Characteristics of the hero Pechorin, Hero of our time, Lermontov. The image of the character Pechorin

Grigory Pechorin is the main character of the novel. A unique personality that no one has been able to fully understand. Such heroes are found in every time. Any reader will be able to recognize himself in him with all the vices characteristic of people and the desire to change the world.

The image and characterization of Pechorin in the novel “A Hero of Our Time” will help you understand what kind of person he really is. How the long-term influence of the surrounding world was able to leave its mark on the depth of character, turning the complex inner world of the main character upside down.

Pechorin's appearance

Looking at a young, handsome man, it is difficult to determine how old he really is. According to the author, no more than 25, but sometimes it seemed that Gregory was already over 30. Women liked him.

“...he was generally very handsome and had one of those original physiognomies that are especially popular with secular women...”

Slim. Superbly built. Athletic build.

“...of medium height, his slender, thin figure and broad shoulders proved his strong build...”

Blond. The hair was slightly curled. Dark mustache and eyebrows. When meeting him, everyone paid attention to his eyes. When Pechorin smiled, the gaze of his brown eyes remained cold.

"...they didn't laugh when he laughed..."

It was rare that anyone could bear his gaze; he was too heavy and unpleasant for his interlocutor.

The nose is slightly turned up. Snow-white teeth.

“...a slightly upturned nose, dazzling white teeth...”

The first wrinkles have already appeared on the forehead. Pechorin's gait is imposing, slightly lazy, careless. The hands, despite the strong figure, seemed small. The fingers are long, thin, characteristic of aristocrats.

Gregory dressed immaculately. The clothes are expensive, clean, well ironed. Pleasant aroma of perfume. The boots are cleaned to a shine.

Gregory's character

Gregory's appearance completely reflects the inner state of his soul. Everything he does is imbued with a precise sequence of steps, cold prudence, through which emotions and feelings sometimes try to break through. Fearless and reckless, somewhere weak and defenseless, like a child. It is entirely created from continuous contradictions.

Grigory promised himself that he would never show his real face, forbidding him to show any feelings for anyone. He was disappointed in people. When he was real, without guile and pretense, they could not understand the depth of his soul, accusing him of non-existent vices and making claims.

“...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 guile: I became secretive. I felt good and evil deeply; no one caressed me, everyone insulted me: I became vindictive; I was gloomy, - other children were cheerful and talkative; I felt superior to them - they put me lower. I became envious. I was ready to love the whole world, but no one understood me: and I learned to hate...”

Pechorin is constantly searching for himself. He rushes about, looking for the meaning of life, and does not find it. Rich and educated. A nobleman by birth, he is used to hanging out in high society, but he doesn’t like that kind of life. Gregory considered her empty and worthless. A good expert on female psychology. I could figure out each one and understand from the first minutes of the conversation what it was. Exhausted and devastated by social life, he tried to delve into science, but soon realized that power does not lie in knowledge, but in dexterity and luck.

Boredom was eating away at the man. Pechorin hoped that the melancholy would go away during the war, but he was wrong. The Caucasian War brought another disappointment. Lack of demand in life led Pechorin to actions that defied explanation and logic.

Pechorin and love

The only woman he loved was Vera. He was ready for anything for her, but they were not destined to be together. Vera is a married woman.

Those rare meetings that they could afford compromised them too much in the eyes of others. The woman was forced to leave the city. It was not possible to catch up with my beloved. He only drove the horse to death in an attempt to stop and bring her back.

Pechorin did not take other women seriously. They are a cure for boredom, nothing more. Pawns in a game where he set the rules. Boring and uninteresting creatures made him even more despondent.

Attitude towards death

Pechorin is firmly convinced that everything in life is predetermined. But this does not mean that you need to sit and wait for death. We must move forward, and she herself will find the one she needs.

“...I like to doubt everything. I always go forward when I don't know what awaits me. Since there is nothing worse than death, and it can happen - and death cannot be avoided!..”

). As its title itself shows, Lermontov depicted in this work typical an image that characterizes his contemporary generation. We know how little the poet valued this generation (“I look sadly...”)—he takes the same point of view in his novel. In the “preface” Lermontov says that his hero is “a portrait made up of the vices” of people of that time “in their full development.”

