A Hero of Our Time

The first lyrical-psychological novel in Russian literature. The story of Grigory Pechorin—the “unnecessary man” of his era—is a ruthless analysis of the struggle between vices and virtues within one rebellious soul.

Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (1814–1841) was a Russian writer and artist, a key figure in Russian literature. Lermontov lived in an age of public unrest, and that is vividly reflected in his work. The idea for “A Hero of Our Time” was born in 1838 during the writer’s exile in the Caucasus.

“A Hero of Our Time” (1840) is the first lyrical-psychological novel in Russian literature. It describes events from the life of a young officer with a fiery temperament—Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin—in the Caucasus.

The main character is a composite image of the “unnecessary man.” In Pechorin, Lermontov reflects the struggle of human vices against free-thinking, a strong character, and a kind heart. The novel consists of 5 parts: “Bela,” “Maxim Maximych,” “Taman,” “Princess Mary,” and “The Fatalist.” Their chronological order is intentionally disrupted by the author to emphasize the character and moral values of the protagonists. The work is unique in that it combines various genres: a travel sketch, a novella, and a short story.

The book also includes the play “Masquerade” (1832) about St. Petersburg society in the early 1830s.