Hero of our time. Princess Mary

Pechorin came to serve in Pyatigorsk, where he met the cadet Grushnitsky, who was being treated on the healing waters for a wound on his leg. The second sought to become the hero of the novel and to impress others, letting himself look like a suffering creature, and in battle desperately waving his sword and rushing forward with a cry, closing his eyes. He knew that the "connoisseur of souls" Pechorin understood this, so they did not love each other, although from the outside they seemed to be friends.

They walked to the source. Among the women of the "water" community, a beautiful, exquisitely dressed girl stood out pleasantly, but of the two Princess Ligovskaya drew attention to a young man in a soldier's greatcoat. Pechorin envied his comrade.

The officer became friends with the doctor Werner, from whom he learned that Mary Ligovskaya's interest in Grushnitsky was caused by the assumption that the young man had been demoted for a duel. The doctor said that when the name of Pechorin was mentioned, the princess began to talk about his adventures, and the princess listened with curiosity. Hearing such details, the military man figured out how to allay boredom.

The meeting with Vera, with whom there was once a passionate affair, awakened forgotten feelings. Added to the original reason for the amusement is the desire to deflect suspicion from the married woman. In addition, the mistress's husband turned out to be a relative of the Ligovskys, and she often visited them. This would provide an alibi for the meetings.

The princess was angry that the citizen of St. Petersburg, who was accustomed to high society and closely acquainted with her relatives, not only did not try to get to know her, but also distracted the crowds of fans. Adjutants, Muscovites and other acquaintances began to spend time in Pechorin's house, preferring his champagne to the power of the girl's magnetic eyes. A sophisticated heartthrob knew how to charm and gain power over a naive young lady and skillfully put his plan into practice.

At the ball, Pechorin invites the princess to dance, a conversation ensued between them. During the break, a drunken gentleman became attached to her, persistently engaging in a mazurka. None of the acquaintances was around, and the girl was very frightened. Then our experienced conqueror of the ladies intervened and saved Mary from unwanted harassment, which aroused the disposition of both Ligovskys and an invitation to their house.

Reflecting on why he achieves the love and devotion of a young, just opened flower, a man catches himself on the fact that he likes to subordinate others to his will. The sufferings and joys of others nourish his spiritual strength, saturate his pride. He longs for the love of others because he finds happiness in it.

Serious passions flare up in local society. Dissatisfaction is caused by the beauty, wealth and the ability to dress with the taste of the young Ligovskaya and even the cleanliness of gloves and the polish of the boots of the aristocrat Pechorin. Rumors of their marriage are spreading. One of the instigators, the dragoon captain, wants to teach the hated high society a lesson. Suggests to challenge the officer to a duel and not put bullets in the pistols. I am sure that he will chicken out and become a laughing stock for everyone.

After meeting with Vera, our hero stumbled upon an ambush of ill-wishers. They thought he was with the younger Ligovskaya. The man manages to get rid of his pursuers, but the next morning he meets the mistress's husband and comes in for breakfast with him. Blinded by jealousy, Grushnitsky announces yesterday's incident, and Pechorin challenges him to a duel.

According to the lot, Grushnitsky shoots first, but misses. Then Pechorin asks to load his pistol and invites the opponent to abandon slander and make peace. But the enemy said that if they didn’t kill him, he would kill the offender himself ...

The sight of the corpse shocked the duelist, and he did not immediately return home. From the note I learned about Vera's departure, goodbye forever. He rushes in pursuit, but only in vain does he drive the horse. Only then he realizes that this woman is the most dear to him in life, but nothing can be changed.

Princess Ligovskaya offers her daughter's hand, but he refuses and confesses to the girl that he laughed at her.

This chapter of the novel teaches you to protect other people's feelings, and not to play with them and create your own happiness, without envying others.

Reader's diary.

11th May

Arriving in Pyatigorsk, Pechorin rented an apartment on the edge of the city. “This morning at five o'clock in the morning, when I opened the window, my room was filled with the smell of flowers growing in a modest front garden. I have a wonderful view from three sides. To the west, the five-headed Beshtu turns blue like "the last cloud of a scattered storm"; to the north rises Mashuk, like a shaggy Persian hat ... Below in front of me a clean, brand new town is dazzling ... further, the mountains are piling up like an amphitheater, all blue and foggy, and on the edge of the horizon stretches a silver chain of snow peaks, starting with Kazbek and ending with two-headed Elborus. .. It's fun to live in such a land! Some kind of gratifying feeling is spread in all my veins. The air is clean and fresh, like the kiss of a child; the sun is bright, the sky is blue - what would seem to be more? - why are there passions, desires, regrets? .. "

Mary and Grushnitsky. Illustration by M.A. Vrubel. Black watercolor. 1890-91

Pechorin decides to go to the Elizabethan spring: in the morning the whole "water society" gathers there. Suddenly, he meets the cadet Grushnitsky at the well, once they fought together. Grushkitsky "for a special kind of smartness" wears a thick soldier's greatcoat. Has a military award - St. George's cross. He is well built, dark and dark-haired. He looks twenty-five years old, although in reality he is hardly twenty-one. According to Pechorin, Grushnitsky is one of those who "have ready-made pompous phrases for all occasions." It's just that the beauty does not touch such people, and they "draped importantly into extraordinary feelings, lofty passions and exceptional suffering." Pechorin and Grushnitsky dislike each other, although from the outside it seems that they are friends.

Having met old friends, they start a conversation about the local way of life, about the local society. Two ladies walk past them, an elderly and a young, dressed "according to the strict rules of the best taste." Grushnitsky says that this is Princess of Lithuania with her daughter Mary. After waiting for Mary to come closer, he utters one of his magnificent phrases in French: "I hate people so as not to despise them, otherwise life would be too boring."... The girl turns around and looks at Grushnitsky with a long, curious look.

