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Summary of the hero of our time 2 chapter. Online reading of the book A Hero of Our Time II. Maksim Maksimych. Other retellings and reviews for the reader's diary

) - "from the outside", through the eyes of strangers. The other three are based on his diaries, representing an "inside" view of himself.

"Bela"

An unnamed Russian traveler travels through the Caucasus. On the way through the mountains, he meets an elderly staff captain Maxim Maksimych (see Obraz Maksim Maksimych, Pechorin and Maksim Maksimych), formerly the head of a fortress in Chechnya. The story of Maxim Maksimych about a strange incident from his life there is the plot of Bela.

An officer of about 25 years old, Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin, comes to serve in the fortress, a man of a strange, closed, but firm and strong character. He often surrenders to inactive boredom, but sometimes lights up great energy and will.

Once, at a wedding at one of the surrounding mountain princes, the youngest daughter of the owner, Bela, sings something like a compliment to Pechorin. Pechorin likes this beauty. Soon he learns that her dissolute brother Azamat is eager to get the beautiful horse of the horseman Kazbich (see Characterization of Kazbich with quotes). For this horse, Azamat is ready to steal from his father's house and give it to Bel.

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

Pechorin enters into a deal with Azamat. He helps steal Kazbich's horse when he brings sheep to the Russian fortress for sale. In return, Azamat brings Pechorin a sister stolen with his own hands.

Pechorin is about to leave, and not remembering Maxim Maksimych. However, he suddenly returns and runs as fast as he can to hug an old comrade. Pechorin, in response, only gives the captain a hand - friendly, but rather cold. Briefly saying that he was going to Persia, he got into the carriage.

Maxim Maksimych is shocked by such indifference. He tries to detain Pechorin, but he gives the coachman a sign to leave. The old man reminds: “Yes, I have your notes. What to do with them? Throwing: "What do you want" - Pechorin leaves.

The companion Maxim Maksimych, who became interested in Pechorin, asks the old man to give him the notes of this incomprehensible person. Learning soon that Pechorin died during a trip to Persia, he decides to publish them. From the diaries of Pechorin, the last three parts of the "Hero of Our Time" are compiled. The publisher says that he was particularly struck by "with what merciless sincerity the author exposes his own weaknesses and vices in them."

In the morning the old mistress of the hut comes. Pechorin laughingly asks the blind boy, "Where did he go at night"? Soon the girl he saw at the pier appears. This mermaid-like beauty begins playfully flirting with Pechorin.

Trying to intrigue the beautiful stranger, Pechorin hints to her that he can inform the commandant about what happened at night on the shore. The girl just laughs in response. A little later, she comes to Pechorin's room, unexpectedly kisses him, invites him to the shore when it gets dark, and quickly slips away.

With the onset of darkness, Pechorin meets with a "mermaid" by the sea. She takes him on a boat ride. Having sailed out to sea, the girl first beckons Pechorin with caresses, and then tries to throw her overboard and drown - thinking that way to get rid of the scammer.

After a desperate struggle, Pechorin himself pushes her off the boat into the water. He rows to the pier and after a while he sees a surviving “mermaid” on the shore from afar. The boat with Yanko reappears, and the blind man arrives. Fearing arrest, Yanko and the girl decide to swim away from here. The blind man asks to sail with them, but they drive him away.

This case causes painful reflections in Pechorin. Unwittingly, he destroyed someone else's existence. It is not known what fate now awaits the old woman and the boy. “Why did fate throw me to them? Like a stone thrown into a smooth spring, I disturbed their calmness and, like a stone, I almost sank myself!” Pechorin will have to play a similar role more than once.

Pechorin comes to rest in Pyatigorsk. Here the familiar Junker Grushnitsky tells him about the guests from Moscow - Princess Ligovskaya and her daughter, the young beauty Mary. Close-minded, prone to feigned, theatrical gestures and feelings, Grushnitsky begins to ardently court Mary. Partly out of boredom, partly in defiance of Grushnitsky, and partly out of real sympathy for the charming princess, Pechorin is drawn into the same game.

Knowing from experience all the secret strings of the female soul, he seduces Mary very skillfully. At first, Pechorin irritates her with a number of defiant, mocking antics. However, the hostility generated by them makes the princess pay close attention to the impudent gentleman. Having inflamed Mary's interest to passion, Pechorin gradually exposes himself in her eyes as an unfortunate victim of human malice and envy, which perverted the good inclinations of his soul. Mary is imbued with compassion for him. It turns into passionate love.

At first, Mary shows favor to Grushnitsky, but then she rejects this empty dandy for the sake of the strong-willed and intelligent Pechorin. Grushnitsky decides to take revenge. A series of minor skirmishes eventually culminates in a duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky. On the advice of one insidious dragoon captain, Grushnitsky agrees to low meanness: during the duel, only his pistol will be loaded, and the enemy’s weapon will remain without a bullet. Pechorin learns about this plan, thwarts it and kills Grushnitsky in a duel. (See the full text of the excerpt "The Duel of Pechorin and Grushnitsky", Pechorin's monologue before the duel.)

