“The Hero of Our Time” is a novel by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov, which combines epic and lyrical principles. In this work, we can observe not only the development of the plot, but also the deep emotional experiences of the protagonist. This feature is usually called “psychologism”, but we wrote about this in detail in book analysis, which will help you write a review for your readers diary. And here we told the main events of the novel in a brief retelling of the chapters.
Bela
The narration is conducted by an officer who, by the will of fate, was abandoned for military service in a hot spot - in the Caucasus. He is talking to Maxim Maximych, who in turn tells about his old acquaintance, an officer Grigory Pechorinexiled for misconduct. It's about what happened then to him and his friend.
One highland prince invited friends to a celebration in honor of the marriage of one of the daughters. The young officer liked the younger sister of the bride - Bela. Her appearance, behavior, manner of dance - all attracted a man. The heroine was not like any acquaintance of Pechorin, she was free from grimaces and manners. Gregory decided to get her in all possible ways.
Having overheard the conversation of brother Bela and Kazbich (a fan of the girl), Pechorin decides to seize the opportunity. He persuaded the fifteen-year-old Azamat to help him steal his sister in exchange for the stately mount Kazbich. The plan was a success, and his brother took Bel to the fortress.
For a long time, the girl lived in prison in a Russian fortress. She did not accept the courtship of her captor, she was tormented in captivity, because the officer’s act forever dishonored her, she could not go back. But gradually she changed her attitude towards the man to a warmer one, because he did not want to get her disposition by force, and she appreciated his patience and respect. At this point, our hero's interest in the new lady disappeared, and the love for Bela began to slowly fade. Pechorin began to leave the girl more often and did not give her the same attention. The savage was no better and no worse than the rest.
When Bela was once again left alone, Kazbich decided to seize the moment and return his bride. While there was no one in the tower, the man stole it and was about to leave, but Maxim Maksimych and Grigory arrived in time. The chase began, Kazbich, realizing the danger, left the wounded girl, and rode off himself.
The heroine left life, Pechorin was inconsolable, but did not show his mind, he usually hid all experiences. Soon he left these lands full of heavy memories, and they promised to meet with his partner again.
Maxim Maksimych
The narrator again saw Maxim Maksimych. It turns out that Gregory himself is a guest in the same hotel. Maxim Maksimych is glad of the opportunity to see his old friend again, he sends Pechorin to report that he is waiting for a meeting. But the young man does not come either in the evening or at night.
Finally, the hero appears, but instead of a warm friendly greeting, Maxim Maksimych was waiting only for disappointment. Having greeted dryly with a former colleague, Pechorin was immediately about to leave. A sad friend at last asks Gregory about his journal, the interlocutor replies that the fate of the magazine does not bother him. On this sad note, Pechorin leaves his friend.
Maxim Maksimych decides to give Pechorin’s magazine to the narrator. When death nevertheless catches up with Gregory, the narrator decides to make a novel out of his notes. The following describes the events from the diary, the narration is conducted on behalf of the author of the entries.
Taman
Having gone on duty to Taman, Pechorin remains to spend the night in a strange house where her grandmother and her blind boy live. One night, the boy sets out for the sea, and the guest, out of curiosity, sets out to follow him.
Near the shore, Pechorin sees the figure of a young girl waiting for a boy. Soon a man (Yanko) sailed to them on the boat, he unloaded some things and handed them over to the heroine. In the morning, Gregory met her and tried to ask her about what a mysterious visit was on the beach at dusk, but she only spoke in riddles. Then Gregory promised her a revelation. He silently called her Ondine. Later, she lured the guest and even kissed him. In the evening, a stranger calls Pechorin to the shore.
They get into the boat, the hero is looking forward to a romantic adventure. But only they set sail, how the girl attacked Gregory and tried to drown him, but nothing came of it, she fell into the water, and the man swam to the shore and overheard the conversation of the Tatar, who brought the cargo, and his bride, who was almost killed the officer. After sunrise, the smugglers threw a blind boy alone on the coast and fled to escape punishment. Pechorin comes to the idea that he does not care about them, and in vain he excited them.
