the subject of various sciences, he is also well acquainted with the rules of etiquette and successfully applies this knowledge in practice - he is always polite and courteous.
One cannot help but mention his positive qualities Special attention to his wardrobe and the state of his suit - he always looks neat and elegant.
Pechorin treats women with a certain amount of trepidation - he carefully looks after Bella, is affectionate and attentive with the princess. His care and attention become an opportunity to demonstrate his love and affection to women.
Gregory – generous man. His generosity is closely related to his lack of pity or greed. He allows his friends to take his horses for a walk, generously gives Bella gifts - he does not do this for selfish purposes. They are guided by sincere impulses of the soul.
Next positive qualities Pechorin, undoubtedly, is determination and perseverance - if he has determined a goal for himself, he will follow it and do everything to achieve it as quickly as possible.
Pechorin has unprecedented courage. This fact can also be attributed to positive aspects in his image, although his courage must be considered in the context of events, since it often borders on recklessness, which introduces a significant amount of bitterness into this characteristic.
Negative qualities of Grigory Pechorin
At his core, Pechorin is an evil person, but in him this quality looks attractive - it does not become a repulsive factor from his person, but, on the contrary, possessive.
Gregory finds special pleasure in the process of playing with people's feelings. He likes to watch their mental anguish or confusion.
Moreover, he is dishonest and hypocritical. He allows himself to have an affair with married women.
In addition, he is not alien to the feeling of selfishness, which is skillfully combined, in his case, with inflated self-esteem. This becomes the reason for Pechorin’s lack of friends. He says goodbye too easily to all his acquaintances and lovers.
He kills the only person who claimed to be Grigory’s friend, Grushnitsky, in a duel. Moreover, he does it without a shadow of regret. Maxim Maksimovich, who showed interest in his person and friendly sympathy, is repelled.
Despite reverent attitude Pechorin treats women rudely when his love fervor fades
Succumbing to his whim, he steals and keeps Bella, which leads to the girl’s death, but even here he does not feel remorse.
He leaves Princess Mary rudely and cruelly - destroying her love and feeling of tenderness.
How Pechorin evaluates himself
The image of Pechorin is not without a share of self-criticism. Despite the fact that he suffers from inflated self-esteem, his characterization of his personality and analysis of the actions he has committed looks quite believable. He is able to sensibly assess the integrity and consequences of his actions.
Pechorin considers himself an evil, immoral person. He calls himself a “moral cripple,” claiming that he was not always this way.
In tradition Byronic hero and the “superfluous man” Pechorin is filled with despondency and spleen - he cannot realize his talents and creative potential and therefore remains in deep depression and does not see a way out of it. Pechorin also cannot name the reason that led to this state of his soul, although he realizes that there must be some factor. Gregory does not deny that there may be a completely logical explanation for this, such as, for example, excess education, or the intervention of heavenly forces - God, who endowed him with an unhappy character.
Thus, Grigory Pechorin is a very controversial character who is at the crossroads of two moral eras. He clearly and clearly understands that the old traditions and principles have already become obsolete, they are alien to him and unpleasant, but he does not know what should replace them. His intuitive searches do not bring the desired positive result for the character himself and become destructive and tragic for the lives of other personalities in the story.
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov, a poet and prose writer, is often compared to Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Is this comparison coincidental? Not at all, these two lights marked the golden age of Russian poetry with their creativity. They were both worried about the question: “Who are they: heroes of our time?” Brief Analysis, you see, will not be able to give an answer to this conceptual question, which the classics tried to thoroughly understand.
Unfortunately, the lives of these men were cut short early by a bullet. the most talented people. Fate? Both of them were representatives of their time, divided into two parts: before and after. Moreover, as you know, critics compare Pushkin's Onegin and Lermontov's Pechorin, presenting to readers comparative analysis heroes. “A Hero of Our Time,” however, was written after
Image of Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin
Analysis of the novel “A Hero of Our Time” clearly defines its main character, who forms the entire composition of the book. Mikhail Yuryevich portrayed in him an educated young nobleman of the post-Decembrist era - a personality struck by unbelief - who does not carry goodness within himself, does not believe in anything, his eyes do not glow with happiness. Fate carries Pechorin like water autumn leaf, along a disastrous trajectory. He stubbornly “chases… after life”, looking for it “everywhere”. However, his noble concept of honor is more likely associated with selfishness, but not with decency.