However, Lermontov hastens to say that, speaking about the shortcomings of his time, he does not undertake to read moral teachings to his contemporaries - he simply draws the “history of the soul” of “modern man, as he understands him and, to his and the misfortune of others, has met him too often. It will also be that the disease is indicated, but God knows how to cure it!

Lermontov. Hero of our time. Bela, Maxim Maksimych, Taman. Feature Film

So, the author does not idealize his hero: just as Pushkin executes his Aleko in “Gypsies,” so Lermontov in his Pechorin brings down from the pedestal the image of a disappointed Byronist, an image that was once close to his heart.

Pechorin speaks about himself more than once in his notes and conversations. He talks about how disappointments haunted him since childhood:

“Everyone read on my face signs of bad qualities that were not there; but they were anticipated - and they were born. I was modest - I was accused of guile: I became secretive. I felt good and evil deeply; no one caressed me, everyone insulted me: I became vindictive; I was gloomy, - other children were cheerful and talkative; I felt superior to them - they put me lower. I became envious. I was ready to love the whole world, but no one understood me: and I learned to hate. My colorless youth passed in a struggle with myself and the world; Fearing ridicule, I buried my best feelings in the depths of my heart; they died there. I told the truth - they didn’t believe me: I began to deceive; Having learned well the light and springs of society, I became skilled in the science of life and saw how others were happy without art, freely enjoying the benefits that I so tirelessly sought. And then despair was born in my chest - not the despair that is treated with the barrel of a pistol, but cold, powerless despair, covered with courtesy and a good-natured smile. I have become a moral cripple."

He became a “moral cripple” because people “distorted” him; They not understood him when he was a child, when he became a youth and an adult... They imposed on his soul duality,- and he began to live two halves of life, one for show, for people, the other for himself.

“I have an unhappy character,” says Pechorin. “Whether my upbringing created me this way, whether God created me this way, I don’t know.”

Lermontov. Hero of our time. Princess Mary. Feature film, 1955

Insulted by the vulgarity and mistrust of people, Pechorin withdrew into himself; he despises people and cannot live by their interests - he has experienced everything: like Onegin, he enjoyed both the vain joys of the world and the love of numerous fans. He also studied books, looked for strong impressions in the war, but admitted that all this was nonsense, and “under Chechen bullets” was as boring as reading books. He thought of filling his life with love for Bela, but, like Aleko, he was mistaken in Zemfira , - and he was not able to live the same life with a primitive woman, unspoiled by culture.

“Am I a fool or a villain, I don’t know; but it is true that I am also very worthy of regret,” he says, “perhaps more than she: my soul is spoiled by light, my imagination is restless, my heart is insatiable; Everything is not enough for me: I get used to sadness just as easily as to pleasure, and my life becomes emptier day by day; I have only one remedy left: travel.”

In these words, an extraordinary person is outlined in full size, with a strong soul, but without the ability to apply his abilities to anything. Life is small and insignificant, but there is a lot of strength in his soul; their meaning is unclear, since there is nowhere to put them. Pechorin is the same Demon who was tangled with his wide, loose wings and dressed in an army uniform. If the Demon’s moods expressed the main features of Lermontov’s soul - his inner world, then in the image of Pechorin he portrayed himself in the sphere of that vulgar reality, which like lead pressed him to the earth, to people... No wonder Lermontov-Pechorin is drawn to the stars - more than once he admires the night sky - it’s not for nothing that only free nature is dear to him here on earth...

“Thin, white,” but strongly built, dressed like a “dandy,” with all the manners of an aristocrat, with sleek hands, he made a strange impression: in him strength was combined with some kind of nervous weakness.” On his pale, noble forehead there are traces of premature wrinkles. His beautiful eyes “did not laugh when he laughed.” “This is a sign of either an evil disposition or deep, constant sadness.” In these eyes “there was no reflection of the heat of the soul or the playful imagination - it was a shine, like the shine of smooth steel, dazzling, but cold; his gaze is short, but penetrating and heavy.” In this description, Lermontov borrowed some features from his own appearance. (See Pechorin's appearance (with quotes).)

Treating people and their opinions with contempt, Pechorin, however, always, out of habit, broke down. Lermontov says that even he “sat like Balzac’s thirty-year-old coquette sits on her downy chairs after a tiring ball.”