Lermontov. Princess Mary. Feature film, 1955

Mary confesses her love to Pechorin. He himself already feels a strong attachment to an outstanding girl, but this growing feeling only pushes him to part with her. Pechorin loves too free, stormy and dangerous life. The quiet joys of marriage do not beckon him, the specter of a possible marriage always prompts him to give up another passion. Mary is shocked by Pechorin's words that he does not love her and previously only laughed at her. At the final explanation, Pechorin barely restrains himself so as not to throw himself at the feet of the princess, but his proud, freedom-loving nature takes over his heart impulse. (See Pechorin and Princess Mary's last conversation.)

Illustration for M. Yu. Lermontov's story "The Fatalist". Artist V. Polyakov

Pechorin loses the bet, but cannot get rid of the belief that the sign of death is visible on the lieutenant's face. The officers disperse. On the way home, Pechorin is overtaken by two Cossacks, telling: one of their violent comrades got very drunk and just ran out into the street, waving his saber.

As soon as Pechorin comes home, they come running to him with the story that Vulich has been killed. The same drunken Cossack stumbled upon him along the street and hacked him with a saber. Before his death, the lieutenant managed to say: “He is right!”, Obviously referring to the prediction of an imminent death, heard from Pechorin.

The criminal is surrounded in an empty hut. He does not want to give up and threatens to kill anyone who tries to enter him. Pechorin also decides to try his fate. Having broken the window, he jumps into the hut to the killer. He shoots at him, knocking down the epaulette but not wounding him. Pechorin grabs the Cossack by the hands, and others burst in through the door and knit the criminal.

“After all this, how can one not become a fatalist, it seems?” However, Pechorin’s dry skeptical mind is still not inclined to blindly believe in rock, because “often we take a deceit of feelings or a mistake of reason for conviction! ..”

"A Hero of Our Time", a summary of the chapters.

I. Bela.
The author, who narrates in the first person, has been serving in the Caucasus for a year, while climbing the Koishaur mountain, met a staff captain who had been in the Caucasus for a long time. Having risen to the top, the travelers had to huddle in a sakla, sheltering from a heavy snowfall, where Maxim Maksimych, that was the name of the new acquaintance of the author, began to tell him a story.
One day, in the fortress on the Terek, where he commanded a company, a young officer called himself Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin, who seemed somewhat strange, but, apparently, a wealthy man, appeared. Once, the local prince invited them to the wedding of his eldest daughter, where Pechorin immediately took a liking to the slender, black-eyed Princess Bela, the youngest daughter. The experienced look of Maxim Maksimych noticed that another person paid attention to the princess. His name was Kazbich. He was a very brave and dexterous man, but with a not very good reputation.
At night, Maxim Maksimych became an unwitting witness to a conversation between Kazbich and the prince's son Azamat. The prince fervently begged the abrek to give up his horse, which he liked very much. Azamat went so far as to offer his sister Bela for a horse, promising to steal her for Kazbich, but was refused. Already in the fortress, Maxim Maksimych recounted to Pechorin the entire conversation that Azamat had heard with Kazbich, not suspecting what consequences this would lead to.
Azamat often visited the fortress. As usual, Pechorin, treating him, started, among other things, a conversation about Kazbich's horse, praising him in every possible way. Finally, Pechorin proposed to him. He, undertaking to get Kazbich's horse, demanded from Azamat to steal and bring his sister, Bela, to him. In the evening, taking advantage of the prince's absence, Azamat brought Bela to the fortress.
The next morning, Kazbich, having tied his horse to the fence, went to Maxim Maksimych. Taking advantage of this, Azamat untied the horse and jumped on it at full speed and rushed away. Kazbich jumped out to the noise, fired from a gun, but missed, his despair knew no bounds. Azamat has not been seen since.
Maxim Maksimych, having found out where Bela was, went to Pechorin, intending to demand from him the return of the girl to her father. But the ensign's arguments and his attitude towards the beautiful Circassian stopped these intentions. There was even a bet between the officers. Pechorin claimed that in a week Bela would belong to him. And I must say, resorting to various tricks, he succeeded. At the end of the story, Maxim Maksimych told that Kazbich, suspecting Azamat's father of complicity in the kidnapping of the horse, tracked down and killed the prince.
The next day, Maxim Maksimych, at the author's request, continued the story he had begun the previous evening. He told how he got used to Bela, how she got prettier and blossomed, how he and Pechorin spoiled the girl. But a few months later, the captain noticed a change in the mood of the young man. In a frank conversation that took place between them, Pechorin said that for his short life he often experienced all her joys, from which, in the end, he always became bored. He hoped that everything would be different with Bela, but he was mistaken, boredom overtook him again.
And soon a tragic event happened. Returning from the hunt, Maxim Maksimych and Pechorin saw Kazbich rushing from the fortress, on a dashing horse, with a woman in his arms. It was Bela. Having overtaken him, Pechorin fired, wounding the horse. The Circassian jumped off and put a dagger to the girl. The captain's shot wounded him, but he managed to deliver a treacherous blow to the princess in the back. To the common grief, Bela, suffering for two days, died. Pechorin, although he did not show his emotions, however, haggard and lost weight. And soon he was transferred to another regiment. With this he ended his story.
The next day, the author and the staff captain parted, not hoping for a new meeting, but everything turned out quite differently.