Princess Mary
Pechorin comes to be treated on the water in Pyatigorsk. The author introduces us to the new environment of the hero - water community rich and idle people. Princess and Princess Ligovsky, young Junker Grushnitskyinstantly in love with Princess Mary. Junker tried his best to attract the attention of the girl, but she was indifferent to his efforts.
Pechorin, on the contrary, did not seek the Ligovsky society, was indifferent to the princess. Therefore, society began to intensely become interested in it, discuss it, and in every way bewilderment. Gregory by nature decided to twist the intrigue and fall in love with the object of adoration of his friend Grushnitsky.
From Dr. Werner (his friend) Pechorin heard that the Ligovsky had a visit to her former lover Gregory, a married lady. When Vera she realized that her lover’s feelings did not lose her former ardor, she advised him to enter the princess’s closest circle and portray interest in the beautiful Mary so that no one would suspect anything.
At the ball, Pechorin attracts Mary's attention, discourages unwanted fans from her, but still shows indifference and coldness. The officer was increasingly interested in the inexperienced princess. She tried her best to interest him, but Pechorin professionally played the game and kept his distance.
Over time, Mary stopped responding to the courtship of Grushnitsky, she became more and more indifferent. All the girl’s thoughts were occupied only by Pechorin. Grushnitsky realized who was taking his lover away from him, and decided to teach the former friend a lesson for such rudeness.
Grushnitsky challenges Pechorin and invites him to a duel, but persuades his acquaintances to play dishonestly - to leave the gun unloaded. Gregory hears their conversation and thinks about the need to teach the junker
Princess's feelings for Pechorin are becoming stronger, as is the jealousy of Vera. Mary confesses love to Gregory, but does not receive the desired response.
Gossip about the possible marriage of Pechorin and Mary begins to go around the city. Vera and Gregory continue their secret meetings. One day she calls him on a date with her. By an unfortunate coincidence, Pechorin faces the princess’s window. At the Ligovsky’s house, Grushnitsky saw him with friends, and the young decided to take advantage of this. The next morning, Grushnitsky announced that he had seen Mary's lover - this is Pechorin. A duel is inevitable. Gregory tells Werner about his plan and about the conspiracy of friends of the cadet, the doctor agrees to be a second.
Duelists meet at the appointed place at the appointed time. Pechorin suggests moving to a cliff so that every wound can become fatal.
The first was to shoot Grushnitsky. Junker did not want to recognize the truth of the vile conspiracy, but did not want to kill Pechorin, so he only wounded him in the leg.
It is Pechorin’s turn, in the hope of Grushnitsky’s repentance, he gives him time to think and confess his vileness. There was no answer, and Gregory fires a shot. The opponent dies, the murder is attributed to the Circassians.
But the bosses of Pechorin suspected his involvement in the duel. Before leaving, he receives a note from his beloved Vera, where she admits that she told everything to her husband and leaves with him. The hero understands that he always loved only Vera, only she always needed him and always remained on his side. He tries to catch up with her, but only drives the horse, falls and sobs.
Pechorin visits the Ligovsky’s house for the last time to communicate with Mary. The girl only shows him all her hatred and demands to disappear from her life.
Fatalist
Once Pechorin in the service ended up in one Cossack village. The officers of his battalion loved to pass the time playing cards. In the course of one game, a dispute arose about fate: whether a person is free to determine the course of his life, or whether it is predetermined for him. One of the officers, Wulich, offered a bet, which Pechorin agrees to. If Vulich is predetermined to die, then it will be so.
Taking the first pistol that came to hand, Vulich shot himself in the temple, but there was a misfire. However, when the man aimed the gun to the side, the bullet still flew out. The dispute was considered resolved, but Pechorin felt that Vulich would not survive until the next morning.
That turned out to be true. In the morning the news came of the death of Vulich from the checkers of a drunken Cossack. They found the killer, but he killed himself in the barn and threatened with weapons, not wanting to give up without a fight. Pechorin, deciding to test the theory of Vulich, sneaked into the barn, but the shot of the Cossack did not even injure him. The criminal was captured, and Gregory was honored as a hero.
Pechorin decided to tell headquarters captain Maxim Maksimych this, to which he only shook his head and said that there were accidents.
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