Pechorin decides to continue his walk. After some time, he saw a scene at the source that interested him. Grushnitsky, dropping the glass, tries to raise it, but in vain - his sore leg is in the way. Mary gives him a glass, but after a minute, walking by with her mother, she pretends not to notice the junker's passionate gaze.

Completing the description of the events of the day, Pechorin speaks of himself as follows: “I have an innate passion to contradict; my whole life was only a chain of sad and unsuccessful contradictions to my heart or reason. The presence of an enthusiast casts a baptismal chill on me, and, I think, frequent intercourse with a sluggish phlegmatic would make me a passionate dreamer, endowed with a fair amount of skepticism, sarcastic about the manifestations of enthusiasm in others, enjoying the opportunity to piss people off. ".

13th May

In the morning, Pechorin is paid a visit by his friend, Dr. Werner. They could be friends, but Pechorin claims that he is incapable of friendship. The doctor tells Pechorin that Princess Ligovskaya became interested in him, and her daughter Mary - the sufferer Grushnitsky. The girl assumes that the young man wearing a soldier's overcoat was demoted to the rank and file for a duel. Pechorin says that the outset of the comedy is already there: fate took care that he was not bored. "I have a presentiment," said the doctor, "that poor Grushnitsky will be your victim ..."... Then Werner begins to describe the princess and her daughter. He says that the princess loves the company of young people, is not used to commanding, she has respect for the mind and knowledge of her daughter, who reads English and knows algebra. Mary, on the other hand, looks at young people with contempt and loves to talk about feelings, passions and other things. Then Werner talks about a very pretty lady with a mole on her cheek, "one of the newcomers." In his opinion, the lady is very ill. Pechorin understands that we are talking about a woman he knows, and admits to the doctor that he once loved her very much.

After dinner, walking along the boulevard, Pechorin meets the princess and her daughter there. They are surrounded by many young people who are nice to them. Pechorin stops two familiar officers and begins to tell them various funny stories. He does it very well, the officers constantly laugh. Little by little, the fans surrounding the princess join Pechorin's listeners. The princess and Mary remain in the company of the lame old man. Mary is angry. Pechorin pleases, he intends to continue in the same spirit.

16th May

Pechorin constantly provokes the princess, trying to disturb her peace of mind. In an effort to distract fans from her, he invites them every day to his house for lunches and dinners. At the same time, Pechorin, using Grushnitsky's narrow-mindedness and vanity, convinces him that Mary is in love with him.

One morning, walking among the vineyards, Pechorin remembers a young woman with a mole on her cheek, about whom the doctor spoke. Suddenly he sees her on the bench and involuntarily cries out: "Faith!" They have loved each other for a long time, but this passion did not bring Vera happiness. She is now married for the second time. Her husband is that lame old man whom Pechorin saw in the company of the princess. According to Vera, the old man is rich, and she married him for the sake of her son. Vera visits the Ligovskys, her husband's relatives. “I gave her my word to get to know the Ligovskys and to follow the princess in order to divert attention from her. Thus, my plans were not in the least upset, and I will have fun ... ".

After the meeting, unable to contain his emotions, Pechorin gallops into the steppe. Deciding to water the horse, he descends into one of the ravines. Noise is heard from the road. Ahead of the brilliant cavalcade, he sees Grushnitsky and Princess Mary. This meeting caused Pechorin a feeling of annoyance.

In the evening, Pechorin summons Grushnitsky to a dispute about what if he only wants to, tomorrow evening, being with the princess, he will be able to win over the princess.

May 21st

About a week passed, but no opportunity was presented to meet the princess and her daughter. Grushnitsky does not part with Mary. Vera tells Pechorin that she can only see him at the Ligovskys'.

22nd May

The restaurant gives a ball by subscription. Pechorin waltzes with Mary, taking advantage of the fact that local customs allow to invite unfamiliar ladies to dance. During the dance, he asks the princess for forgiveness for his impudent behavior. Mary answers him with irony. A drunken gentleman approaches them and tries to invite the princess to a mazurka. The girl is frightened and outraged by such impudence. Pechorin makes the drunk go away. The Princess of Lithuania thanks him for this act and invites him to visit them at home. Pechorin tells Mary that Grushnitsky is actually a cadet, and not at all an officer demoted for a duel. The princess is disappointed.

May 23rd

Grushnitsky, having met Pechorin on the boulevard, thanks the princess for yesterday's salvation and confesses that he loves her to madness. It was decided to go together to the Lithuanians. Vera also appears there. Pechorin constantly jokes, trying to please the princess, and he succeeds. Mary sits down at the piano and begins to sing. At this time, Pechorin is trying to talk to Vera. Mary is annoyed that Pechorin is indifferent to her singing, and therefore the whole evening he talks only with Grushnitsky.

May 29

Pechorin tries to captivate Mary. He tells her stories from his life, and the girl begins to see him as an extraordinary person. At the same time, Pechorin tries to leave Mary and Grushnitsky alone as often as possible. Pechorin assures the princess that he sacrifices the pleasure of communicating with her for the sake of his friend's happiness. Soon Grushnitsky finally annoys Mary.

3rd June

Pechorin makes an entry in the journal: “I often ask myself why I so persistently seek the love of a young girl whom I do not want to seduce and whom I will never marry? But there is immense pleasure in the possession of a young, barely blossoming soul! She is like a flower whose best fragrance evaporates towards the first ray of the sun; it must be ripped off at this moment and, having breathed its fill, throw it on the road: maybe someone will pick it up! "... His reflections are interrupted by the appearance of a happy Grushnitsky, who has been promoted to officer.