II. Maksim Maksimych.
Continuing on his way and reaching Vladikavkaz, the author stopped at a hotel, waiting for a military escort team. To his joy, a day later Maxim Maksimych arrived there, accepting the offer to settle in one room. And in the evening, an empty dandy carriage drove into the courtyard of the hotel. Upon learning that the crew belonged to Pechorin, the overjoyed staff captain began to look forward to his arrival. But Pechorin appeared only in the morning. Maxim Maksimych was at that time with the commandant, and therefore the author, having sent to notify him of the arrival of Grigory Alexandrovich, watched the hero of the story, noting that Pechorin was good-looking and should have liked society ladies.
Maxim Maksimych appeared when Pechorin was ready to get into the carriage. The staff captain rushed to his old acquaintance with open arms, but Grigory Alexandrovich reacted coolly to this expression of feelings, explaining everything with his usual boredom. On the offer to dine, Pechorin excused himself that he was in a hurry, heading to Persia. Maxim Maksimych was very upset, he did not expect such a meeting. He still had, from the time of joint service in the fortress, Pechorin's papers and he asked what to do with them, Grigory Alexandrovich, answering that he did not need them, set off, leaving the old campaigner with tears in his eyes.
The author, who witnessed this scene, asked to give him Pechorin's papers. Maksim Maksimych, without moving away from resentment, took out a dozen notebooks with notes and gave them away, allowing him to do whatever he liked with them. And after a few hours, they, quite dryly saying goodbye, parted. The author had to continue on his way.

Pechorin's journal.
In the preface, the author talks about the news of the death of Pechorin, who was returning from Persia. This event gave the right to publish his notes. The author changed them proper names, chose only those events that are associated with the stay of the deceased in the Caucasus.

I. Taman.
Starting his notes about Taman, Pechorin does not speak very flatteringly about this town. Arriving there at night, it was only in the evening that he was able to find shelter in a hut on the seashore. There he was met by a blind boy who seemed very strange to Pechorin. At night, Pechorin decided to follow him. Having taken cover, he heard a woman's voice talking to the boy, they were waiting for the boat. Pechorin, before returning to the hut, managed to notice how a man jumped out of a boat that had landed on the shore, he was called Yanko. He unloaded large sacks and the three heavy-bearing figures disappeared into the mist.
The next day the officer decided to inquire about the events of the night. But all the inquiries of the old woman and the little boy led nowhere. Coming out of the shack, he suddenly heard a female voice singing a song, and then the girl herself. He realized that this was the same voice that he had already heard at night. Several times she ran past the officer, looking into his eyes. Toward evening, he decided to stop and ask her about the events of the previous night, even threatening her with the commandant, but also received no answer.
And when it got dark, she herself came to the officer. Giving him a kiss, the girl said that she was waiting for him on the shore at night. At the appointed time, Pechorin went to the sea. Here, the girl who was waiting for him invited him to the boat. Having sailed away from the shore, she, embracing the officer, began to declare her love to him. Pechorin felt something was wrong when, upon hearing a splash, he discovered the absence of a pistol in his belt. He began to push her away from him, but she clung tightly, trying to push him off the boat. In the ensuing struggle, Pechorin nevertheless managed to throw her into the water.
Having moored to the pier and making his way to the hut, he found the escaped girl. Hiding, Pechorin continued to observe. Soon Yanko moored to the shore. The girl told him that they were in danger. Immediately a blind boy came up, with a sack on his back. The bag was placed in the boat, the girl jumped in there and throwing a couple of coins to the blind man, Yanko and his companion sailed away from the shore. Pechorin guessed that he was dealing with ordinary smugglers.
Returning home, he discovered the loss of all his valuables, now it became obvious to him that the blind man brought to the boat. In the morning, considering it ridiculous to complain to the commandant that he was almost drowned by a girl and robbed by a blind boy, Pechorin left Taman.

