50 pages • 1 hour read
Mikhail LermontovA Hero Of Our Time
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1838A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov follows the experiences of Grigori Aleksandrovich Pechorin, an intelligent but disenchanted soldier navigating personal and social conflicts in the Russian Caucasus, illustrating the “superfluous man” trope through a series of interconnected stories recounted by different narrators including Pechorin himself in "Bela the Heart of a Russian," "Maksim Maksimych," "Taman," "Princess Mary," and "The Fatalist." Contains biased descriptions of women and people of the Caucasus.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov is lauded for its deep psychological insight and the complex, flawed character of Pechorin. Reviews highlight its pioneering narrative structure and rich, evocative prose. Criticisms include dense passages and moral ambiguity that might alienate some readers. Nonetheless, its literary significance and innovative style remain widely respected.
Who Should Read A Hero Of Our Time?
A reader who enjoys A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov is likely fascinated by complex, introspective characters and philosophical inquiries into human nature. Fans of Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground or Tolstoy's Anna Karenina will appreciate Lermontov's exploration of existential themes and societal critique.