On a country walk, Pechorin, talking with the princess, endlessly makes evil jokes about his acquaintances. Mary is scared, she says that she would rather get under the knife of the killer than on the tongue of Pechorin. To this, he, assuming a frustrated look, replies: “Yes, this has been my fate since childhood. Everyone read on my face the signs of bad feelings that were not there; but they were supposed - and they were born. I was modest - I was accused of cunning: I became secretive. I deeply felt good and evil; no one caressed me, everyone insulted me: I became vindictive; I was ready to love the whole world - no one understood me: and I learned to hate. My colorless youth passed in the struggle with myself and the light; I buried my best feelings, fearing ridicule, in the depths of my heart: they died there ... I became a moral cripple: one half of my soul did not exist, it dried up, evaporated, died, I cut it off and left it, while the other moved and lived at the service of everyone "... The princess has tears in her eyes, she feels sorry for Pechorin. When he asked if she had ever loved, the princess shakes her head in response and falls into thoughtfulness. Pechorin is pleased - he knows that tomorrow Mary will reproach herself for being cold and wish to reward him.

4th June

Princess Mary confides her heartfelt secrets to Vera, and she torments Pechorin with jealousy. She asks why Pechorin pursues the princess, worries, excites her imagination? Vera moves to Kislovodsk. Pechorin promises to follow her.

5th June

Half an hour before the ball, Grushnitsky visits Pechorin "in the full radiance of an army infantry uniform." He smiles in front of the mirror and hints that he will dance the mazurka with Mary. "Be careful not to get ahead of you", - Pechorin answers. At the ball Grushnitsky reproaches the princess for having changed in relation to him, continuously pursues her with entreaties and reproaches. Then he learns that Mary promised the mazurka Pechorin. Pechorin, following the decision made at the ball, puts Mary in the carriage and quickly kisses her hand, after which, satisfied, he returns to the hall. Everyone falls silent when he appears. Pechorin concludes that a "hostile gang" is being formed against him under the command of Grushnitsky.

6th June

Morning is coming. Vera and her husband leave for Kislovodsk. Pechorin, wanting to see Mary, comes to the Lithuanians and learns that the princess is ill. At home, he realizes that he is missing something: “I haven't seen her! She is ill! Have I really fallen in love? .. What nonsense! ".

June 7

In the morning Pechorin walks past the Lithuanian house. Seeing Mary, he enters the living room and apologizes to the offended princess for kissing her hand: “Forgive me, princess! I acted like a madman ... this will not happen another time ... Why do you need to know what has happened so far in my soul? "... Leaving, Pechorin hears the princess crying.

In the evening, Werner visits him, who has heard a rumor that Pechorin is going to marry the Princess of Lithuania. Considering that this is Grushnitsky's tricks, Pechorin is going to take revenge on him.

10th June

Pechorin has been in Kislovodsk for the third day. Every day he and Vera meet, as if by accident, in the garden. Grushnitsky rages with friends in the tavern and hardly greets Pechorin.

11th June

The Lithuanians are finally arriving in Kislovodsk. At dinner, the princess does not take her tender gaze from Pechorin, which makes Vera jealous. “What a woman won't do to upset her rival! I remember one fell in love with me because I loved the other. There is nothing more paradoxical than the female mind; it is difficult to convince women of anything, it is necessary to bring them to the point that they convince themselves ... Women should wish that all men knew them as well as I did, because I love them a hundred times more since those since I am not afraid of them and have comprehended their minor weaknesses ... "

12th June

"This evening was full of incidents."... Not far from Kislovodsk, in the gorge, there is a rock called the Ring. This is a gate formed by nature, and through them the sun before sunset "casts its last fiery glance at the world." Many went to see this spectacle. During the crossing of the mountain river, the princess felt ill, and she swayed in the saddle. Pechorin hugs the girl around the waist, not letting her fall. Mary is getting better. Pechorin, not letting go of the princess, kisses her. He wants to see her get out of her predicament and doesn't say a word. “Either you despise me, or you love me very much! - says the princess at last in a voice in which there were tears. - Maybe you want to laugh at me, disturb my soul and then leave ... ". "You are silent? ... maybe you want me to be the first to tell you that I love you? .. "... Pechorin does not answer. "Do you want this?"- there was something terrible in the decisiveness of the eyes and voice of the princess ... "Why?" he replies with a shrug.

Hearing this, the princess lets the horse gallop along the mountain road and soon catches up with the rest of society. All the way home, she talks and laughs incessantly. Pechorin realizes that she has a nervous seizure. He goes to the mountains to unwind. Returning through the settlement, Pechorin notices that a light is burning brightly in one of the houses, talk and screams are heard. He concludes that there is some kind of military feast going on there, dismounts from his horse and sneaks up close to the window. Gathered in the house, Grushnitsky, the dragoon captain and other officers say that it is necessary to teach Pechorin a lesson, since he is too arrogant. The dragoon captain offers Grushnitsky to challenge Pechorin to a duel, finding fault with some trifle. They will be placed six steps apart, without putting bullets in the pistols. The captain is sure that Pechorin will get cold feet. Grushnitsky, after some silence, agrees with this plan.

Pechorin feels how anger fills his soul; “Beware, Mr. Grushnitsky! .. You can pay dearly for the approval of your stupid comrades. I'm not your toy! .. "

In the morning he meets Princess Mary at the well. The girl says that she cannot explain to herself the behavior of Pechorin and assumes that he wants to marry her, but is afraid of any obstacle. Pechorin replies that the truth lies elsewhere - he does not love Mary.

June 14th

“I sometimes despise myself ... isn't that why I despise others too? .. I have become incapable of noble impulses; I am afraid to seem ridiculous to myself ... the word marry over me has some kind of magical power: no matter how passionately I love a woman, if she only lets me feel that I must marry her, forgive love! my heart turns to stone and nothing will warm it up again. I am ready for all sacrifices except this one; twenty times my life, I will even put my honor on the line ... but I will not sell my freedom. Why do I value her so much? What do I have in it? .. where am I preparing myself? what do I expect from the future? .. Indeed, absolutely nothing. This is some kind of innate fear. "

June 15th

On this day, a performance of a visiting magician is expected, and there is no such person who would refuse the upcoming spectacle. Pechorin learns from a note given to him by Vera that her husband is leaving for Pyatigorsk and will stay there until morning. Taking advantage of his absence and the fact that the servant will go to the show, it will be possible to spend the night with Vera. In the middle of the night, going down from the upper balcony to the lower one, Pechorin looks through the window to Mary. At the same moment, he notices movement behind the bush. Pechorin, who has jumped to the ground, is grabbed by the shoulder. These were Grushnitsky and the dragoon captain. Pechorin managed to escape, he fled. Grushnitsky and the captain raised a noise, but they failed to catch him. The night alarm was explained by the alleged attack of the Circassians.