II. Princess Mary.
May 11th.
Having arrived the day before in Pyatigorsk, Pechorin, on a walk I met an old acquaintance, the cadet Grushnitsky, who was on the waters after being wounded. At that moment, Princess Ligovskaya passed by with her daughter, Princess Mary, who seemed quite attractive to Pechorin and, apparently, Grushnitsky, being familiar with her, also showed interest in her. During the day, the officers saw the princess a couple more times, trying to attract attention, Grushnitsky was especially zealous.
may 13.
In the morning, an old friend, Dr. Werner, came to Pechorin. He said that Princess Ligovskaya was interested in the officer. She heard about Pechorin back in Petersburg and told a somewhat embellished story about his adventures, arousing keen interest in the princess. Pechorin asked Werner to describe in general terms the princess and her daughter, and also whom he met with them today. Among the guests, it turns out there was a lady who, according to the description, seemed very familiar to the officer.
Well, in the evening, having gone for a walk, Pechorin shone with his wit, having gathered a circle of young people around him, and was noticed by the princess, who tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her indifference. He also noticed Grushnitsky, who did not take his eyes off the princess.
16th of May.
During the last two days, Pechorin also met the princess in various places, attracting the company that accompanied her to him, but never getting to know the princess herself. Grushnitsky, obviously in love with Princess Mary, told Pechorin about her unflattering opinion of him. In response, Grigory Alexandrovich recommended that the cadet also not flatter himself about the princess.
In the afternoon, while walking, he met the lady of whom Werner spoke. It really turned out to be his friend from St. Petersburg, Vera. She came with her elderly husband for treatment, but her feelings for Pechorin, as it turned out, had not yet cooled down.
And then, going on a horse ride, he met Grushnitsky and Princess Mary, again leaving a not the best impression of himself, which the cadet did not fail to notice Pechorin. He, in turn, replied that, if desired, he could easily change her opinion of himself.
May 21st.
All these days Grushnitsky does not leave the princess.
22nd of May.
Pechorin at a ball in the Noble Assembly. Here, for the first time, he has the opportunity to communicate with the charming Princess Mary, inviting her to dance. Here he managed to immediately prove himself, having driven off one drunken gentleman from the princess, who persistently invited Mary to dance. The grateful princess asked Pechorin to visit her living room in the future.
May, 23rd.
On the Boulevard, Pechorin met Grushnitsky, who expressed gratitude for yesterday's act at the ball, and in the evening both went to the Ligovskys, where Grigory Alexandrovich introduced himself to the princess. Princess Mary sang, causing enthusiastic responses from everyone. Everyone except Pechorin, who listened to her absently, besides, he often talked with Vera, who poured out her feelings to him, and it did not escape his gaze that the princess was very upset.
May 29.
These days, Pechorin, talking with the princess several times, when Grushnitsky appeared, left them alone. This did not please Mary, and in general the junker's company clearly weighed on the princess, although she tried to hide it.
June 3rd.
Pechorin's thoughts about the princess were interrupted by the arrival of Grushnitsky, who was promoted to officer, but the uniform, who did not want to show himself to the princess, was not yet ready.
June 4th.
Pechorin saw Vera. She is jealous, because the princess began to pour out her soul to her.
Grushnitsky also ran. The next day his uniform should be ready, and he was already looking forward to the moment when he could dance with the princess at the ball.
June 5th
At the ball, Grushnitsky appeared in a brand new uniform. He did not leave the princess, either dancing with her, or boring her with his reproaches and requests. Pechorin, who was watching all this, bluntly told Grushnitsky that the princess was clearly burdened by his company, causing even more irritation in the newly-made officer. Escorting Mary to the carriage and returning to the hall, Pechorin noticed that Grushnitsky had already managed to turn those present, and most of all the dragoon captain, against him. Nothing, Grigory Alexandrovich is ready to accept this circumstance, he is on his guard.
June 6th
In the morning Pechorin met the carriage. Vera and her husband went to Kislovodsk.
After spending an hour with the princess, he never saw the princess, she was sick.
June 7th.
Taking advantage of the absence of the princess, Pechorin had an explanation with Mary. And in the evening, Dr. Werner, who came to visit him, said that a rumor had spread in the city about Pechorin's allegedly impending marriage to the princess. This is clearly the machinations of Grushnitsky.
June 10th.
Pechorin has been in Kislovodsk for a couple of days now. Beautiful nature, meetings with Vera.
Yesterday Grushnitsky arrived with a company, with Pechorin it was very tense.
June 11th.
The Ligovskys have arrived. Pechorin is invited to dinner with them. Reflections on female logic.
12 June.
During an evening horseback ride, Pechorin, helping the tired princess, allowed himself to hug and kiss the princess. Mary demanded an explanation, but the officer preferred to remain silent.
And later, Pechorin became an accidental witness of Grushnitsky's feast with the company, where he heard a lot of obscene things about himself. The dragoon captain was especially zealous. Assuring everyone of Pechorin's cowardice, he offered to arrange a duel between the latter and Grushnitsky, without loading his pistols.
The next morning, on a walk, again an explanation with the princess. Pechorin admitted that he did not love her.
June 14th.
Reflections on marriage and freedom.
June 15th.
In the Noble Assembly performance of a famous magician. Pechorin receives a note from Vera, who lived in the same house with the princess, an invitation to a meeting late in the evening. Her husband has left, all the servants have been sent to the performance. At night, leaving the house of rendezvous, Pechorin was almost caught by the dragoon captain and Grushnitsky, who were guarding under the house.
June 16th.
Having breakfast in a restaurant, Pechorin becomes a witness to a conversation in which Grushnitsky told his company about the night incident and called him the culprit of the incident. Grigory Alexandrovich demanded to take back his words - refusal. It's decided. Pechorin announces to the dragoon captain, who volunteered to be Grushnitsky's second, that he will send his own to him.
Dr. Werner became the second. Returning after completing his mission, he spoke about a conversation he accidentally overheard from Grushnitsky. The dragoon captain planned to load only one pistol, Grushnitsky's pistol.
The night before the fight. Insomnia, thoughts about life.
Arriving with Werner at the place of the duel, they saw Grushnitsky with two seconds. The doctor offered to solve everything in peace. Pechorin was ready, but with the condition that Grushnitsky renounces his words. Refusal. Then Grigory Alexandrovich set the condition that the duel should remain a secret, shoot on the edge of the abyss, even a slightly wounded one would be smashed against the rocks and this could hide the cause of death. The captain agreed. Grushnitsky, who constantly whispered about something with the captain, did not hide the internal struggle that was happening to him, in fact, he would have to shoot at an unarmed person.
But the die is cast. Grushnitsky shoots first. Pechorin rejects the doctor's offer to open up to his opponents, which he knows about their vile plan. A shot with a trembling hand, the bullet only scratched Pechorin's knee. He asked Grushnitsky if he was taking back his words. Refusal. Then Pechorin asks to charge his gun. The captain violently protests until Grushnitsky himself admits the correctness of his opponent.
Pechorin, having satisfied his pride, once again offers to abandon slander. But Grushnitsky is adamant, the two of them have no place in this world.
A shot was fired and no one was there. Bowing and casting a glance at the body of his opponent lying below, Pechorin withdrew.
Burdened with painful thoughts, he only returned home in the evening, where two notes were waiting for him. In the first, Werner reported that no one in the city had any suspicions. In the second, Vera, having learned about the quarrel with Grushnitsky from her husband and not believing in the death of Pechorin, said goodbye forever and swore eternal love. She revealed herself to her husband and was forced to hastily drive off. Jumping into the saddle, Pechorin rushed along the road to Pyatigorsk. But alas, having driven the horse, he resigned himself to the lost happiness.
Returning back, he received an order to go to a new duty station. Apparently, the authorities became aware of something about the incident.
Pechorin went to the princess to say goodbye. She, despite recent events and his situation, was ready, for the sake of her daughter, to give consent to their marriage. But Pechorin expressed a desire to talk with the princess. In a conversation with Mary, he admitted that he had laughed at her, that he could not marry, and in general deserved all contempt.
Bowing, Pechorin left Kislovodsk.

