Lermontov Takes on Russia's Elite

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at Mikhail Lermontov's hatred for Russian society by closely examining a story ("Princess Mary") from his book "A Hero of our Time". By illustrating the interactions between Pechorin and his two female acquaintances, Princess Mary and Vera and also by examining the story's setting, the author shows Lermontov's true feelings for the Russian upper caste.

From the Paper:

""People have been fed enough sweets they need bitter medicine" Lermontov could have created the protagonist, Pechorin, as an anti-hero for a multitude of reasons. However, Lermontov's incentive for such a fabrication as Pechorin can basically be traced to his general disillusionment with mankind. The author even states, in his introduction to "A Hero of Our Time," that while some people might not fully believe a person like Pechorin could exist, "[i]s it not perhaps because there is more truth in this character than you would like there to be?" ("Introduction" 132). While the reader is tempted to automatically hate the character Pechorin for the things that he does and the motives compelling him to do them, many readers will also feel a generally unwanted connection between Pechorin and themselves."

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