16th June

In the morning at the well, everyone only remembers the night incident. Pechorin is having breakfast at a restaurant. There he meets Vera's husband, who has returned in the morning, who is very excited about what happened. They are sitting not far from the door where Grushnitsky and his friends are located. Pechorin gets a chance to witness a conversation in which his fate is being decided. Grushnitsky says that he has a witness to how someone broke into the Litovskys' house at ten o'clock yesterday evening. The princess was not at home, and Mary, without going to the show, was left alone. Pechorin is confused: will it occur to Vera's husband that the matter is not in the princess? But the old man doesn't notice anything.

Grushnitsky assures everyone that the alarm was not raised because of the Circassians: in fact, he managed to lie in wait for the princess's night visitor, who managed to escape. Everyone asks; who it was, and Grushnitsky calls Pechorin. Here he meets Pechorin's gaze. He demands from Grutshnitsky that he renounce his words: hardly a woman's indifference to his supposedly brilliant merits deserves such revenge. Grushnitsky is overcome by doubts, his conscience struggles with pride. But it doesn't last long. The intervening captain offers his services as a second. Pechorin leaves, promising to send his second today. Having made Dr. Werner his attorney, Pechorin receives his consent. Having discussed the necessary conditions, Werner informs him of the place of the proposed duel. This will happen in a remote gorge, they will shoot from six steps. Werner suspects that the dragoon captain will load only Grushnitsky's pistol with a bullet.

On a sleepless night, Pechorin talks about his lived life: “Why did I live? for what purpose was I born? .. And, it is true, it existed, and, probably, there was a high purpose for me, because I feel immense strength in my souls ... But I did not guess this purpose, I was carried away by the lures of empty and ungrateful passions; from their furnace I came out hard and cold like iron, but I have lost forever the ardor of noble aspirations - the best light of life ... My love did not bring happiness to anyone, because I sacrificed nothing for those whom I loved: I loved for myself, for your own pleasure ... "... He thinks that tomorrow, perhaps, there will not be a single being who would understand him.

In the morning Pechorin and Werner gallop into the mountains to the place of the duel. Since it was decided to shoot to death, Pechorin sets a condition: to do everything in secret so that the seconds do not have to be carried.

Duel Pechorin with Grushnitsky. Illustration by M.A. Vrubel. Black watercolor, whitewash. 1890-91

They decided to shoot at the top of a steep cliff, on a narrow platform. Below was an abyss dotted with sharp stones. If you stand against each other at the edges of the site, then even a slight wound will be fatal. The wounded will certainly be smashed to death, flying down. And if the doctor removes the bullet, then the death of the person can be explained by an accidental fall.

Grushnitsky, forced to accept these conditions, is in doubt. Under the circumstances, he could no longer just wound Pechorin, but certainly had to become a killer or shoot into the air.

The doctor offers Pechorin to reveal the conspiracy, saying that now is the time, but Pechorin does not agree. The duelists face each other. Grushnitsky targets his opponent in the forehead, but then lower the pistol and, as it were, accidentally hits Pechorin in the knee. The captain, being sure that no one knows about the conspiracy, pretends to say goodbye to Grushnitsky. Pechorin announces that there are no bullets in his pistol and asks Werner to reload the weapon. He also invites Grushnitsky to abandon slander and make peace. Flushing, he replies that he hates Pechorin and despises himself. The two of them no longer have a place on earth. Then Pechorin shoots and kills Grushnitsky.

Returning home, Pechorin finds two notes. One of them is from Werner: “Everything is arranged as best as possible: the body was brought in disfigured, the bullet removed from the chest. Everyone is sure that the cause of his death was an accident ... There is no evidence against you, and you can sleep peacefully ... if you can ... Farewell ... "... Second note from Vera: “This letter will be parting and confession together ... You loved me as property, as a source of joys, anxieties and sorrows, mutually replacing, without which life is boring and monotonous ... We are parting forever; however, you can be sure that I will never love another: my soul has drained all its treasures, its tears and hopes on you "... Vera also writes that she confessed to her husband her love for Pechorin, and now he is taking her away.

Pechorin gallops to Pyatigorsk, hoping to find Vera there, but on the way his driven horse falls and dies. “And for a long time I lay motionless and wept bitterly, not trying to hold back tears and sobs; I thought my chest would burst; all my firmness, all my composure - disappeared like smoke. When the night dew and the mountain breeze refreshed my hot head and my thoughts returned to their usual order, then I realized that chasing lost happiness is useless and reckless ... One bitter farewell kiss will not enrich my memories, and after it it will only be more difficult for us to part. .. "- Pechorin later makes an entry in his journal.

Werner arrives. He reports that Princess Mary is ill - she has a nervous breakdown. Her mother knows about the duel. She thinks that Pechorin shot himself because of her daughter.

The next day, by order of the authorities, who guessed about the true cause of Grushnitsky's death, Pechorin was assigned to the fortress N. Before leaving, he comes to the Lithuanians to say goodbye. The princess says that her daughter is very sick, and the reason for this is Pechorin. She invites him to marry Mary, because she wishes her happiness. Having received permission from the princess to talk to her daughter in private, Pechorin explains to Mary. “Princess ... do you know that I laughed at you? .. You must despise me ... Consequently, you cannot love me ... You see, I am low in front of you. Isn't it true, even if you loved me, you despise me from this minute? .. ". "I hate you," she said.

