Character history
The work of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov “Hero of Our Time” is a classic of Russian literature. Critics recognized the serious role of the work, analyzing it and comparing the images and characters of the main characters. Revolutionary in its own way, it gave the public the opportunity to become acquainted with a new type of hero, unknown until that time. It turned out to be Grigory Aleksandrovich Pechorin. The remaining characters set it off, allowing us to better see Pechorin’s role in the novel, revealing the purpose of the hero’s life against the backdrop of the events taking place around him.
History of creation
Writer Mikhail Lermontov's
novel “A Hero of Our Time” is recognized as a new phenomenon in the literature of the 19th century and provokes a lot of discussions among literary scholars. Over time, the plot described in the work does not lose relevance, demonstrating the specificity of the generation to which Pechorin belongs.
The first half of the 19th century was eventful. The book describes the people's reaction to the Decembrist uprising of 1825 and its suppression.
The author describes a character who has advanced thoughts. Due to the fact that it does not correspond to the times, he is out of place everywhere, although he has talents. Lermontov outlines in the book the difficult situation in which people with a living and mobile consciousness find themselves. They are oppressed by doubts and unbelief, and the morality traditional of the generation of their fathers is rejected and trampled upon. Moral norms and values required revision, so Pechorin represented the sufferers of his generation. People of his age cannot use their accumulated personal resources.
Decembrist uprising (1825)
Lermontov depicted reality using new means of artistic expression. The usual confrontation between the hero and his antipode in the novel is presented thanks to Pechorin and Grushnitsky. The characteristics of these heroes allow us to fully appreciate the social characteristics of the younger generation of that time. The revelation of one character through others became Lermontov’s main tool in the work.
Essay on the topic Grushnitsky in the novel Hero of Our Time
If Lermontov wrote Pechorin as a hero of his time, then Grushnitsky was probably an anti-hero. This role includes not only the position in the book itself, where Grushnitsky acts as an antagonist and the opposite of the protagonist. Lermontov makes the image of the cadet somewhat collective and through it conveys the essence of how superficial and undeveloped a representative of the military class can be.
Throughout the entire novel, the writer sneers at Grushnitsky and does not create any sympathy for him in the reader; on the contrary, he provokes some contempt. Nevertheless, it is possible to empathize with the young cadet when you understand the emptiness of his soul. He only wanted to make an impression and was only interested in himself, but did not understand anything about people.
That is why Grushnitsky is so easily used by both the princess and the dragoon captain. Of course, these people are also carried away by their passions and emotions, however, this fact is not an obstacle for them to control Grushnitsky’s emotions and impulses. He, in turn, is almost completely empty internally and only imitates others or is guided by the opinions of others.
Perhaps only his feeling for Mary is sincere, but it is not deep either. Before us is a simple example of falling in love, which captivates as the charm of something enchanting and pleasant, but does not penetrate into the depths of the personality as a hard-won and devoted feeling.
Also, friendship with Pechorin is not sincere, or rather, sincere only externally, but in reality it is complete hypocrisy.
It seems to me that in some ways Lermontov guessed the figure of an anti-hero for all times, and here one should not make allowances for Grushnitsky’s youth, and at his age there are quite mature people who can actually lay claim to the title of hero. Grushnitsky could have gained experience in the future if he had not died, but in essence he would have remained incorrigible, and Lermontov wrote about this with ridicule.
"Hero of our time"
Grushnitsky (actor Leonid Gubanov)
Grushnitsky first appears on the pages of the novel in the chapter entitled “Princess Mary.” His appearance is attractive and makes it possible to make an assumption about the young age of the hero. He is dark, tall, dark-haired and has a neat, fashionable mustache that makes him look older. The soldier's overcoat gives the hero's image a romantic daring. At the same time, he became a soldier and lost his rank due to a duel.
The characterization of the image impresses the reader. This is a selfish, narcissistic man who loves to show off a couple of French remarks, unable to listen to his interlocutor. It’s nice to know that Grushnitsky chose such a mask consciously. In reality, he is different: a sweet and handsome man, not at all a bully.
Pechorin
The negative perception of Pechorin is formed by the fact that the reason for the duel turns out to be trivial. That's what his friends wished. Even Pechorin’s second, Werner, understands the pettiness of the reason for the disagreement. The peace-loving Grushnitsky was not averse to reconciliation, but his friends prevented him from doing so. He is cowardly and nervous. During the duel, the man demonstrates his fear of killing. He cannot kill a person.