Having accustomed himself not to respect others, not to take into account the world of others, he sacrifices the whole world to his own. selfishness. When Maxim Maksimych tries to hurt Pechorin’s conscience with careful hints about the immorality of Bela’s kidnapping, Pechorin calmly answers with the question: “When do I like her?” Without regret, he “executes” Grushnitsky not so much for his meanness, but because he, Grushnitsky, dared to try to fool him, Pechorin!.. Self-love was indignant. To make fun of Grushnitsky (“the world would be very boring without fools!”), he captivates Princess Mary; a cold egoist, he, in order to please his desire to “have fun,” brings a whole drama into Mary’s heart. He ruins Vera’s reputation and her family happiness all out of the same immense selfishness.

“What do I care about human joys and misfortunes!” - he exclaims. But it’s not just cold indifference that evokes these words from him. Although he says that “the sad is funny, the funny is sad, and, in general, to be honest, we are quite indifferent to everything except ourselves” - this is just a phrase: Pechorin is not indifferent to people - he is takes revenge, evil and merciless.

He admits to himself both “minor weaknesses and bad passions.” He is ready to explain his power over women by the fact that “evil is attractive.” He himself finds in his soul a “bad but invincible feeling” - and he explains this feeling to us in the words:

“There is immense pleasure in possessing a young, barely blossoming soul! She is like a flower whose best scent evaporates towards the first ray of the sun; it must be picked at this moment and, after breathing it to your heart’s content, thrown along the road: maybe someone will pick it up!”

He himself is aware of the presence of almost all the “seven deadly sins” in himself: he has an “insatiable greed” that absorbs everything, which looks at the suffering and joy of others only as food that supports spiritual strength. He has mad ambition and a thirst for power. He sees “happiness” in “saturated pride.” “Evil begets evil: the first suffering gives the concept of pleasure to torment another,” says Princess Mary and, half-jokingly, half-seriously, tells him that he is “worse than a murderer.” He himself admits that “there are moments” when he understands “Vampire.” All this indicates that Pechorin does not have complete “indifference” to people. Like the “Demon,” he has a large supply of malice - and he can do this evil either “indifferently” or with passion (the Demon’s feelings at the sight of an angel).

“I love enemies,” says Pechorin, “although not in a Christian way. They amuse me, they stir my blood. To be always on guard, to catch every glance, the meaning of every word, to guess the intention, to destroy conspiracies, to pretend to be deceived and suddenly, with one push, to overturn the entire huge and laborious edifice of tricks and plans - that’s what I call life».

Of course, this is again a “phrase”: not all of Pechorin’s life was spent in such a struggle with vulgar people, there is a better world in him, which often makes him condemn himself. At times he is “sad,” realizing that he is playing “the pathetic role of an executioner or a traitor.” He despises himself,” he is burdened by the emptiness of his soul.

“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 strength in my soul. But I did not guess this destination - I was carried away by the lures of passions, empty and ungrateful; I came out of their crucible hard and cold as iron, but I lost forever the ardor of noble aspirations - the best color 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 satisfied the strange need of my heart, greedily absorbing their feelings, their tenderness, their joys and sufferings - and could never get enough.” The result is “double hunger and despair.”

“I am like a sailor,” he says, born and raised on the deck of a robber brig: his soul has become accustomed to storms and battles, and, thrown ashore, he is bored and languishing, no matter how the shady grove beckons him, no matter how the peaceful sun shines on him ; he walks all day along the coastal sand, listens to the monotonous murmur of the oncoming waves and peers into the foggy distance: will the desired sail flash there, on the pale line separating the blue abyss from the gray clouds.” (Cf. Lermontov’s poem “ Sail»).

He is burdened by life, is ready to die and is not afraid of death, and if he does not agree to commit suicide, it is only because he still “lives out of curiosity,” in search of a soul that would understand him: “maybe I will die tomorrow!” And there will not be a single creature left on earth who would understand me completely!”

Pechorin Grigory Alexandrovich- the main character of the novel. His character was formed in the atmosphere of high society, which makes him similar to the hero of the novel “Eugene Onegin”. But the vanity and immorality of society with the “decorum of pulled masks” bored the hero. Pechorin is an officer. He serves, but does not earn favors, does not study music, does not study philosophy or military affairs, that is, he does not strive to impress by means available to ordinary people. M. Yu. Lermontov hints at the political nature of Pechorin’s exile to the Caucasus; some remarks in the text suggest his closeness to the ideology of Decembrism. Thus, in the novel, the theme of personal heroism arises in the tragic interpretation that it receives in the 30s of the 19th century.