The story "Princess Mary" follows "Taman", it tells about the events of Pechorin's forty-day stay on the healing waters in Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk. It is interesting that if the main events in "Taman" took place at night, then the story "Princess Mary" begins at five o'clock in the morning (by the way, at five o'clock in the morning the hero returns home and at the end of the story, not having caught up with his beloved Vera). Thus, the beginning of the story "Princess Mary" is associated with the morning and the hope for renewal, which Pechorin expects to find in love and friendship, the end - with disappointment and losses, in which, according to Lermontov, not only the hero himself is to blame, but also mistakes, common to all people.

The work has five main characters: Pechorin, Grushnitsky and Doctor Werner, Princess Mary and Vera. The relationship between them is distributed as follows: Pechorin has a trusting relationship with two heroes, these are "confidential" - Vera and Dr. Werner (it is they who leave Pechorin at the end of the story), the other two act as opponents of the hero, "opponents" - Princess Mary, love which Pechorin achieves, and Grushnitsky, who competes with him and is capable of murder (in the finale, Pechorin leaves Princess Mary and kills Grushnitsky in a duel). Thus, the plot of the story forms a love conflict as rivalry (Pechorin - princess), subordination (Pechorin - Vera), hostility-friendship conflict as hatred (Pechorin - Grushnitsky) and compliance (Pechorin - Doctor Werner).

The central intrigue of the story "Princess Mary" is Pechorin's desire to seduce Princess Mary, to make her fall in love with him. Pechorin's behavior towards a girl is traditionally considered selfish and immoral, and his attitude towards Vera is the use of her love for him. At the ordinary, everyday and partly psychological level of approach to the plot, this point of view is justified. However, since Lermontov through this plot solves not only issues of everyday morality, but also deep problems associated with understanding the essence of love, then when comprehending the story, one should not blame the hero or justify him, but try to understand what problems the author raises and what idea he seeks to express ... So, in Pechorin's note of June 3, we read: “Vera loves me more than Princess Mary will ever love”, and this remark of the hero speaks of his doubts about true love.

Attention is drawn to the similarity of the last phrases of Grushnitsky and Princess Mary, addressed to Pechorin. Grushnitsky says: "I despise myself, but I hate you," and Princess Mary: "I hate you." One gets the impression that the purpose of Pechorin's intrigue in relation to the former cadet and the young princess was to hear the words of hatred. The ending of the story is undoubtedly connected with the phrases uttered by Grushnitsky and Pechorin at its beginning. Grushnitsky, assuming a picture pose, speaks loudly in French for the princess to hear him: "My dear, I hate people in order not to despise them, for otherwise life would be too disgusting a farce"; Pechorin also answers him in French with a similar phrase: "My dear, I despise women so as not to love them, for otherwise life would be too ridiculous melodrama." From these statements it follows that the main feelings denoting relations between people in the story are contempt, hatred, love.

Lermontov's story "Princess Mary" is written according to the laws of drama, as if it was intended to be staged on stage. The diary entries that the hero maintains resemble theatrical phenomena, the natural landscape is a theater, key locations (a well, Pechorin's apartment, mountains) are stage scenery. The genres of the performances being performed are also named: comedy, farce, melodrama. The text of the story is made in two literary forms: diary and memoirs. Diary entries cover all the days of the story, and only the last three days are given in the form of memoirs representing events as the tragedy of Pechorin's life: he loses everything he hoped for - love and friendship.

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"Princess Mary" is a story from the cycle "A Hero of Our Time", written by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov in 1838-1840. This cycle is considered one of the first examples of a psychological novel in classical Russian literature.

We bring to your attention a poem by M.Yu. Lermontov's "Mtsyri", which describes the fate of an orphan boy, taken prisoner and later became a fugitive monk.

The story told in the story takes place in the Caucasus and is presented to the reader in the form of a diary of its protagonist - an officer of the Russian army, the scandalous heartthrob Pechorin.

May 11

The protagonist arrived in Pyatigorsk, rented an apartment and went to inspect the surroundings and the public that walked the streets of the resort town. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. That was his comrade in service, cadet Grushnitsky. He was wounded in the leg and arrived at the water a week earlier than Pechorin.

Juncker said that of the interesting personalities in the city, only Princess Ligovskaya from Moscow with a lovely young daughter, whom she calls Mary in the English manner. But Grushnitsky does not enter into them, because, according to him, a soldier's greatcoat is a seal of rejection.

At this time, Moscow aristocrats, dressed in the latest fashion, appeared in the field of vision of their comrades. Pechorin noted that the young princess was really very pretty, and Grushnitsky was very embarrassed at the sight of noble ladies.

After that, the narrator continued his walk alone, but returning back, he found an entertaining scene at a well with mineral water. Grushnitsky dropped a glass on the sand and could not lift it, because he was leaning on a crutch, and then Princess Mary Ligovskaya fluttered out from under the arch framing the entrance to the arbor. She came to the aid of the cadet, incredibly embarrassed at the same time, and hastily retired back to her mother. After that, the ladies proceeded to their mansion. And Pechorin again arrived in time to Grushnitsky, realizing that the young princess's sympathy for the cadet arouses in him a feeling of envy.

may 13

Doctor Werner came to visit Pechorin. The narrator describes his friend very warmly. They met at some party during a discussion of the metaphysical direction, where they were imbued with mutual respect in the course of a long dispute. Later, they became close and began to communicate often and spend time together.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the “Review of Poems by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov”, who has shown himself as an artist of words, the owner of a great talent.

Princess Mary was interested in Grushnitsky, suggesting that such a noble young man had been demoted to soldiers because of a duel. And the princess, on the other hand, was interested in Pechorin. When the doctor told her his last name, the woman remembered how much noise he once made in Petersburg with his adventures. Mary listened to these stories with interest. The doctor also said that in the princess's house he met some of their relatives, whose name he forgot. This lady had a mole on her cheek. The mention of this made the officer feel agitated.

