A Hero of Our Time
'A Hero of Our Time' Summary
Pechorin is the embodiment of the Byronic hero. Byron's works were of international repute and Lermontov mentions his name several times throughout the novel. According to the Byronic tradition, Pechorin is a character of contradiction. He is both sensitive and cynical. He is possessed of extreme arrogance, yet has a deep insight into his own character and epitomizes the melancholy of the Romantic hero who broods on the futility of existence and the certainty of death. Pechorin's whole philosophy concerning existence is oriented towards the nihilistic, creating in him somewhat of a distanced, alienated personality. The name Pechorin is drawn from that of the Pechora River, in the far north, as a homage to Alexander Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, named after the Onega River.[1]
Pechorin treats women as an incentive for endless conquests and does not consider them worthy of any particular respect. He considers women such as Princess Mary to be little more than pawns in his games of romantic conquest, which in effect hold no meaning in his listless pursuit of pleasure. This is shown in his comment on Princess Mary: "I often wonder why I'm trying so hard to win the love of a girl I have no desire to seduce and whom I'd never marry."
The only contradiction in Pechorin's attitude to women are his genuine feelings for Vera, who loves him despite, and perhaps due to, all his faults. At the end of "Princess Mary" one is presented with a moment of hope as Pechorin gallops after Vera. The reader almost assumes that a meaning to his existence may be attained and that Pechorin can finally realize that true feelings are possible. Yet a lifetime of superficiality and cynicism cannot be so easily eradicated and when fate intervenes and Pechorin's horse collapses, he undertakes no further effort to reach his one hope of redemption: "I saw how futile and senseless it was to pursue lost happiness. What more did I want? To see her again? For what?”
Pechorin's chronologically last adventure was first described in the book, showing the events that explain his upcoming fall into depression and retreat from society, resulting in his self-predicted death. The narrator is Maxim Maximytch telling the story of a beautiful Circassian princess, "Bela", whom Azamat abducts for Pechorin in exchange for Kazbich's horse. Maxim describes Pechorin's exemplary persistence to convince Bela to give herself sexually to him, in which she with time reciprocates. After living with Bela for some time, Pechorin starts explicating his need for freedom, which Bela starts noticing, fearing he might leave her. Though Bela is completely devoted to Pechorin, she says she's not his slave, rather a daughter of a Circassian tribal chieftain, also showing the intention of leaving if he "doesn't love her". Maxim's sympathy for Bela makes him question Pechorin's intentions. Pechorin admits he loves her and is ready to die for her, but "he has a restless fancy and insatiable heart, and that his life is emptier day by day". He thinks his only remedy is to travel, to keep his spirit alive.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
RussianPublished In
1840Author
Mikhail Lermontov
Russia
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucasus", the most important Russian poet after Alexander Pushkin's death in 1837 and th...
More on Mikhail LermontovDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
The Semi-Detached House by Emily Eden
If you're a Jane Austen fan, you'll enjoy Emily Eden's comic novels of manners, The Semi-Detached House (1859) and The Semi-Attached Couple (1860). At...
The Daughter of the Commandant by Alexander Pushkin
The Captain's Daughter is a historical novel by the Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. It was first published in 1836 in the fourth issue of the litera...
The Last Day of a Condemned by Victor Hugo
The Last Day of a Condemned Man is a short novel by Victor Hugo first published in 1829. The novel recounts the thoughts of a man condemned to die. Vi...
The Monk: A Romance by Matthew Gregory Lewis
In the shadowed halls of a Spanish monastery, virtue battles vice in a timeless struggle that will shatter all illusions. "The Monk: A Romance" by Mat...
Scream at Midnight by Joseph Payne Brennan
In the depths of the night, a chilling scream echoes through the darkness, shattering the tranquility and awakening a terrifying secret. Prepare to...
St Andrews Ghost Stories by William Thomas Linskill
In the shadowed corridors of Scotland's oldest university, whispers of the past echo through time, and chilling tales emerge to haunt the curious soul...
The Wing of Azrael, Volume 3 by Mona Caird
Step into the mesmerizing world of "The Wing of Azrael, Volume 3" by Mona Caird, where passion and societal constraints collide in a tapestry of human...
Anthology of Magazine Verse for 1914 by William Stanley Braithwaite
Step into the poetic wonderland of 1914 with the Anthology of Magazine Verse, curated by the masterful wordsmith, William Stanley Braithwaite. Delve i...
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
Enter the captivating realm of Lud-in-the-Mist, where a town's tranquility is shattered by the discovery of forbidden fruit and the secrets of Fairyla...
A Lost Lady by Willa Cather
It transports readers to the enchanting landscapes of the American West, offering a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the ever-changing nature o...
Reviews for A Hero of Our Time
No reviews posted or approved, yet...