Already in the first story it is emphasized that Pechorin is an extraordinary person. “After all, there are, really, such people who have it written in their nature that various extraordinary things should happen to them,” says Maxim Maksimych. The unusualness of the hero is also manifested in his portrait. His eyes, the author notes, “didn’t laugh when he laughed!” What is this: a sign of “an evil disposition or deep, constant sadness”?

The problem of morality is connected with the image of Pechorin in the novel. In all the short stories that Lermontov combines in the novel, Pechorin appears before us as a destroyer of the lives and destinies of other people: because of him, the Circassian Bela loses her home and dies, Maxim Maksimych is disappointed in his friendship with him, Mary and Vera suffer, and die by his hand Grushnitsky, “honest smugglers” are forced to leave their home, the young officer Vulich dies. The hero of the novel himself realizes: “Like an instrument of execution, I fell on the heads of the doomed victims, often without malice, always without regret...” His whole life is a constant experiment, a game with fate, and Pechorin allows himself to risk not only his life, but also the lives of those who were nearby. He is characterized by unbelief and individualism. Pechorin, in fact, considers himself a superman who managed to rise above ordinary morality. However, he does not want either good or evil, but only wants to understand what it is. All this cannot but repel the reader. And Lermontov does not idealize his hero. However, the title of the novel, in my opinion, contains “evil irony” not over the word “hero”, but over the words “our time”.

It was the era of reaction that came in Russia after the Decembrist uprising that gave birth to people like Pechorin. The hero “feels immense strength in his soul,” but does not find in life the opportunity to realize his “high purpose,” therefore he wastes himself in the pursuit of “empty passions,” quenches his thirst for life in senseless risk and constant self-analysis, which eats him away from the inside. M. Yu. Lermontov considers reflection, the transfer of active activity to isolation in one’s own inner world, one of the most important features of his generation. Pechorin's character is complex and contradictory. The hero of the novel says about himself: “There are two people in me: one lives in the full sense of the word, the other thinks and judges him...” What are the reasons for this duality? “I told the truth - they didn’t believe me: I began to deceive; Having learned well the light and springs of society, I became skilled in the science of life...” admits Pechorin. He learned to be secretive, vindictive, bilious, ambitious, and became, in his words, a moral cripple. Pechorin is an egoist. Belinsky also called Pushkin’s Onegin “a suffering egoist” and “a reluctant egoist.” The same can be said about Pechorin. The novel “Hero of Our Time” became a continuation of the theme of “extra people”.

And yet Pechorin is a richly gifted nature. He has an analytical mind, his assessments of people and actions are very accurate; he has a critical attitude not only towards others, but also towards himself. His diary is nothing more than self-exposure. He is endowed with a warm heart, capable of deeply feeling (the death of Bela, a date with Vera) and worrying greatly, although he tries to hide his emotional experiences under the mask of indifference. Indifference, callousness is a mask of self-defense. Pechorin is, after all, a strong-willed, strong, active person, “lives of strength” lie dormant in his chest, he is capable of action. But all his actions carry not a positive, but a negative charge; all his activities are aimed not at creation, but at destruction. In this, Pechorin is similar to the hero of the poem “Demon”. Indeed, in his appearance (especially at the beginning of the novel) there is something demonic, unsolved. But this demonic personality became part of the “current tribe” and became a caricature of itself. Strong will and thirst for activity gave way to disappointment and powerlessness, and even high egoism gradually began to turn into petty selfishness. The traits of a strong personality remain only in the image of a renegade, who, however, belongs to his generation.

The genius of M. Yu. Lermontov was expressed primarily in the fact that he created an immortal image of a hero who embodied all the contradictions of his era. It is no coincidence that V. G. Belinsky saw in Pechorin’s character “a transitional state of spirit, in which for a person everything old is destroyed, but nothing new is yet there, and in which a person is only the possibility of something real in the future and a perfect ghost in the present.”

The significance of the novel “A Hero of Our Time” in the subsequent development of Russian literature is enormous. In this work, Lermontov, for the first time in the “history of the human soul,” revealed such deep layers that not only equated it with the “history of the people,” but also showed its involvement in the spiritual history of mankind through its personal and tribal significance. In an individual personality, not only its specific and temporal socio-historical characteristics were highlighted, but also all-human ones.