In the evening, Pechorin met the Ligovskys, sitting on a bench, surrounded by many young people. He settled down at a distance, stopped two officers who were passing by and began to amuse them with his anecdotes. Over time, all the youth from the entourage of aristocrats jumped over to the Pechorin bench. This caused a great deal of irritation and annoyance in Princess Mary.

16th of May

Pechorin continued his tactics of petty dirty tricks on the young princess. The girl more and more often threw contemptuous angry glances at him. Grushnitsky, in turn, fell madly in love with young Mary. He looked for a meeting with her in every possible way and dreamed of being invited to the prince's house.

During the evening walk, our hero was thinking about a woman with a mole on her cheek, the memories of her made his heart flutter. Having reached the grotto, Pechorin, as if by magic, met this woman there. It turns out that he was not mistaken in his premonitions - it was a noble lady named Vera, with whom the narrator had a relationship several years ago. Vera told Pechorin that since then she had married a second time, for the welfare of her son. Her husband is an old rich man, a distant relative of Princess Ligovskaya. Pechorin promised to introduce himself to Ligovsky in order to meet with Vera. The woman also asked him to follow the princess in order to divert attention from their relationship, which had every chance to resume.

After talking and passionate hugs, Vera went home. Pechorin, in order to put his thoughts in order, saddled a hot horse and set off for the steppe. On the way back, he met a procession of young people led by Grushnitsky and Princess Mary. Jumping out in front of them, Pechorin frightened the princess, for a second she decided that he was a savage Circassian. Grushnitsky was very unhappy with this meeting.

In the evening of the same day, the cadet importantly informed Pechorin that he was in the princess's drawing room, and that Mary spoke very unflatteringly about Pechorin. In response, the young officer assured him that, if he so wished, he would be in the house of aristocrats the next evening, and would even begin to drag after the young princess. Grushnitsky reacted to this statement with suspicion.

22nd of May

The restaurant hall was turned into the hall of the Noble Assembly. By nine o'clock all the nobility appeared there, including the princess and her daughter. A few minutes later Pechorin called Mary to dance. The girl waltzed with the officer with barely concealed triumph on her face. In the course of the dance, Pechorin apologized to the princess for somehow, without even getting to know her, angered her. Mary retorted that he would hardly get a chance to justify himself, because he does not visit them. And at that moment when Pechorin lost all hope of squeezing into the Ligovskys living room, he had an opportunity to change the situation.

A very drunk officer began to pester the young princess, very impudently calling her to the mazurka. The girl was scared and confused, no one was in a hurry to help her. And then Pechorin separated from the crowd and gave a harsh rebuff to the insolent, forcing him to leave the dance hall. Mary told her mother everything. She thanked the officer very much for his act and invited him to visit. And Pechorin continued to communicate with the young princess all evening, hinting to her in every possible way that he had liked her for a long time, and also mentioned that one of her gentlemen, Grushnitsky, was not at all demoted for a duel, but simply had the rank of cadet.

May, 23rd

The next morning Grushnitsky warmly thanked Pechorin for saving Mary at the ball, where he was not entered. And he noted that today, in a conversation with him, the girl was cold, and her eyes were dull. He asked Pechorin to watch the princess in the evening, when they would all be visiting her together.

On the way to the living room of the Ligovskys, Pechorin saw Vera in the window. They exchanged quick glances. Soon she, too, appeared at the princess's, and they were introduced to each other. During tea drinking, the officer tried in every possible way to please the princess: he joked, told jokes, making the noble lady laugh heartily. Princess Mary, too, was ready to laugh, but she adhered to the chosen languid image.

After that, everyone went to the room with the piano. Mary began to sing. Taking advantage of the moment, Pechorin took Vera aside. She told him that she was very sick, but her thoughts were not occupied by the future, but only he alone. The woman asked him to see the Ligovskys. Pechorin did not like this formulation of the question, he wanted more. Mary, meanwhile, noticed that Pechorin did not listen to her singing, and this greatly angered her. The princess demonstratively withdrew and spent the whole evening talking with Grushnitsky. Pechorin, in turn, chatted a lot with Vera.

Going out into the street, Grushnitsky asked what Pechorin thought about his prospects with the young princess, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

May 29

The narrator strictly followed his plan to win the heart of Princess Mary. A calculating experienced man watched how the girl reacted to his behavior. Among other things, it became obvious that Grushnitsky was finally bored with her.

June 3

Pechorin pondered for a long time about why he was seeking the love of a young girl whom he did not want to seduce and whom he would never marry. His reflections were interrupted by Grushnitsky. He came, happy that he was promoted to an officer. Pechorin tried to tell him that the officer's epaulettes would not help him win the princess, and that she was fooling him. But the young man in love did not believe these words.

On the evening of that day, the large company set off for the sinkhole, which was considered the crater of an extinct volcano. Pechorin helped Mary to climb the mountain, and she did not leave his hand during the whole walk. The man spoke very bitterly about their mutual acquaintances, which surprised and frightened the girl a lot. Then Pechorin started long conversations about his childhood and why he became so angry. As a result, tears of pity came to the eyes of the young princess. The narrator reasoned that female pity is the surest path to nascent love. He also noticed that Mary's behavior is very predictable, and he gets bored from this.

June 4th

Vera began to torment Pechorin with her jealousy. He denied in every possible way that he had feelings for the young princess. Then Vera begged him to follow her to Kislovodsk and rent an apartment nearby. The man promised to do so. The Ligovskys, too, should have been beaten to move there over time.

Grushnitsky told Pechorin that there would be a ball tomorrow, at which he intended to dance with Mary all evening in his new officer's greatcoat.

When meeting with the young princess, Pechorin invited her to the mazurka in advance and hinted that a pleasant surprise awaited her.