Fatalist.
Living for some time in the Cossack village, Pechorin, along with the rest of the officers, spent the evenings playing cards and interesting conversations.
Once a brave officer, but a passionate gambler, a Serb, lieutenant Vulich, approached the officer's table. He proposed a bet that resonated with Pechorin. Serb, decided to play with life and cheat death, Grigory Aleksandrovich had a different opinion. Having removed the first pistol that came across from the wall, having accepted the stakes, Vulich put the weapon to his forehead. The ace flies up, the shot... a misfire and a general sigh of relief. The Serb again cocks the trigger and aims the weapon at the hanging cap. A shot and a cap pierced by a bullet. General amazement, and Vulich, Pechorin's gold coins.
Pechorin, reflecting on life, returned home. In the morning, several officers came to him with the news that Vulich had been killed. Having dressed, Pechorin learned the details on the way.
Leaving the officers, the Serb, returning home, called out to a drunken Cossack and received a fatal blow with a saber. Having committed the crime, the Cossack locked himself in the hut, where Pechorin went with the officers. No persuasion worked, the killer was not going to lay down his arms. And then Pechorin also decided to try his luck. Throwing himself through the window into the hut, he was a centimeter away from death, the bullet tore off the epaulette. But this allowed others to break into the hut and neutralize the Cossack.
Returning to the fortress, Pechorin told this story to Maxim Maksimych, wanting to know his opinion. But he turned out to be far from metaphysics.

The structure of the novel has its own peculiarity: the chronological order of the parts in it is broken. First, Lermontov gives an idea of the hero in the words of Maxim Maksimych and only then reveals the inner world of Pechorinby publishing pages from his diary.

Foreword

In a brief preface to the novel, Lermontov seeks to explain to the reader that the book contains a portrait of the entire generation, and not just one person. Society has absorbed many vices. The writer sees his task in revealing them. However, Lermontov has no recipes for treating society.

PART ONE

I. Bela

The narration in this chapter comes from the name of the author, who, on the way from Tiflis to Stavropol, meets the elderly staff captain Maxim Maksimych. From his story, the reader learns about the main character of the work - Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin. This is a young officer who has recently arrived in the Caucasus. Maxim Maksimych served with Pechorin for only a year, but this time was filled with a lot of events. Many thanks to Gregory.

Once Maxim Maksimych and Pechorin were invited to the wedding of a local prince, with whom the staff captain was friends. At this wedding, the fatal acquaintance of the young officer with the beautiful Bela, the youngest daughter of the prince, took place.

By chance, Maxim Maksimych overhears a conversation between the son of Prince Azamat and one of the guests, Kazbich, who is known for his dashing and courage. And the magnificent horse of Kazbicha is the envy of many highlanders. Azamat offers any money for a beautiful horse and even agrees to kidnap his sister in return. But Kazbich refuses.

Maxim Maksimych conveys the contents of the overheard conversation to Pechorin, and the young officer decides to kidnap Bela himself. Pechorin agrees with Azamat to bring his sister to him in exchange for Kazbich's horse. After waiting for the old prince to leave, Azamat and Grigory take Bela away. Pechorin keeps his word and helps Azamat to kidnap the horse. Kazbich is in despair.

At first, the young mountain girl, locked up at Pechorin's, avoids the young officer and is homesick. Gregory tries by all means to please his beloved: he presents her with expensive gifts, treats her very affectionately and even learns the language of the highlanders in order to talk with Bela without any problems. He also hires a local woman who teaches the girl Russian.

Often Maxim Maksimych witnesses how Pechorin tries to amuse Bela and tells her about his love, but all in vain. However, Gregory does not deviate from his intentions. He even argued with Maxim Maksimych that he would achieve the girl's reciprocal love in a week.

Pechorin comes to Bela to say goodbye. He tells her that he decided to seek death in battle, since she cannot love him. Such a confession touched Bela to the core, and with tears she throws herself on Pechorin's neck.

However, the happiness of the young beauty does not last long. Bela soon gets bored with Pechorin. He disappears on the hunt, every day giving the girl less and less attention. Bela suffers greatly from the indifference of the young officer.

