LERMONTOV, MIKHAIL YURIEVICH

(1814–1841), leading nineteenth-century Russian poet and prose writer.

Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov became one of Russia's most prominent literary figures. Based on the quality and evolution of his writing, some believe that if he had lived longer he would have surpassed the greatness of Alexander Pushkin. Lermontov's reputation is rooted equally in his poetry and prose. Fame came to him in 1834 when he wrote Death of a Poet, in which he accuses the Imperial Court of complicity in Pushkin's death in a duel.

The evolution of Lermontov's poetry reflected a change in emphasis from the personal to wider social and political issues. The Novice (1833) is known for its tight structure and elegant language. The Demon (1829–1839) became his most popular poem. Taking place in the Caucasus, it describes the love of a fallen angel for a mere mortal. The Circassian Boy (1833) reflects his strong scepticism in regard to religion and admiration of premodern life. The Song of the Merchant Kalashnikov (1837) is his greatest poem set in Russia. His best-known play is The Masquerade (1837), a stinging commentary on St. Petersburg high society.

Lermontov is considered to be the founder of the Russian realistic psychological novel, further developed by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy. A Hero of Our Time, which is partly autobiographical, is his greatest work in this genre. The main character, Pechorin, is an example of a disenchanted and superfluous man, and his story provides a bitter critique of Russian society. In this novel Lermontov masterfully and realistically described the landscape of the Caucasus, the everyday life of the various tribes there, and a wide range of characters.

Lermontov was killed in a duel with a former classmate in 1841.

See also: golden age of russian literature; pushkin, alexander sergeyevich

bibliography

Garrard, John. (1982). Mikhail Lermontov. Boston: Twayne.

Kelly, Laurence. (2003). Tragedy in the Caucasus. London: Tauris.

Zhand P. Shakibi