What is the significance of the novel hero of our time. The meaning of the novel "Hero of Our Time" by M.Yu. Lermontov. What was the theme for the novel?

In my opinion, the novel “A Hero of Our Time” is named this way for several reasons. First of all, the main character is inextricably linked with his era, with the life of the nobility, with his attitude to the world. Lermontov shows us a man full of contradictions, but, nevertheless,

In search of truth. But does he find what he is looking for? No, Pechorin, like Onegin, does not see his happiness.

Boredom and selfishness are explained not by the inner emptiness of the hero, but by deeper reasons. Lermontov’s “modern man” is not guilty of his uselessness for society. The author seems to present his hero with complete freedom of choice, but Pechorin’s actions imperceptibly demonstrate not only his will, but also the power of circumstances behind them, and most importantly, the influence of modern society.

There were few people like Pechorin in the noble society of Nicholas Russia. And yet, in this peculiar

Lermontov showed an exceptionally gifted person as a typical noble hero of the 30s.

The hero not only has nothing in common, but is also deeply hostile to the philistine, everyday attitude towards reality that dominates in noble society. The critical view of the intelligent and observant Pechorin on the reality of his time largely coincides with the views of the author himself.

The time when the novel was created was rich in significant events in public life. The ideas of Hegel and the writings of the utopians - Fourier, Rousseau and others - began to reach the Russian public. At the same time, in Russia there was a noticeable revival of social thought, and Slavophile ideology was born. This was the time of the emergence of numerous trends that had not yet been formalized, but had already declared themselves. In this era of just emerging literary ideas, Lermontov creates a novel that absorbs all the “incompleteness” of the era.

You should also dwell in more detail on the word “hero” in the title of the novel. This word itself carries several meanings. The hero is both the main character of the novel and, at the same time, a bright personality of the era who somehow deserves this title. The question immediately arises: “Can Pechorin be considered a hero, because his actions and actions are not always heroic in nature?” Lermontov's hero is unusual, “strange,” and all the events in which he participates are just as unusual and strange.

Pechorin is an established character who finds himself in unexpected situations. He is presented as a historically logical hero of the time. Probably, such an era could not give birth to other heroes.

Despite his “strangeness” and dissimilarity from others, Pechorin is, nevertheless, a typical hero of his time, since not only the main character of the novel, but also the whole society as a whole is sick with selfishness, contradictory character, and melancholy.

Thus, by calling his novel this way, Lermontov wanted to show that Pechorin is the “calling card” of his era. His image, according to the author’s plan, combines the typicality of such a person in society and its uniqueness, because in other times the fate of the main character would have turned out differently.

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There are several reasons why M. Yu. Lermontov chose this title for the novel. Firstly, the central character is a bright representative of his time, his views are a reflection of the aspirations and hopes of the era. The author reveals an extremely contradictory personality who is in constant search for the truth. But is Grigory Pechorin able to find her?

Why does Pechorin, as a hero of his time, express the era?

The main character, like Eugene Onegin, does not feel happy, but it is not the inner emptiness that made him a selfish person, this is due to completely different reasons. Mikhail Lermontov explains the personal characteristics of representatives of his generation by the influence of external circumstances and, above all, by the influence of the entire social structure. Grigory Pechorin is endowed with freedom of choice, but his actions reflect not so much his own desires as the power of external forces over his life.

The main character can hardly be called a representative of the majority. In Russia during the time of Nicholas I there were not so many of these. But it was in the image of Pechorin that the typical features of a nobleman of the 30s were reflected.

His views on the world are far from the philistine, almost petty-bourgeois views of the noble class. Pechorin has a lively, extraordinary mind, which distinguishes him from the majority. A critical approach to reality is often similar to the opinion of the writer himself.

Characteristics of the time described by M.Yu. Lermontov in the novel

During the period when “Hero of Our Time” was created, important events took place. The works of Hegel, Fourier, Rousseau and other philosophers of the European Enlightenment began to penetrate into Russia.

At the same time, our country’s own social and philosophical thought began to revive, which was expressed in the formation of the ideology of Slavophilism. This is the time when ideas and trends began to emerge, not yet fully realized, but already loudly declaring their existence. Therefore, the work of M. Yu. Lermontov reflects the “incompleteness” of the era.