Pechorin would be glad to find faith by going to the Caucasus to fight. It has a natural mental strength. Belinsky, characterizing this hero, writes that he is no longer young, but has not yet acquired a mature attitude towards life. He rushes from one adventure to another, painfully wanting to find an “inner core,” but he fails. Dramas always happen around him, people die. And he rushes on, like the Eternal Jew, Agasfer. If for Pushkin the key word is “boredom”, then for understanding the image of Lermontov’s Pechorin the key word is “suffering”.
Composition of the novel
At first, the plot of the novel brings together the author, an officer sent to serve in the Caucasus, with a veteran, former quartermaster and now quartermaster Maxim Maksimovich. Wise in life, scorched in battle, this man, worthy of all respect, is the first, according to Lermontov’s plan, to begin analyzing the heroes. The hero of our time is his acquaintance. To the author of the novel (on whose behalf the story is told), Maxim Maksimovich tells the story of the “nice little” twenty-five-year-old ensign Grigory Alekseevich Pechorin, a former colleague of the narrator. The first is the story of “Bela”.
Pechorin, resorting to the help of the brother of the mountain princess Azamat, steals this girl from her father. Then she became bored with him, who was experienced in women. He settles with Azamat with the hot horse of the horseman Kazbich, who, getting angry, kills the poor girl. The scam turns into a tragedy.
Maxim Maksimovich, remembering the past, became agitated and handed over to his interlocutor the camp diary left by Pechorin. The following chapters of the novel represent individual episodes of Pechorin's life.
The short story “Taman” brings Pechorin together with smugglers: a girl as flexible as a cat, a pseudo-blind boy and the “smuggling getter” sailor Yanko. Lermontov presented here a romantic and artistically complete analysis of the heroes. “A Hero of Our Time” introduces us to a simple smuggling trade: Yanko crosses the sea with cargo, and the girl sells beads, brocade, and ribbons. Fearing that Gregory will reveal them to the police, the girl first tries to drown him by throwing him off the boat. But when she fails, she and Yanko swim away. The boy is left to beg without a livelihood.
The next fragment of the diary is the story “Princess Mary”. A bored Pechorin is being treated after being wounded in Pyatigorsk. Here he is friends with cadet Grushnitsky, Doctor Werner. Bored, Gregory finds an object of sympathy - Princess Mary. She is resting here with her mother, Princess Ligovskaya. But the unexpected happens - Pechorin’s long-time crush, the married lady Vera, comes to Pyatigorsk along with her aging husband. Vera and Gregory decide to meet on a date. They succeed because, fortunately for them, the whole city is at the performance of a visiting magician.
But cadet Grushnitsky, wanting to compromise both Pechorin and Princess Mary, believing that she will be the one on the date, follows the main character of the novel, enlisting the company of a dragoon officer. Having caught no one, the cadets and dragoons spread gossip. Pechorin, “according to noble standards,” challenges Grushnitsky to a duel, where he kills him with the second shot.
Lermontov's analysis introduces us to pseudo-decency among officers and upsets Grushnitsky's vile plan. Initially, the pistol handed to Pechorin was unloaded. In addition, having chosen the condition - to shoot from six steps, the cadet was sure that he would shoot Grigory Alexandrovich. But his excitement prevented him. By the way, Pechorin offered his opponent to save his life, but he began to demand a shot.
Vera’s husband guesses what’s going on and leaves Pyatigorsk with his wife. And Princess Ligovskaya blesses his marriage to Mary, but Pechorin does not even think about the wedding.
The action-packed short story “Fatalist” brings Pechorin together with Lieutenant Vulich in the company of other officers. He is confident in his luck and, on a bet, fueled by philosophical argument and wine, plays “hussar roulette.” Moreover, the pistol does not fire. However, Pechorin claims that he has already noticed a “sign of death” on the lieutenant’s face. He really dies senselessly, returning to his quarters.
Conclusion
Where did they come from? Russia XIX century "Pechorina"? Where has the idealism of youth gone?
The answer is simple. The 30s marked an era of fear, an era of suppression of everything progressive by the III (political) gendarmerie police department. Born of Nicholas I’s fear of the possibility of a remake of the Decembrist uprising, it “reported on all matters”, was engaged in censorship, censorship, and had the broadest powers.
Hopes for development political system society has become sedition. Dreamers began to be called "troublemakers." Active people aroused suspicion, meetings - repression. The time has come for denunciations and arrests. People began to be afraid to have friends, to trust them with their thoughts and dreams. They became individualists and, like Pechorin, painfully tried to gain faith in themselves.