A colleague of the main character, Grushnitsky, together with Pechorin, finds himself on the waters. Grushnitsky duplicates the characteristics of his opponent. The only drawback: he has no luck with women. The hero sees his similarity with Pechorin and perceives him as an enemy. The hunt for ladies' hearts also often resembles the behavior of the Grushnitsky prototype. This causes dissatisfaction on the part of the man.
Grushnitsky and Princess Mary
The hero cannot be called a definitely negative or positive hero, because his character is purer, but is replete with tendencies towards vices. Sincerity does him credit. The hero has a positive attitude towards women. He presents himself as a brave man and creates the right image according to the situation. He wants to rise up and loses individuality in the desire to play the chosen role.
Grushnitsky is overly self-confident. This greatly hinders him in his struggle for the love of Princess Mary. The girl does not choose him, and in revenge he is ready to spread rumors and gossip. He tries to set up Pechorin in a duel - he plants a pistol without a charge on him.
Who is Grushnitsky?
In the novel “Hero of Our Time,” Grushnitsky appears before us in the chapter “Princess Mary.” This is a cadet who served with Pechorin and, like him, ended up undergoing treatment on the waters. We immediately learn that Grushnitsky “wears, out of a special kind of dapperness, a thick soldier’s overcoat.” This overcoat is his mask, a “tragic mantle,” which helps him appear in the eyes of women as a romantic hero, demoted to soldier for a duel. Pechorin, who himself more than once played one role or another in order to capture the lady’s heart, “understood him,” and Grushnitsky does not love him for this. And Pechorin doesn’t like him either. He feels that this young man is to some extent his competitor and that “someday they will collide on a narrow road.” The characterization of Grushnitsky in the novel “A Hero of Our Time” is mainly given by Pechorin. From his journal we learn what this character has under his mask.
We have a new characterization of Grushnitsky.
Comparative characteristics of Pechorin and Grushnitsky
The difference between the two vivid images in the novel “A Hero of Our Time” is visible to the naked eye. But there seems to be no difference between them in the matter of nobility. Grushnitsky and Pechorin are similar in that they both play with people and live with feelings. Both are sinners.
Art for Lermontov’s work – “Hero of Our Time”
Grushnitsky loved Princess Mary, and Pechorin used her to take revenge on his opponent. Self-confidence and lack of thoughts about the future overwhelm Grushnitsky’s soul. Junker is jealous and indignant, seeing in Pechorin’s actions an attempt to prick him and bypass him.
The differences between Pechorin and Grushnitsky are noticeable from the first meeting. Pechorin is neat and looks nice. An aristocrat, he does not have serious relationships and friendships. Audacity and mystery are combined in the appearance. Such features easily captivate the fair sex. Unlike Pechorin, Grushnitsky comes from a simple family without much income. The guy wanted to become one of the people and deserve a better life. He is obsessed with making an impression, loves to look impressive and please the ladies.
Pechorin is self-confident and reasonable, understands people, demonstrates analytical abilities, cynicism and a tendency to manipulate from idleness, for the sake of fun. Grushnitsky, in turn, does not notice the manipulations, although he is not stupid. A romantic, he is always in high spirits, accustomed to dramatize and exaggerate. He likes to think that he is a sufferer and a person disappointed in life.
Illustration for the novel “Hero of Our Time”
Although the heroes have different biographies, they are like two sides of one soul. Pechorin does not do everything for show. He is real, although his nature is contradictory and complex. Grushnitsky is a petty person and a self-lover who cherishes anger and hatred. Between “to be” and “to seem,” he chooses the second option.
The characters' relationships with society are also different. Pechorin became disillusioned with the ideals of the departing man, but could not find or come up with an alternative. He is restless and useless. Loneliness, fatigue and apathy progress against the background of such thoughts. The hero is opposed to society and the capital's aristocracy. He notices other people's vices.
Grushnitsky loves life and prefers romance to despondency. Therefore, the man is in demand among young people. He did not acquire the positive traits of Pechorin, so he became a caricature of a large-scale image. Thanks to Grushnitsky, the depth of Pechorin’s character is revealed.
Analyzing the image of Grushnitsky
author: Ekaterina 02/16/2021 7 Comments
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school program
The main character of the novel “A Hero of Our Time” is, undoubtedly, Pechorin, but there are also many bright, memorable images in it - these are Maxim Maksimych, Mary, Doctor Werner, Grushnitsky. In that article, let's analyze the image of Grushnitsky, which was revealed by the author in the chapter “Princess Mary”.
