Lermontov M. Yu., Novel "The Hero of Our Time": reviews, analysis and characterization of the characters

The most famous prose work of M. Yu. Lermontov can be called the novel "The Hero of Our Time". Reviews of his contemporaries about the work were admired. First, because the book became the first lyrico-psychological novel in Russia. Secondly, Lermontov at the time of writing the novel was only 24 years old. Let's talk about the work, its heroes and opinions of critics and readers in more detail.

Romanticism and realism in the work

First of all, when analyzing a work, one should not forget that he was a romantic Lermontov. "Hero of Our Time" (reviews about the work will be discussed below) combines nevertheless two beginnings - romantic and realistic. The first was particularly acute in the image of Pechorin. In fact, he is a typical romantic hero. A young man, disappointed in life, opposed to society, misunderstood, lonely and lost. Nevertheless, there are also realistic traits in the character that are not characteristic of the romantic hero.

Realism manifested itself in the description of the artistic world of the novel. This is the Caucasus, and the characters of the secondary heroes. For example, creating an image of Maxim Maksimych, Lermontov turns to realism. As for the events described in the diaries of Pechorin, they combine the features of both directions. There is no work in this work that is familiar to Romanticism, for it is two-world and mysticism.

Features of the conflict

In this work he focused on the internal conflict of his hero Lermontov ("The Hero of Our Time"). Reviews of contemporaries about this were different. For example, Belinsky also saw the main problem of the novel in the internal contradictions of Pechorin. Their basis is the duality of the hero. On the one hand, he is able to feel thinly, to admire the starry sky, to understand the beauty of nature. On the other - Pechen ruthlessly kills Grushnitsky, mocking. He is characterized by callousness, which was manifested when he met Maxim Maksimych and after the death of Bela. Inside the hero there is a constant struggle - one part of his personality thirsts for adventure and action, the second - evil, ironically and cynically criticizes these impulses.

The image of the main character

The review of Lermontov's book The Hero of Our Time was mainly based on the image of the protagonist. It is about him, first of all, critics and readers. So, Grigory Pechorin is the main character of the novel. He is not ordinary, clever, but unhappy. Lermontov himself wrote that in this image he recreated a modern man, whom he "met too often in his life." Pechorin literally consists of contradictions in relation to friendship and love. He is busy searching for the meaning of life, the destiny of man, freedom of will, choice of path.

Often Pechorin appears in a very impartial light. For example, when it makes people suffer, interferes with their destiny, ruins their lives. Nevertheless, there is in his personality something that attracts others around him, subordinates him to the will, compels him to sympathize with him. Each chapter of the book reveals a part of the hero's soul so that in the end the reader will see a complete picture.

The image of Maxim Maksimych

This is one of the main characters in the novel "The Hero of Our Time". The testimonies indicate that Maxim Maksimych makes a much more favorable impression on readers and critics than Pechorin himself. And this is not surprising. After all, this is a respectable person, kind, open, happy with life, sometimes even naive. But such naivety only goes to him.

For the first time he appears in the chapter "Bela" as a narrator. It is his eyes that the reader gets to know Pechorin. However, simple-minded Maxim Maksimovich difficult to understand what drives the main character. They are too different with Pechorin. They were born of different epochs. That is why Maxim Maksimych is so offended by the coldness of the young officer at the meeting.

Female images

There are many women in the pages of the novel "The Hero of Our Time". The readers 'and critics' testimonies indicate that these images attract a lot of attention. Among them are Bela, Vera, Princess Mary, undina. The distinctive feature of all these heroines is that they are completely different. Each is unique and has no common features with others. They act as the main actors in the 3 parts of the work. Reading their dialogues with Pechorin, we can judge how the hero relates to this feeling, what he seeks in love and why he does not achieve what he wants. For these women, the meeting with Pechorin became fatal. And none of them brought him happiness.

Bela appears first in front of the reader. This is a passionate, proud and emotionally active girl. Meeting with the main character leads her to death. Then we see Mary Ligovskaya, the princess. She lives in her fantasy world. The young lady looks like all the representatives of her social level. She is taught by Pechorin a cruel lesson that took Grushnitsky's life. Undine, the casual love of the protagonist, is strikingly different from these women, although it has something similar to Bela - they are united by closeness to nature. And here Lermontov portrays Vera, the only woman who could understand Pechorin and fall in love with such as he is. But here the protagonist also fails.

"The Hero of Our Time": reviews of the book of his contemporaries

Immediately after the release of the book was highly appreciated. Almost all critics noted that Lermontov really managed to portray a hero who absorbed the main features of people of a turning-point. Moreover, some, for example ST Aksakov, claimed after the novel was published that Lermontov the prose writer surpassed Lermontov the poet. V. V. Kiichelbecker considered the head of "Mary" to be the best in artistic terms, since the main characters were depicted with particular realism. However, Pechorin did not like Kiichelbecker. He even lamented that Lermontov spent his talent on describing "such a creature ... as the nasty Pechorin".

Even NV Gogol appreciated the novel "The Hero of Our Time". A short review of the great writer can be described in a few words: there has never been a better prose in Russian literature. The only one who did not appreciate the work of Lermontov was Emperor Nicholas I, a long-time ill-wisher of the writer. He called the novel disgusting, and his hero "an exaggerated depiction of despicable characters." The work, in his opinion, was harmful and corrupting the minds of young people.

The response of Belinsky

A huge resonance among writers, critics and even politicians was caused by the "Hero of Our Time". Reviews about the book at the same time were diametrically opposed. And if people close to literature praised him, officials and politicians mercilessly criticized him. However, the decisive role in those years played Belinsky's opinion. And the famous critic openly admired the work. He paid special attention to the complex composition structure, which helped to reveal the image of the main character most vividly.

Belinsky saw and appreciated the realistic beginning in the novel. He noted the real features in the image of Pechorin, which allow a literary character to see a living person. The response about the work "Hero of Our Time", written by Belinsky, focused not on the vices of Pechorin. No, criticism managed to see in him a sad soul, which could not find its place in the modern era. And in that, how subtle and exactly Lermontov managed to portray this sadness, the critic saw the incredible talent of the writer.

Opinions about the novel today

But what do modern readers think about the novel "The Hero of Our Time"? Reviews, it should be noted, mostly positive. And today the product finds a response from the audience, despite the past century and a half. And what is most interesting: the readers' opinion has practically not changed. All the same, Pechorin wants to sympathize, and his impartial actions cause resentment. All the same people with love talk about Maxim Maksimych. Pechorin is especially close to adolescents, because they are tormented by the same questions about the meaning of life. They are similarly looking for their place, trying to figure out how to proceed. Thus, he became a novel for all time "Hero of Our Time".

Feedback for the readers diary

If you want to leave your feedback, then it is better to start with a brief description of the opinions about the work of Lermontov's contemporaries. It is desirable to note that not everyone took the novel positively. In this regard, you can mention Nicholas I. And after that you can express your opinion about the work. Share impressions that arose when reading the novel, include the quotes you liked.