At the same time, Kazbich is having a hard time with the kidnapping of his beloved horse. He kills Bela's father, believing that Azamat acted with his knowledge. Having seized the moment when Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych left to hunt, Kazbich takes Bela away. The officers give chase, and Pechorin manages to wound Kazbich's horse. Seeing that there is no escape from the chase, the vengeful Kazbich inflicts a mortal wound on Bela. After two days of torment, the girl dies. Pechorin is very worried about Bela's death, but outwardly he seems calm. Soon he was transferred to another regiment.

II. Maksim Maksimych

The author continues his journey with Maxim Maksimych. In one of the roadside hotels, they learn that Pechorin, who is traveling to Persia, has also stopped there. Maksim Maksimych is very happy. He sends a servant to Pechorin to announce his arrival. The elderly officer is sure that his friend will rush to the meeting. However, Pechorin never appears. Maxim Maksimych has been waiting for him all evening and all morning in vain.

Finally the young officer pays a visit. Maxim Maksimych with great joy rushes to his old friend, but meets a rather indifferent attitude towards himself. Offended by such a meeting, the staff captain decides to throw out Pechorin's diary. But the author takes the notebook to himself.

Pechorin's Journal

Foreword

Having learned that Pechorin died on the way from Persia, the author decides to publish the diary. In the future, the novel is written as "Pechorin's Journal", which reveals the character of the protagonist. Pechorin describes in his diary his journey to the Caucasus and the events that took place there during his military service.

I. Taman

On the way to the Caucasus, Pechorin lingers briefly in Taman. He stops at a small hut by the sea, where a deaf old woman and a blind boy live.

Pechorin notices a girl next to the hut who behaves very strangely - she speaks in riddles, sings and dances all the time. At night, Gregory sees how this girl and a blind boy are waiting on the shore for a boat. It is controlled by a man named Janko. With the help of young people, he carries away and hides a mysterious cargo.

In the morning, Pechorin tries to find out from the boy and girl what they unloaded from the boat, but he fails to learn anything from them. Then he threatens to tell the commandant about everything.

A strange girl invites a young officer on a date. At night, she lures Pechorin into a boat and tries to drown him. This plan is quite feasible, since Pechorin cannot swim. In the struggle for his life, Gregory manages to throw the girl into the sea.

On the shore, Pechorin finds the place where he saw the boat last night. The girl and the blind man are already there. The boat with the smuggler Yanko reappears. He takes the girl with him and leaves these places, fearing that Pechorin will fulfill his threat and inform the commandant. Yanko gives a blind boy a couple of coins and throws them to the mercy of fate. He weeps bitterly and for a long time.

Returning home, Pechorin discovers that a blind boy has robbed him. The next morning Grigory leaves Taman.

PART TWO

II. Princess Mary

This is the central part of the work, in which the character of the protagonist is most fully revealed. Pechorin arrives in Pyatigorsk and meets his acquaintance Junker Grushnitsky, who is recovering there after being wounded. Grushnitsky is in love with Princess Mary, who came to the waters with her mother. But Mary is in no hurry to make a new acquaintance.

Pechorin became friends with Dr. Werner, and they spend a lot of time together. The doctor tells the officer about the princess and the princess, that they were interested in Pechorin and Grushnitsky.

Gregory, out of boredom, starts the game in order to win the heart of the princess. At the same time, he meets his longtime lover Vera, whose husband is a relative of the princess. Pechorin tells her that he will look after the princess for the sake of appearance.

At the ball, Pechorin saves Mary from the harassment of a drunk. Upon learning of this, the princess invites Gregory to her house. However, during the visit, Pechorin again angers the princess with his dismissive attitude. For Mary, this is all the more insulting, since the courtship of the junker bothers her.

Soon Grushnitsky is promoted to officer, he is happy. But Pechorin claims that the princess will be disappointed by this news. After all, she believed that Grushnitsky was demoted for a duel, but it turns out that he was simply very young and received officer epaulettes for the first time.

Vera begins to be jealous of Pechorin for the princess.

Grushnitsky first appears at the ball in an officer's uniform. He expects an enthusiastic reception, but everyone, and especially the princess, is very disappointed. Grushnitsky ceases to be interesting, as he turns out to be one of the many vacationing officers. He is offended and blames Pechorin for everything. Grushnitsky gathers around him dissatisfied with the sharp tongue of his former friend and Mary's excessive pride.

Pechorin overhears Grushnitsky's conversation with friends and finds out that they want to teach him a lesson - to scare him with a challenge to a duel. Pistols must be unloaded.

The princess tries to explain herself to Pechorin and confesses her love to him. However, Grigory, in response, hurts the girl with his own words, saying that he does not love her.

Pechorin's secret relationship with Vera continues, and she even decides to invite Gregory to her home during her husband's departure. Returning from Vera, Pechorin almost comes across the watchmen and Grushnitsky, who lies in wait for him at the princess's house. The next day, Grushnitsky publicly accuses Pechorin of spending the night at Mary's. Pechorin challenges the offender to a duel and asks Dr. Werner to be his second. The doctor learns that Grushnitsky's friends have planned to load only his pistol.