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Pechorin

PECHORIN is the main character of M.Yu. Lermontov’s novel “A Hero of Our Time” (1838-1840). Contemporaries, including Belinsky, largely identified P. with Lermontov. Meanwhile, it was important for the author to distance himself from his hero. According to Lermontov, P. is a portrait made up of the vices of an entire generation - “in their full development.” It is quite understandable why “P. Magazine” for Lermontov it is “someone else’s work.” If not the best, then the central part of it are P.’s diary entries, entitled “Princess Mary.” Nowhere does P. so correspond to the image revealed by the author in the preface. “Princess Mary” appeared later than all the other stories. The preface that Lermontov wrote for the second edition of the novel is primarily associated with this story with its critical acuity. The hero whom he introduces to the reader is exactly the same P. as he is shown on the pages of “Princess Mary”. The critical pathos of the last period of Lermontov's life manifested itself especially clearly in this story. The character of the main character was obviously influenced by the different times in which the stories were written. Lermontov's consciousness changed very quickly. His hero also changed. P. in “Princess Mary” is no longer quite the same as what appears first in “Bel”, then in “Fatalist”. At the end of work on the novel P.

acquired the expressiveness that was supposed to complete the promised portrait. Indeed, in “Princess Mary” he appears in the most unsightly light. Of course, this is a strong-willed, deep, demonic nature. But this way it can only be perceived through the eyes of the young Princess Mary and Grushnitsky, blinded by him. He imitates P. unnoticed by himself, which is why he is so vulnerable and funny for P. Meanwhile, even this Grushnitsky, a nonentity, in P.’s opinion, arouses in him a feeling of envy. And at the same time, how much courage P. showed at the climax of the duel, knowing that his own pistol was not loaded. P. really shows miracles of endurance. And the reader is already lost: who is he, this hero of our time? The intrigue came from him, and when the victim got confused, it was as if he was not to blame.

P. is called a strange man by all the characters in the novel. Lermontov paid a lot of attention to human oddities. In P. he summarizes all his observations. P.’s strangeness seems to elude definition, which is why the opinions of those around him are polar. He is envious, angry, cruel. At the same time, he is generous, sometimes kind, that is, capable of succumbing to good feelings, nobly protects the princess from the encroachments of the crowd. He is impeccably honest with himself, smart. P. is a talented writer. Lermontov attributes the wonderful “Taman” to his careless pen, generously sharing the best part of his soul with the hero. As a result, readers seem to get used to excusing a lot of things”, and not noticing some things at all. Belinsky defends P. and actually justifies him, since “in his very vices something great glimmers.” But all the critic’s arguments skim on the surface of Pechorin’s character. Illustrating the words of Maxim Maximych: “A nice fellow, I dare to assure you, he’s only a little strange...”, Lermontov looks at his hero as an exceptional phenomenon, so the original title of the novel - “One of the heroes of our century” - was discarded. In other words, P. cannot be confused with anyone, especially with the poet himself, as I. Annensky categorically formulated: “Pechorin - Lermontov.” A.I. Herzen, speaking on behalf of the “Lermontov” generation, argued that P. expressed “the real sorrow and fragmentation of Russian life at that time, the sad fate of an extra, lost person.” Herzen put P.'s name here with the same ease with which he would have written the name of Lermontov.