In the evening, visiting the princess, our hero touched Vera by telling the audience with tenderness the story of their meeting and love. He changed names and some events, but the woman, of course, recognized herself in the heroine of his stories. This improved her mood, and she was cheerful and active all evening.

June 5th

Grushnitsky came to Pechorin half an hour before the ball. He was dressed in a new infantry uniform and was very pompous. Soon he went to wait for the princess at the entrance to the hall.

Pechorin appeared later and found Mary, who was frankly bored in Grushnitsky's company. The young man pursued the princess all evening. Pechorin noted that by the middle of the evening she already openly hated him and behaved very harshly with him. At the same time, the girl showed her favor to our hero, although they did not manage to dance or talk.

Nevertheless, Pechorin accompanied Mary to the carriage and secretly kissed her hand, which was also part of his cunning plan.

Returning to the hall for dinner, our hero noticed that a conspiracy headed by Grushnitsky was brewing against him.

June 6th

Vera left for Kislovodsk with her husband. In her farewell look, Pechorin read a reproach. He speculated that perhaps the feeling of jealousy would force a woman to agree to a private meeting. Princess Mary did not appear that day, saying she was sick. Grushnitsky with his newly formed gang wandered around the city, and he looked very disheveled.

Pechorin noted with surprise that he lacks the company of Princess Mary, with whom he did not manage to see, but did not even admit the thought that it could be in love.

June 7

Pechorin learned from his friend Werner that rumors were spreading around the city that he was going to marry Mary. The man immediately realized that Grushnitsky was the source of the rumors. He assured the doctor that there was no question of any wedding. The next morning he went to Kislovodsk.

June 10th

The narrator reports that he has been in Kislovodsk for three days and regularly sees Vera at the source. She freshened up and gained strength.

One day ago Grushnitsky arrived in Kislovodsk with his gang. They were constantly raging in the inn. And Grushnitsky began to behave very belligerent towards others.

June 11

The Ligovskys have finally arrived in Kislovodsk. Pechorin met them with bated breath and again wondered if he was in love with young Mary. On that day, he dined with them and noticed that the princess was very tender with him and was looking at her daughter all the time. It didn't seem like a very good sign to the man. But he saw that he had achieved what he wanted - Vera in her jealousy was practically driven to despair.

12 June

The evening was rife with incidents. Numerous cavalcade went to watch the sun set in the mountains. Among the company were the Ligovskys and Pechorin. The man spent the whole evening beside the princess. On the way back, he helped her horse cross the mountain river, when looking at the current, Mary felt dizzy, then the officer grabbed her by the waist and took the opportunity to kiss her on the cheek.

On the other side of the river, an agitated girl held her horse back to talk to Pechorin. But he was stubbornly silent and did not want to explain himself. Then Mary spoke up: “... do you want me to be the first to say that I love you? Do you want this? " But the calculating seducer just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why?"

These words unsettled the poor thing, she galloped ahead and all the way home behaved in a pretend play.

Pechorin admitted to himself that he was pleased with the thought that she would spend the night awake and cry. Meanwhile, he was agitated, and after seeing the ladies to the door of the princess's house, he galloped into the mountains to dispel thoughts.
In one of the houses above the cliff, Pechorin heard the noise of an army feast. He crept up to the open window and began to listen to what the conversation was about. We talked about him. The officer, from whom Pechorin once protected Mary at the ball, shouted the loudest. He offered the public to teach Pechorin a lesson, called him a coward. The result of the discussion was a plan in which Grushnitsky was to challenge Pechorin to a duel, but not load the pistols. The drunken officer assured that Pechorin would simply get cold feet. It was Grushnitsky's turn. Our narrator secretly hoped that he would abandon the dastardly plan. But after a second of hesitation, he still agreed.

Pechorin returned home in extreme excitement and did not sleep all night. In the morning he looked very sickly, Mary told him about this at the well. Then she again tried to talk to him about her feelings, asked him to stop torturing her and honestly confess what was on his mind. To which the man answered her: “I will tell you the whole truth, I will not make excuses, nor explain my actions; I do not love you…"

The girl's lips turned pale, and Pechorin just shrugged his shoulders and left.

June 14

The narrator reports that from childhood he developed an aversion to marriage. A fortune teller predicted his mother's death from an evil wife. This so amazed the boy that he began to deny marriage as such. Any woman who dreamed of tightening him down the aisle became uninteresting to him.

June 15th

A magician came to town and was supposed to give a performance in the evening. Vera's husband left for Pyatigorsk, and she, taking the opportunity, invited Pechorin to her place. Vera distributed tickets to all her servants and servants of the Ligovskys, with whom they shared one mansion. Pechorin took the opportunity and came on a date. On the way to Vera, he felt that he was being watched. The long-awaited date began with scenes of jealousy and reproaches. But the man managed to convince his beloved that he was not going to marry the princess.

Vera Pechorin had to leave the bedroom through the window, tying two shawls. His way lay through the balcony of the princess's bedroom. The man looked curiously behind the curtain and saw a sad, detached girl who was trying to concentrate on the book.

Barely touching the ground with his feet, our hero was ambushed by Grushnitsky and his friend. They tried to grab and beat Pechorin, shouting: “... you’ll go to the princesses at night! ..” Pechorin managed to fight back and run home. The officers raised the whole city on their ears, claiming that a Circassian robber was running through the streets.

June 16

The next morning in the city everyone was talking only about the Circassian raid. Vera's husband invited Pechorin to breakfast, he was extremely excited that his wife was alone last night and was in danger. Arriving at the restaurant, the men sat down at a table. Grushnitsky's company was sitting behind a thin partition. The young man loudly told the audience that in fact there were no Circassians in Kislovodsk, the princess simply received a secret visitor. After a short pause, Grushnitsky said that this man was Pechorin. Our hero at this moment suddenly appeared right in front of the nose of his former comrade. He accused Grushnitsky of slander and a minute later he agreed with his second about a future duel. Vera's husband was much touched by such bold behavior of Pechorin and shook his hand heartily.