Before the duel begins, Pechorin insists that the duel take place on the edge of a cliff. There, even a slight wound will be fatal. In addition, he requires a lot to be cast, which will determine who shoots first. The lot falls on Grushnitsky. With a loaded pistol in his hands against Pechorin's "blank" weapon, Grushnitsky is faced with a choice: he must either refuse the duel or become a murderer. The choice is made - Grushnitsky shoots and wounds Pechorin in the leg. Grigory once again offers Grushnitsky to apologize for the slander, but he again refuses. Then Gregory demonstrates that his gun is not loaded and requires a cartridge. Events begin to develop against Grushnitsky, whom Pechorin kills with a well-aimed shot.

At home, Gregory finds a note from Vera, in which she says that her husband has found out everything and is taking her away from the city. The lover rushes after him, but only drives the horse.

Pechorin comes to Mary to say goodbye and explains to her that everything was a joke. He deserves only the contempt of the girl, because he laughed at her all the time. The princess corrects Grigory and says that she hates him.

III. Fatalist

The last part of the novel is one of the most tense and eventful. Pechorin tells how he lived for two weeks in a Cossack village, where an infantry battalion was stationed. Every evening the officers gathered to talk and play cards. Once the conversation turned to whether there is predestination, inevitable fate, or whether a person controls his own destiny.

Passionate player lieutenant Vulich claims that the fate of a person is determined. Pechorin offers a bet to prove his point: there is no predestination. Vulich accepts the bet. He removes a Circassian pistol from the wall. Pechorin suddenly says: "You will die today." Despite such a gloomy prophecy, Vulich does not refuse the bet. He asks Pechorin to throw a card into the air and puts a pistol to his forehead. As soon as the card touches the table, Vulich pulls the trigger. Misfire!

Everyone present decides that the gun was not loaded. Then Vulich shoots the cap on the nail and pierces it, winning the bet.

On the way home, Pechorin thinks a lot about what happened. Suddenly, in the darkness, he stumbles upon a pig hacked to death with a saber. Approached Cossacks say they know who did it. Later it turns out: a drunken Cossack hacked Vulich to death with a saber when the lieutenant was returning home. The killer of Vulich locked himself in an empty house on the edge of the village. Many people gather in this place, but no one dares to enter and seize the murderer.

Mikhail Lermontov

Hero of our time

In any book, the preface is the first and at the same time the last thing; it either serves as an explanation of the purpose of the essay, or as a justification and answer to criticism. But as a rule, readers do not care about the moral goal and about the attacks of the magazine, and therefore they do not read the prefaces. And it is a pity that this is so, especially with us. Our public is still so young and simple-hearted that it does not understand a fable unless it finds a moral at the end. She does not guess the joke, does not feel the irony; she's just ill-bred. She does not yet know that in a decent society and in a decent book, open abuse cannot take place; that modern learning has invented a sharper, almost invisible, and yet deadly weapon, which, under the garb of flattery, delivers an irresistible and sure blow. Our public is like a provincial who, having overheard the conversation of two diplomats belonging to hostile courts, would remain convinced that each of them is deceiving his government in favor of mutual tender friendship.

This book has recently experienced the unfortunate credulity of some readers and even magazines to the literal meaning of words. Others were terribly offended, and not jokingly, that they were given as an example such an immoral person as the Hero of Our Time; others very subtly noticed that the writer painted his own portrait and portraits of his acquaintances ... An old and pathetic joke! But, apparently, Russia is so created that everything in it is renewed, except for such absurdities. The most magical of fairy tales in our country can hardly escape the reproach of an attempted insult to a person!

The Hero of Our Time, my gracious sirs, is indeed a portrait, but not of one person: it is a portrait composed of the vices of our entire generation, in their full development. You will tell me again that a person cannot be so bad, but I will tell you that if you believed in the possibility of the existence of all tragic and romantic villains, why do you not believe in the reality of Pechorin? If you have admired fictions much more terrible and ugly, why does this character, even as fiction, find no mercy in you? Is it because there is more truth in it than you would like it to be? ..

You say that morality does not benefit from this? Sorry. Enough people were fed with sweets; their stomachs have deteriorated because of this: bitter medicines, caustic truths are needed. But do not think, however, after this, that the author of this book would ever have a proud dream of becoming a corrector of human vices. God save him from such ignorance! It was just fun for him to draw modern man, as he understands him, and to his misfortune and yours, he met too often. It will also be that the disease is indicated, but God knows how to cure it!

Part one

I rode on the messenger from Tiflis. All the luggage of my cart consisted of one small suitcase, which was half full of travel notes about Georgia. Most of them, fortunately for you, are lost, and the suitcase with the rest of the things, fortunately for me, remained intact.

The sun was already beginning to hide behind the snowy ridge when I drove into the Koishaur valley. The Ossetian cab driver tirelessly drove the horses in order to have time to climb the Koishaur mountain before nightfall, and sang songs at the top of his voice. What a glorious place this valley is! On all sides the mountains are impregnable, reddish rocks, hung with green ivy and crowned with clusters of plane trees, yellow cliffs, streaked with gullies, and there, high, high, a golden fringe of snow, and below the Aragva, embracing with another nameless river, noisily escaping from a black gorge full of mist , stretches with a silver thread and sparkles like a snake with its scales.

Having approached the foot of the Koishaur mountain, we stopped near the dukhan. There was a noisy crowd of about two dozen Georgians and highlanders; nearby camel caravan stopped for the night. I had to hire bulls to pull my cart up that accursed mountain, because it was already autumn and sleet—and this mountain is about two versts long.

