In M. Yu. Lermontov’s poetic works—both early and more mature—there are dominant themes of lyrical and philosophical reflections on life, along with deep self-analysis, subtle psychologism, and heightened sensitivity. In front of us stands the poet’s exposed soul, sharply experiencing the twists of life. In Lermontov’s poems, two thematic groups stand out. One consists of plots drawn from medieval Russian history (“The Last Son of Liberty,” “The Boyar Orsha,” “The Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, the young oprichnik and the bold merchant Kalashnikov”). In a sense, a counterpart to “The Song…” in Lermontov’s lyrics was “Borodino,” a response to the 25th anniversary of the Borodino battle (1837). The second group includes romantic poems such as “The Demon,” “The Runaway,” and “The Confession,” where the central character is an outcast and rebel who stands in opposition to society and violates its social and moral norms; over him weighs a “sin”—a crime, usually wrapped in secrecy and bringing the hero mental suffering.
Contents:
Poems of 1828–1836
Poems of 1837–1841
The Confession
The Last Son of Liberty
The Boyar Orsha
Sashka: A Moral Poem
Mongo
The Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, the young oprichnik and the bold merchant Kalashnikov
Tambov Treasurer Woman
The Runaway
The Demon