Pechorin immediately went to Werner and, as if by heart, confessed to him in all his relations, and also told about the conversation he had overheard the other day. The doctor agreed to be his second and went to Grushnitsky for negotiations. Returning back, he suggested that there really was a conspiracy against Pechorin, but, most likely, now Grushnitsky's friends want to load only one pistol with live cartridges, which looks more like murder. Our hero refused the doctor's intention to confess to the rivals that they had figured out their dastardly plans. He said that he would deal with everything himself.

Pechorin spent the night awake. The situation was extremely dangerous - they agreed to shoot from a distance of six steps. The man was thinking about the prospect of possible death, and she was not afraid of him. But nevertheless, he was not going to substitute his forehead for Grushnitsky's bullet.

At last it was dawn. His nerves calmed down. Pechorin freshened himself up in the cold bath and ordered the horses to be saddled.

Dr. Werner came to him and was sad. The friends moved to the designated meeting place and saw three figures on the rock. It was Grushnitsky with his seconds.

Werner proposed to resolve the dispute amicably, to which Pechorin readily agreed on the condition that Grushnitsky publicly renounce his slander and apologize. The young officer did not accept these conditions. It was decided to shoot at the edge of a steep cliff so that the defeated fell down, and his death could be presented as an unsuccessful jump. Grushnitsky's appearance betrayed an internal struggle. Arriving at the edge of the gorge, the rivals cast lots. Grushnitsky was the first to shoot. His hands were trembling, he was ashamed to shoot at a virtually unarmed man. But still, a shot rang out, he slightly scratched Pechorin's knee. Grushnitsky's seconds could hardly restrain a smile, being sure that nothing threatened their comrade. Pechorin, in turn, loudly asked Werner to reload his pistol. The opponent's seconds began to protest, but Grushnitsky resigned himself to his fate and ordered the enemy to shoot. Pechorin once again asked if he was ready to renounce his slander, but he refused. And Pechorin shot ...

When the smoke cleared, Grushnitsky was no longer at the edge of the gorge. Our hero went down to his horse, on the way he saw the bloody remains of an opponent on the stones. He went home with a stone in his soul.

Pechorin returned home only in the evening. There he was waiting for two notes - one from Werner, and the other from Vera. The doctor wrote that everything was arranged as well as possible and there was no evidence of a duel. Therefore, Pechorin can be calm.

For a long time he did not dare to print a note from Vera. But he did it anyway. It was a long, heartfelt message in which the woman described what she loved him so much for. And then she said that, frightened by a future duel, which her husband told her about, confessed to him her love for Pechorin. The husband was very angry, called her and hastily drove her away from Kislovodsk.

Pechorin roused himself, ran out of the house and galloped towards Pyatigorsk on his horse, already tired during the day.

He certainly wanted to catch up with Vera, at that moment she became for him the whole meaning of life. But after fifteen miles of frantic leap, the man's horse died. He was left alone in the steppe, fell to the ground and sobbed like a child for several hours.

Having come to his senses, Pechorin went home, because he saw no longer any point in chasing after his lost happiness. He returned on foot and fell asleep in Napoleon's sleep after Waterloo.

In the evening of the next day, Werner came to Pechorin to report that Mary had a nervous breakdown, and the princess was quite sure that he had shot himself because of her daughter. Rumors of a duel could harm Pechorin. And so it happened. The next morning he received an order from the command to go to the fortress N ...

Our hero went to say goodbye to the princess. In a conversation with him, she burst into tears of pity for her daughter, who was languishing every day from her mental illness. The unhappy mother in plain text offered Pechorin to take Mary as his wife. To which he replied that he would like to talk to the girl in private. Soon the princess entered the room, she was pale and even somehow a little transparent. Pechorin, in very dry and straightforward expressions, told her that he simply laughed at her and never intended to marry. He advised her to simply despise him. To which the poor thing replied that she now hates him. Pechorin took his leave and went out.

At the end of the work, the narrator was transported to the fortress, where he was exiled. There he often analyzed what happened to him on the waters. The man wondered if he should settle down and try a calm, affectionate family life. But he still comes to the conclusion that nothing would come of it. He says the following words about himself: “I am like a sailor, born and raised on the deck of a robber brig: his soul has gotten used to storms and battles, and, cast ashore, he misses and languishes, no matter how much the shady grove beckons him, no matter how light a peaceful sun for him; he walks for himself all day on the coastal sand and listens to the monotonous murmur of the oncoming waves and peers into the misty distance ... "

Princess Mary is a separate chapter of the same name dedicated to this heroine.The princess is young enough, and therefore romantic. An important point that betrays the absolute instability of the princess's seemingly strong position in society and in the world is the situation at the ball, when a drunken gentleman in a tailcoat tried to invite the girl to dance. In Mary, there is still a confrontation between two principles - secularity and naturalness, but the author is convinced that the same secularity has already prevailed over her.

At first, the girl is very passionate about Grushnitsky, listening and believing his pathetic speeches. An indelible impression on the girl is made by his appearance as a soldier, demoted for a brave act. Further, Mary appears as a suffering person, because it is with her help that Pechorin is trying to expose his rival Grushnitsky. Mary here is an innocent victim, who has accidentally fallen in love with the hero-pseudo-romance, who drew her into his game. Pechorin skillfully managed the situation, treating the girl with all love, then with deep hatred. At the same time, the princess is absolutely sincere and deep in her feelings, but the hero doesn't care. At the end of the story, Pechorin explains to Mary, stating that he laughed at her, that all courtship is a game to drive away boredom. The princess's trouble is that, due to her immediacy, seeing the difference between the immediate impulse of the soul and secular etiquette, she is unable to distinguish a face from a mask. Needless to say, after all that has happened, Mary is unlikely to be the same. Pechorin, by his act, undermined the confidence of the young princess in people ...