The hero goes through the entire book and remains unrecognized. A man without a heart - but his tears are hot, the beauty of nature intoxicates him. He does bad things, but only because they are expected of him. He kills the person he slandered, and before that the first one offers him peace. Expressing multiple traits, P. is in fact exceptional. Anyone can do bad things. To recognize oneself as an executioner and a traitor is not given to everyone. The role of the ax that P. recognizes among people is not a euphemism at all, not a veiled world sorrow. It is impossible to make allowances for the fact that this was stated in the diary. Confessing, P. is horrified by his “pathetic” role of being an indispensable participant in the last act of a comedy or tragedy, but there is not a shadow of repentance in these words. All his complaints are reminiscent of the “pathetic” style of Ivan the Terrible, lamenting over his next victim. The comparison does not seem exaggerated. P.'s goal is undivided power over others. All the more insistently he emphasizes that he suffers from boredom and is “very worthy of regret.” The poet of Lermontov's school, Ap. Grigoriev, tried to poeticize and develop Pechorin's boredom, and the result was Moscow melancholy with gypsy guitars. P. says directly that he is bored - his life is “emptier day by day,” he says, as if in tune with the tyrant who calls himself a “stinking dog.” Of course, P.’s victims are not so bloody; they are primarily destroyed morally. The decoding of the idea of ​​the hero of our time must be sought in individual demonism: “The collection of evils is his element.” Lermontov placed the thirst for power, which destroys personality, at the forefront of Pechorin’s worldview. Of course, this is only outlined by Lermontov, and that is why his hero does not have sharp outlines. There is nothing predatory about him, on the contrary, there is a lot of feminine. Nevertheless, Lermontov had every reason to call P. a hero of the future. It’s not scary that P. sometimes “understands the vampire.” For P., a field of activity has already been found: the philistine environment, in fact, is this field - the environment of dragoon captains, princesses, romantic phrase-mongers - the most favorable soil for cultivating all kinds of “gardener-executioners”. This will be exactly what Lermontov called the complete development of vices. To crave power and find the highest pleasure in it is not at all the same as involuntarily destroying the life of “honest” smugglers. This is the evolution of P.’s image from “Bela” and “Taman” to “Princess Mary”. When Belinsky admires the sparks of greatness of P.’s vices, he thereby, as it were, strives to cleanse his image from petty interpretations. After all, P. so picturesquely likens himself to a sailor born and raised on the deck of a robber brig. In this reading, P. is bad because the others are even worse. Belinsky softens Pechorin's features, not noticing the question asked by the hero to himself: “Is evil really so attractive?” The attractiveness of evil - this is how Lermontov accurately described the disease of his age.

P.’s image is not painted with just black paint. In the end, P lost his worse half. He is like a man from a fairy tale who has lost his shadow. Therefore, Lermontov did not turn P. into a vampire, but left him as a man capable of even composing “Taman”. It was this man, so similar to Lermontov, who obscured P.’s shadow. And it is no longer possible to make out whose steps are heard on the flinty path. Lermontov sketched a portrait consisting not of vices, but of contradictions. And most importantly, he made it clear that the thirst that this man suffers cannot be quenched from a well with mineral water. Destructive for everyone except himself, P. is like Pushkin’s anchar. It is difficult to imagine him among the yellowing fields, in the Russian landscape. It is increasingly somewhere in the east - the Caucasus, Persia.

The image of Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin in the novel “A Hero of Our Time,” written by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov in 1838-1840, represents a completely new type of protagonist.

Who is Pechorin

The main character of the novel is a young man, a representative of high society.

Grigory Alexandrovich is educated and smart, brave, decisive, knows how to impress, especially the ladies, and... is tired of life.

Rich and not the happiest life experiences lead him to disappointment and loss of interest in anything.

The hero becomes bored with everything in life: earthly pleasures, high society, the love of beauties, science - everything, in his opinion, happens according to the same patterns, monotonously and empty.

The hero is definitely a skeptic, but it cannot be said that feelings are alien to him. Grigory Alexandrovich has arrogance and pride (although he is self-critical), has an attachment to his only comrade, Doctor Werner, and also enjoys manipulating people and their suffering as a consequence.

The hero is incomprehensible to everyone around him, and therefore he is often called strange. Pechorin repeatedly confirms the inconsistency of his character.

This inconsistency is born of the struggle of reason and feelings within him, the most striking example of which is his love for Vera, which Gregory realizes too late. So, let's look at this hero in action through a brief description of the chapters.

Characteristics of Pechorin by chapters in the novel

In the first chapter of “Bela,” the narration is told on behalf of Pechorin’s old acquaintance, officer Maxim Maksimych.

In this part, the hero reveals himself as an immoral person who plays with the destinies of others. Pechorin seduces and kidnaps the daughter of a local prince, simultaneously stealing a horse from Kazbich, who is in love with her.

After some time, Bela gets bored with Pechorin, the young man breaks the girl’s heart. At the end of the chapter, Kazbich kills her out of revenge, and Azamat, who helps Pechorin in his crimes, is forever expelled from the family. Grigory Alexandrovich himself only continues his journey, without feeling guilty for what happened.

The narration of the subsequent chapter “Maxim Maksimych” is narrated by a certain staff captain. Being familiar with Maxim Maksimych, the narrator accidentally witnesses his meeting with Pechorin. And again the hero shows his indifference: the young man is completely cold towards his old comrade, whom he has not seen for many years.