The word “hero” in the title of the novel and its meaning

This is a polysemantic word, so let’s try to figure out what meaning it carries in the title. The hero is the main character of the work, a bright representative of his time, who received such a title for special merits. But does Pechorin really deserve the right to be called a hero, because not all of his actions can be called heroic. He certainly stands out from the crowd, and as a result, the events in which the character is involved are extraordinary.

Pechorin is a complete character, every now and then he finds himself in unusual situations. The author presents him as a person whose appearance in this era is quite natural. Probably, other heroes could not have arisen at this time.

Yes, he is different from others, but still he is a typical representative of his period of history. Blues, internal duality and selfishness are characteristic not only of him, but of the entire society.

As a result, it turns out that when choosing the name, Mikhail Lermontov was guided by the desire to present Pechorin as a “calling card” of his time. The image of the main character combines typicality and uniqueness. At the same time, we clearly understand that in another era, Pechorin’s fate would have turned out differently.

A tragedy novel that awakens consciousness. The meaning of the title "Hero of Our Time"

The novel raises the problem of the fate of a strong-willed and gifted individual in an era of timelessness. The heroic attempt of the “hundred ensigns” to change the social system of Russia turned into a tragedy for an entire generation of thinking people. The decades that followed the defeat of the Decembrist uprising were years of reaction and political oppression. In order to maintain faith in the future, to find the strength for active work in the name of the future, it was necessary to be able to see real ways of struggle and serving the truth.

The overwhelming majority of thinking people of the thirties were precisely those who were unable or did not have time to achieve this clarity of purpose, from whom the established order of life took away faith in the expediency of serving good. The composition of the novel is very complex. The main character and his life appear before the reader from three points of view. Compositional complexity is directly related to the psychological complexity of the hero. The ambiguity of the character of Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin, the inconsistency of his image can be discovered when studying his spiritual appearance, analyzing his relationships with other characters. Therefore, the hero’s personality, his biography, inner world, and philosophical quests are the center of the story. This spiritual psychologism is a consequence of the characteristics of “our time.” “Our time” is an era in which people who had mastered culture were doomed to a merciless life, since historical reality could not satisfy their impulses and socially useful activities.

The difficult atmosphere, denunciations, exiles, and surveillance made it impossible for progressive people to express their own political views. Gray mediocrity was valued, while any living thought was stifled. The main thing was order and good intentions. And for a thinking person striving to understand the world, this time was extremely difficult. In literature, this led to the emergence of a new “hero”. By using this word, the author does not imply its direct, heroic meaning. On the contrary, it emphasizes that the time of heroic people has passed. A person tends to withdraw into himself and plunges into introspection. This is what the main character of the novel Pechorin does. The fate of the main character was a reflection of the fate of his generation.

Through Pechorin's actions, Lermontov characterizes the disease of his generation - the attraction of evil. In his journal, the hero writes: “Evil begets evil; the first suffering gives the concept of pleasure in tormenting another...” Indeed, evil is attractive, and the main character confirms this with his actions. His actions are evil, but they are expected of him, so he does them. This is precisely the tragedy of awakened consciousness. Pechorin saw the light in all its insignificance and wretchedness. He is tormented by the question of the limits of personal freedom.

In the story “Fatalist,” the hero reflects on whether a person can decide his own destiny or whether everything in life is determined by an unknown, inevitable force? It should be noted that in the post-Decembrist era, fatalism became a matter of time. He freed a person from responsibility for the fate of the world, took him away from the struggle, and sowed apostate sentiments. Is it worth living if evil invariably triumphs in life? Isn't the triumph of evil the law of God? The hero’s consciousness awakens, he seems to see the light and realizes that the world is imperfectly structured, although he himself strives for the ideal. “I run through my entire past in my memory and involuntarily ask myself: why did I live? For what purpose was I born?..” He does not know the purpose, but he feels that he was not born in order to be bored in life. He regrets that he “did not guess his purpose” and “lost the ardor” of noble aspirations over the centuries. “Immense forces” do not find real application, and the person becomes smaller.

The awareness of the inconsistency of one's actions with one's true character leads to a split personality. Two people have been living in Pechorin’s soul for a long time: one acts, and the other judges his actions. Pechorin cannot fully feel joy and happiness because he has made himself a constant object for observation. Such incessant introspection prevents the hero from completely surrendering not only to feeling, but also to action, although in his character one of the leading qualities is activity, a strong-willed principle. Having not received real development, these qualities gradually faded away, and Pechorin, in whom the thirst for action and struggle was so strong, goes to Persia with the hope of dying “somewhere along the way.” So, Lermontov’s novel shows the tragedy of the awakened consciousness of the protagonist. But, since the fate of Pechorin was a reflection of the fate of many smart, gifted and bright people, we can talk about the tragedy of the awakened consciousness of an entire generation.