Grushnitsky is a very young cadet who was wounded in the leg. He was treated at the waters, where he met an old friend, Pechorin. Something begins between them, something resembling friendship. Reminiscent, because the young people didn’t seem to get along very well, but they spent a lot of time together.
Discord between them occurred with the appearance of the beautiful Princess Mary. Grushnitsky will fall in love with the girl, to which the lady will respond with mutual feelings. But Pechorin will not be satisfied with this state of affairs, he will envy his opponent and decide to pull the luck onto himself, to fall in love with the girl, which he easily succeeds in doing. Mary quickly became captivated by the main character, and forgot to think about Grushnitsky.
Naturally, the rejected hero is embittered, offended, and indignant. He begins to take dirty revenge, spreading unpleasant gossip about the couple. Others, rejected by the prince's gentlemen, condone him in this.
In this same vile, quite often also drunk, company, Grushnitsky conceives a plan to ridicule and publicly humiliate Pechorin. But he fails, everything ends tragically.
The character appears before the reader in an unattractive light; he is too narcissistic and confident in his irresistibility. Grushnitsky doesn’t see anyone next to him, he doesn’t know how to build real relationships, he has emptiness inside. He awkwardly tries to portray emotions of happiness, he laughs artificially and falsely. His way of life is revelry, idleness. But he is extremely gullible, so he easily falls into a trap set by bad company.
The playful plan turned out to be not funny at all, but the character realized this already during the duel, where his “friends” pushed him. Already in a duel with Pechorin, Grushnitsky understands the seriousness of his situation. But, even realizing this, he makes no attempt to apologize or admit his ridicule is stupid. A shot sounds - a mortal wound.
This is how stupidly, absurdly, the life of Grushnitsky ended, who, in the best case scenario, could not have succumbed to the instigations, the influence of others, and remained alive. If it weren’t for his selfish, smug disposition and tendency toward narcissism, the hero would simply forget the princess and find himself another passion.
The reader may also get the feeling that Lermontov himself disliked Grushnitsky and therefore prepared just such an absurd death and fate for him. Perhaps his image resembled someone from the author’s circle.
Grushnitsky’s behavior and actions help us to conclude that we should not be led by our emotions, control over them is very important, and also that we should not be so susceptible to the opinions of other people. Working on your character is the main task of a person who wants to live a happy and dignified life.
The image of Grushnitsky was analyzed by Sidorin Alexander.
Other articles on the novel “A Hero of Our Time”:
The role of narrators in the novel “A Hero of Our Time”
What is Pechorin's main problem?
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Film adaptations
The novel “A Hero of Our Time” has been filmed several times. In 1927, director Vladimir Barsky made films based on three separate chapters: “Princess Mary”, “Bela”, “Maksim Maksimych”. It was a black and white movie depicting the events described in the work. Georgy Davitashvili played the role of Grushnitsky.
In 1955, Isidor Annensky directed the feature film “Princess Mary.” The role of Grushnitsky was played by Leonid Gubanov.
Andrei Mironov as Grushnitsky
Anatoly Efros returned to the work in 1975. The director staged the film-play “Pages of Pechorin's Journal” based on the novel. In the role of Grushnitsky - Andrei Mironov.
In 2006, Alexander Kott invited Yuri Kolokolnikov to work on a multi-part project, and Roman Khrushch in 2011 directed Ilya Shcherbinin in the film “Pechorin”.
Author's opinion
Throughout the novel, Mikhail Yuryevich skillfully ridiculed the young man, explaining to the reader how despicable an individual is, hiding behind a mask and creating an image that has nothing to do with him. If Grigory was actually dissatisfied with life, then the cadet was only pretending, which also infuriated the main character. By the way, some call him Grushinsky, which is absolutely not true, because his last name sounds different. By carefully reading the work, you can easily remember it.
Grushnitsky cannot realize that he is acting disgustingly; he only aggravates his own position in the eyes of literature lovers with his base actions. By this, Lermontov demonstrates that people are accustomed to blaming someone, but in no case themselves. The average person does not like to reflect on his actions, does not want to expose himself, but prefers only to follow the trends of the times and hide his true face, not showing it not only to others, but also to himself. Decent people act in exactly the opposite way, which Lermontov has no doubt about.
So, Grushnitsky is the negative hero of the novel . This person has only shortcomings, and, unfortunately, there is nothing good about him. There is a resemblance to Lensky, and literature connoisseurs notice this immediately.
Not long ago, a film was made based on the novel “A Hero of Our Time,” which became an excellent addition to the work. You should definitely get acquainted with it, because it is a real achievement of Russian cinema.