“Taman” is the third story in the novel, which is already notes in the diary of Pechorin himself. In it, by the will of fate, a young man becomes a witness to smuggling activities. The girl involved in the crime flirted with Pechorin in order to “remove” him.

In the episode of Pechorin's attempted drowning, we see his desperate struggle for life, which is still dear to him. However, in this chapter, the hero remains indifferent to people and their destinies, which this time are spoiled by his involuntary intervention.

In the chapter “Princess Mary” the main character is revealed in more detail and in many ways. We see such qualities as cunning and prudence in making plans to seduce Princess Mary and duel with Grushnitsky.

Pechorin plays with their lives for his own pleasure, breaking them: Mary remains an unhappy girl with a broken heart, and Grushnitsky dies in a duel.

Gregory is cold towards all people in this secular society, except for his old friend Vera.

They once had a fleeting romance, but when they meet again, their feelings take on a second life. Grigory and Vera meet secretly, but her husband, having learned about the presence of a lover, decides to take her away from the city. This event makes the young man realize that Vera is the love of his life.

Grigory rushes after him, but is too late. In this episode, the main character is revealed from a completely new side: no matter how cold and cynical the young man is, he is also a human being, even he cannot be spared by this strong feeling.

In the last part, “Fatalist,” the hero is shown to have lost the slightest interest in life and even seek his own death.

One gets the impression that the young man has already learned everything in this life, which he now does not feel sorry for. Gregory says the following words about himself: “And maybe I’ll die tomorrow! ... and there will not be a single creature left on earth who would understand me completely.”

Description of Pechorin's appearance

Grigory Alexandrovich has a fairly attractive appearance. The hero has a slender, strong physique with average height.

Gregory has blond hair, delicate pale aristocratic skin, but a dark mustache and eyebrows. The young man dressed in fashion, looked well-groomed, but walked carelessly and lazily.

Of the many quotes describing his appearance, the most telling is about his eyes, which “didn’t laugh when he laughed!<…>This is a sign of either an evil disposition or deep, constant sadness.”

His gaze always remained calm, only sometimes expressing a certain challenge or impudence.

How old is Pechorin

At the time of the action in the chapter “Princess Mary” he is about twenty-five years old. Gregory dies at the age of about thirty, that is, still young.

Origin and social status of Pechorin

The main character of the novel is of noble origin, born and raised in St. Petersburg.

All his life, Grigory belonged to the upper strata of society, since he was a hereditary wealthy landowner.

Throughout the entire work, the reader can observe that the hero is a military man and bears the military rank of ensign.

Pechorin's childhood

Having learned about the childhood of the main character, his life path becomes clear. As a little boy, the best aspirations of his soul were thwarted in him: firstly, his aristocratic upbringing required it, and secondly, he was not understood, the hero was lonely since childhood.

More details about how the evolution of a kind boy into an immoral social unit took place are shown in the table with a quote from Pechorin himself:

Pechorin's education

Grigory Alexandrovich received an exclusively secular upbringing.

The young man speaks French skillfully, dances, knows how to behave in society, but he hasn’t read many books, and he soon gets tired of the world.

His parents did not play a big role in his life.

In his youth, the hero went to great lengths: he spent a lot of money on entertainment and pleasure, but this also disappointed him.

Pechorin's education

Little is known about the education of the novel's protagonist. The reader is given to understand that he was interested in science for some time, but also lost interest in it; it does not bring happiness.

After this, Gregory took up military affairs, which were popular in society, which he also soon became bored with.

The death of Pechorin in the novel “A Hero of Our Time” The reader learns about the death of the hero from the preface to his diary. The cause of death remains undisclosed.

What is known is that this happened to him on his way from Persia, when he was about thirty years old.

Conclusion

In this work, we briefly examined the image of the main character of the novel “A Hero of Our Time.” The character and attitude to life of the hero remain incomprehensible to the reader until the episode when Pechorin talks about his childhood.

The reason that the hero became a “moral cripple” is his upbringing, the damage from which affected not only his life, but also the fate of the people whom he hurt.

However, no matter how hard-hearted a person is, he cannot escape true love. Unfortunately, Pechorin realizes it too late. This disappointment turns into the loss of the last hope for a normal life and happiness for the hero.