The work “Hero of Our Time” was written by M.Yu. Lermontov in 1840. A year later, the young nobleman dies in a duel. He was 27 years old.

The author has already laid down a double meaning in the title itself. After all, a hero can simply be a person living in a certain time. Or maybe a truly outstanding personality, capable of heroic deeds. So what exactly did Lermontov want to say with this name, what meaning did he put into it?

At that time, Lermontov himself was a very young man, and the image of Pechorin became collective for him. Having served in the Caucasus, communicating with representatives of high society, the author decided to embody in his hero all the character traits of modern youth. Perhaps some of them belonged to Lermontov himself.

The main character of the novel has a cold, reasonable character; very often his true feelings and experiences are hidden under a mask of indifference. But if at the beginning of the novel Pechorin evokes mainly negative emotions, then in the chapter “Taman” he already begins to show his feelings. But Pechorin fully reveals himself in “Princess Mary”, where he shows his ability to love and empathize. However, fate always rewards what you deserve. Pechorin, who has broken more than one heart in his time, does not get a chance for family happiness from her.

In Pechorin, absolutely opposite character traits were surprisingly combined. Out of boredom, for the sake of his own egoism, he can destroy someone's destiny. And at the same time, he is capable of courageous actions and tries to save someone else’s life. The hero is full of contradictions. He understands that he is unhappy, but what exactly his happiness consists of, he does not know. Therefore, Pechorin amuses his pride, while embarking on all sorts of dubious adventures. But this does not make him happy, he only calms down for a while.

The problem of Lermontov's contemporaries was the same. After the execution of the Decembrists, the younger generation lost faith in everything, the desire to change something disappeared, detachment and disappointment appeared.

In the meaning of the title of the novel, in my opinion, Lermontov put the hope that his contemporary would turn out to be a real hero, capable of action, who had gained hope and faith in the future, and a desire to change something. And the name, which has two meanings, will finally unite them into one. The hero must be real!

Together with the article “Essay on the topic: The meaning of the title of the novel “Hero of Our Time”” read:

(Option 1)

"A Hero of Our Time" is the first Russian socio-psychological novel. Everything in it is aimed at one goal: to give the most accurate psychological portrait of a young man contemporary to Lermontov - “a hero of his time.” The author does not hide the fact that in his work he pursues precisely this goal. In the preface to the novel, he directly says that “A Hero of Our Time” is a portrait made up of the vices of our entire generation, in their full development.”

But what was that time like, the hero of which Lermontov considered Pechorin? First of all, the 30s of the 19th century were the years of the Nikolaev reaction. The memory of the Decembrist uprising, whose participants were either executed or sent into distant exile, was still fresh in society. Trying to prevent a repetition of the events of 1825, Nicholas I did everything to suppress any manifestations of free thought. As a consequence of this policy, a whole generation of young, talented people appeared in the country who were unable to find employment in conditions of social stagnation. Belinsky called such people “clever useless people,” “moral cripples.”

Lermontov's hero Pechorin also belongs to their number. N.G. Chernyshevsky wrote about this: “Lermontov... understands and presents his Pechorin as an example of what the best, strongest, noblest people become under the influence of the social situation of their circle.” And this is absolutely true, since it was precisely this complete impossibility of realizing his talents, demonstrating his abilities, directing his energy to necessary and good deeds that made Pechorin the way he appears on the pages of the novel.

Pechorin's character is complex and contradictory, like the era in which he happened to live. The hero of the novel himself speaks about himself like this: “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 such duality? Pechorin admits: “My colorless youth passed in a struggle with myself and the light; 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 the springs of society, I became skilled in the science of life...” He learned to be secretive, became vindictive, bilious, ambitious, and became, in his own words, a moral cripple, an egoist. In relationships with people, Pechorin manifests himself as more than “empty uselessness.” Lermontov said this about his and Pechorin’s generation in the poem “Duma”:

Thus, Pechorin is not only a hero, but also a product of his difficult time. However, does Lermontov justify his actions, his mood? No, it doesn't justify it. On a sleepless night, on the eve of a duel with Grushnitsky, the hero of the novel seems to sum up his life. “I run through my entire past in my memory and involuntarily ask myself: 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 powers in my soul... But I didn’t guess this purpose, I was carried away by the lures of empty and ungrateful passions; I came out of their furnace hard and cold as iron, but I lost forever the ardor of noble aspirations - the best color of life.”