Nothing to do, I hired six bulls and several Ossetians. One of them put my suitcase on his shoulders, others began to help the bulls with almost one cry.

Behind my cart, four bulls dragged another as if nothing had happened, despite the fact that it was overlaid to the top. This circumstance surprised me. Her master followed her, smoking from a small Kabardian pipe, trimmed in silver. He was wearing an officer's frock coat without an epaulette and a shaggy Circassian hat. He seemed about fifty; his swarthy complexion showed that he had long been familiar with the Transcaucasian sun, and his prematurely gray mustache did not correspond to his firm gait and cheerful appearance. I went up to him and bowed: he silently returned my bow and let out a huge puff of smoke.

- We are fellow travelers, it seems?

He silently bowed again.

- Are you going to Stavropol?

- So, sir, exactly ... with government things.

- Tell me, please, why are four bulls dragging your heavy cart jokingly, and my empty, six cattle are barely moving with the help of these Ossetians?

He smiled slyly and looked at me significantly.

- You, right, recently in the Caucasus?

“A year,” I answered.

He smiled a second time.

– What then?

- Yes, yes! Terrible beasts, these Asians! Do you think they help that they scream? And the devil will understand what they are shouting? The bulls understand them; harness at least twenty, so if they shout in their own way, the bulls will not move from their place ... Terrible rogues! And what can you take from them? .. They like to tear money from those passing by ... They spoiled the scammers! You will see, they will still charge you for vodka. I already know them, they won't fool me!

- How long have you been here?

“Yes, I already served here under Alexei Petrovich,” he answered, drawing himself up. “When he came to the Line, I was a lieutenant,” he added, “and under him I received two ranks for deeds against the highlanders.

- And now you?

- Now I count in the third linear battalion. And you, dare I ask?

I told him.

The conversation ended with this and we continued to walk silently beside each other. We found snow on top of the mountain. The sun set, and night followed day without interval, as is the custom in the south; but thanks to the ebb of the snow we could easily make out the road, which was still uphill, although not so steeply. I ordered to put my suitcase in the cart, to replace the bulls with horses, and for the last time looked back at the valley; but a thick fog, which surged in waves from the gorges, completely covered it, not a single sound reached our ears from there. Ossetians noisily surrounded me and demanded for vodka; but the staff captain shouted at them so menacingly that they fled in an instant.

- After all, such a people! - he said, - and he doesn’t know how to name bread in Russian, but he learned: “Officer, give me some vodka!” For me, the Tatars are better: at least those who don’t drink ...

Year of writing: 1840

Genre: novel

Main characters: young man Pechorin, girl Bella, Princess Vera, Princess Mary - beloved, commander Maxim Maksimych

Plot: The novel "A Hero of Our Time" tells about Pechorin, a wealthy young man, whose character is very cold and rather indifferent to the sorrows of people. All his life he loved only himself, and no one else. Friends, relatives or lover - he did not have all this.

He broke people's hearts with his attitude, since he never cared about them, only as a doctor to experimental subjects. He wrote individual moments of his life in a diary, as he was in fact a closed person.

The main idea. Extra person. Main character the novel is an individualist. The image of an extra person in this world and society is revealed. Who is to blame for this, and why is Pechorin so?

Retelling of the novel

Grigory Pechorin is a very selfish person, which is sometimes not immediately understandable. He is very cold and withdrawn, but when he really needs it, he shows all the best sides of his character. Throughout his life, he often recorded unusual events in his diary. He has seen a lot in his life. He has been to all sorts of places with all sorts of people.

Some were, oddly enough, faithful, while others betrayed. Maxim Maksimych is one of those people who took Pechorin seriously, and in particular, their past friendly, no more, relationship. Once Pechorin served as an officer in the Caucasus, and in fact the reason for his service was some kind of story, because of which he was exiled to the Caucasus for a certain time.

Pechorin began to serve under the command of Maxim Maksimych. Once they were invited to visit the mountain prince, where Pechorin saw an unusually beautiful girl, Bella. He later stole her, because it seemed to him that he was in love with her. But we only live once, and therefore, after all the girl’s refusals to love him, and finally the real truth that she is in love with him, Grigory realized that he did not love her. He was indifferent to the girl, and he realized this after some time, and therefore he left her. Kazbich, in love with Bella, died with her.

Once Pechorin met again with Maxim Maksimovich, now a retired colonel. But their meeting went very coldly. The colonel was terribly upset, because he was sure of their friendship. He tried to appeal to the joint memories of Bella, but Pechorin, on the contrary, did not like it. And after a few minutes of conversation - he just left, as he was going to, to Persia.

Once Pechorin was at the springs. He met there with his acquaintance - Grushnitsky. A very selfish young man. They secretly hated each other. Also, at the origins gathered its own society. Grushnitsky fell in love with a young princess who was young, proud and beautiful. In order to have fun and, in part, to harm his enemy, Pechorin falls in love with the princess, who at the end almost goes crazy with him. Grigory Pechorin also kills Grushnitsky in a duel for slander. At this time, one woman endures everything, since they were lovers with Pechorin, but she has a husband, and therefore she is silent.

After all the events - she abruptly leaves, telling everything to her husband. Pechorin is in despair, it even seems to him for a moment that he loves her. But then, having calmed down, he lives his normal life. Pechorin refuses to marry the princess, finally breaking her heart. Because he doesn't love her.