On the last pages of the short story “Fatalist”, which concludes the novel, Pechorin calls himself and his generation “pathetic descendants, wandering the earth without convictions and pride, without pleasure and fear... no longer capable of great sacrifices, either for the good of humanity, or even for our own happiness ..."

In these words, Lermontov points to the main reason that made Pechorin and other thinking people of his time unhappy. He saw it in “insignificant disputes over a piece of land or for some fictitious rights,” in disputes that divided people into masters and slaves, into oppressors and the oppressed.

(Option 2)

In his novel “Hero of Our Time,” M. Yu. Lermontov depicted the 30s of the 19th century. These were difficult times in the history of Russia. Having suppressed the Decembrist uprising, Nicholas I sought to turn the country into a barracks - everything living, the slightest manifestation of free thought, was mercilessly persecuted and suppressed. Two years after “A Hero of Our Time” appeared in print, A. I. Herzen wrote: “Will future people understand and appreciate all the horror, all the tragic side of our existence?” “A hero of our time,” says Lermontov in the preface to the novel, “is a portrait made up of the vices of our entire generation, in their full development.” Lermontov expressed “caustic truths” about the life of this generation, about its inaction, wasting energy on empty pursuits. The author showed in the novel a typical young man of that time - Pechorin.

His fate is tragic. Grigory Pechorin was expelled from St. Petersburg for a certain “story” (obviously, for a duel over a woman) to the Caucasus, several more stories happen to him along the way, he is demoted, goes to the Caucasus again, then travels for some time and, returning home from Persia , dies. During all this time, he experienced a lot himself and influenced the lives of other people, destroyed many human destinies - Princess Mary Ligovskaya, Vera, Bela, Grushnitsky...

Why did this happen? After all, Pechorin can be called a very extraordinary, intelligent, strong-willed person. He has a broad outlook, high education and culture. He quickly and accurately judges people and life in general. In addition, he is distinguished by a constant desire for action. It is difficult for Pechorin to be in one place, surrounded by the same people. Is this why he cannot be happy with any woman, even the one with whom he is in love? After a while, boredom overcomes him, he begins to look for something new, without thinking about those with whom he was close. Pechorin writes in his diary: “...the one in whose head more ideas were born acts more; because of this, a genius, chained to a bureaucratic desk, must die or go crazy...”

The hero of Lermontov's novel is constantly in action. But at the same time, Pechorin wastes his energy on actions unworthy of him. He destroys the nest of “peaceful” smugglers, kidnaps Bela, achieves Mary’s love and refuses her, kills Grushnitsky in a duel... We see that Pechorin does not take into account the feelings of other people, practically does not pay attention to them. We can say that this person's actions are deeply selfish. All the more selfish because he justifies himself. Explaining to Mary, Pechorin says: “...this has been my fate since childhood! Everyone read on my face signs of bad qualities that were not there; but they were assumed - and they were born... I became secretive... I became vindictive... I became envious... I learned to hate... I began to deceive... I became a moral cripple...”

And yet, one cannot blame only Pechorin himself for the fact that he “became a moral cripple.” Society is also to blame for this, in which there is no worthy use of the best qualities of the hero. The same society that interfered with Onegin and Lensky, which hated Chatsky, is now Pechorin.

Before the duel, Pechorin reasons: “Why did I live, for what purpose was I born? And, it’s true, it existed, and, it’s true, there was a high purpose for me, because I feel immense strength in my soul. But I did not guess my purpose, I was carried away by the lures of empty and ignoble passions.”

Thus, we can say that a typical young man of the 30s of the 19th century, on the one hand, is not devoid of intelligence and talents, “immense forces” lurk in his soul, and on the other hand, he is an egoist who breaks hearts and destroys lives. Pechorin is both an “evil genius” and at the same time a victim of society. Pechorin is a hero of his time, because the tragedy of his life reflected the tragedy of an entire generation of young talented people who did not find a worthy use for themselves.