The first major russian novel, a hero of our time was both lauded and reviled on publication. This edition includes a translators foreword by vladimir nabokov, who translated the novel in collaboration with his son, dmitri nabokov. The main focus of the book is the actions of a fellow named perchorin, and he is presumably the hero of our time. This novel, known as one of the masterpieces of russian literature, under the title a hero of our time, and already translated into at least nine european languages, is now for the first time placed before the general english reader. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov a masterpiece of russian prose, lermontov s only novel was influential for many later 19th century authors, including tolstoy, dostoyevsky, and chekhov. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov nicholas lezard thinks lermontovs book is perfectly graspable, makes its point quickly and without beating about the bush nicholas lezard. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. A hero of our time, by mihail lermontov philo on books. A hero of our time is indeed a portrait, but not of one man. After reading a hero of our time, i definitely agree that lermontov s pechorin shares some similarities with silvio, in addition to the obvious comparisons to evgeniy onegin and don juan. Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov by mikhail lermontov jun 30 1992 hardcover 1994. Editions of a hero of our time by mikhail lermontov. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov used very good.
Mikhail lermontov, vladimir nabokov, dmitri nabokov. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov duallanguage book by mikhail lermontov and alexander vassiliev 1 jun 2010 4. In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antiherolermontovs novel looks forward to the. Aug 17, 2015 a hero of our time by mikhail lermontov full unabridged audiobook. Like out of lifes storm i carried only a few ideas and not one feeling. A hero of our time everymans library 9781857150780 by lermontov, mikhail and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Vladimir nabokov russian literatures first major prose novel, this gripping work was a primary. A hero of our time is a novel, but can be more aptly described as a preface, five short stories, and a foreword placed between the second and third short stories. Its high time an uptodate and idiomatic version of a hero of our time was made available to american readers. It is a semichaotic area, with periodic skirmishes with nonrussiansexotic muslims and asiatics. The fatalist 7 the division into parts this way makes no sense nabokov called it purely fortuitous and seems to have been an invention of the clumsy editor of the second edition. A hero of our time, by mikhail lermontov, 1840, 1841.
It is an example of the superfluous man novel, noted for its compelling byronic hero or antihero pechorin and for the beautiful descriptions of the caucasus. The five short stories center on pechorin, a young russian officer serving in the caucasus. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov penguin random house. In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antiherolermontovs novel looks forward to the subsequent glories of a russian literature that it. A hero of our time by mihail lermontov and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A hero of our time 1840 is the first major prose novel in russian literature a hero of our time. A hero of our time by mikhail iurevich lermontov free ebook. A hero of our time modern library classics paperback. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders.
This novel was recommended to me by a russian friend from georgia and i was delighted to find a germinal work influenced greatly by pushkin and lord byron. A hero of our time is a novel written by mikhail lermontov during the romantic period of russian literature. The book is a it is a portrait built up of all the author generations vices in full bloom. In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antihero lermontov s novel looks forward to the subsequent glories of a russian literature. Feb 09, 20 librivox recording of a hero of our time, by mikhail yurevich lermontov. It is an example of the superfluous man novel, noted for its compelling byronic hero pechorin and for the beautiful descriptions of the caucasus. A hero of our time and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Mihail lermontov, a hero of our timethe imaginative. Naturally nabokovs footnote was, as usual, irrelevant, but still, how ridiculous. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov nicholas lezard thinks lermontovs book is perfectly graspable, makes its point quickly and. There are several english translations, including one by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov in 1958. Vladimir nabokov in collaboration with dmitri nabokov perhaps some readers, mihail lermontov writes as his proxyself narrator, will want to know my opinion of pechorins character. Aug 27, 2009 a masterpiece of russian prose, mikhail lermontov s a hero of our time is translated with an introduction and notes by natasha randall, and a foreword by neil labute, author of reasons to be pretty, in penguin modern classics. A hero of our time is divided into five novellas and was written originally in russian.
Apr 03, 2015 a hero of our time is a short novel, told more or less as a series of related short stories. In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antihero lermontov s novel looks forward to the subsequent glories of a. In its adventurous happeningsits abductions, duels, and sexual intriguesa hero of our time looks backward to the tales of sir walter scott and lord byron, so beloved by russian society in the 1820s and 30s. Jun 26, 2010 m ikhail lermontov s a hero of our time demonstrates the peculiar fascination of the byronic antihero. It is a portrait built up of all our generations vices in full bloom. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov translated by martin parker and neil cornwell alma. Sep 11, 2009 nicholas lezard thinks lermontovs book is perfectly graspable, makes its point quickly and without beating about the bush. Doubleday anchor books, 1958 vladimir nabokov said he decided to translate a hero of our time in order to correct what he considered to be inferior previous translations, but other attractions for him might well have been the novels compelling hero and its contentious literary history. A hero of our time hardcover foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov everymans library classics series by mikhail lermontov, vladimir nabokov foreword by, vladimir nabokov translated by, dmitri nabokov translated by, t. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov, translated by vladimir and dimitri nabokov vladimir nabokov said he decided to translate a hero of our time in order to correct what he considered to be inferior previous translations, but other attractions for him might well have been the novels compelling hero and its contentious literary history. A hero of our time is a novel by mikhail lermontov, written in 1839, published in 1840, and revised in 1841. Binyon introduction by everymans library, 97806794271, 224pp. His notes provide a continuous critical commentary on the text and lermontovs powers as a writer, and significantly enhance the enjoyability of this book.
A hero of our time is a short novel, told more or less as a series of related short stories the book is narrated by a man traveling in the southern portion of the russian empirepresent day georgia, chechnya, etc. Lermotovs hero, pechorin, is a dangerous man, byronic in his wasted gifts and his cynicism, and desperate for any kind of action that will stave off. A hero of our time, novel by mikhail lermontov, published in russian in 1840 as geroy nashego vremeni. The first major russian novel, a hero of our time was both lauded and reviled upon publication. Below are quick summaries of each of the sections in the novel. A hero of our time is a literary landmark, the first example of the psychological novel in russia. Hero time by lermontov, first edition abebooks passion for books. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov duallanguage book by mikhail lermontov and alexander vassiliev 1 jun 2010. In a hero of our time, lermontov managed to create a fictional person whose romantic dash to cynicism, tigerlike suppleness and eagle eye, hot blood and cool head, tenderness and taciturnity, elegance and brutality, delicacy of perception and harsh passion to dominate, ruthlessness and awareness of it, are of lasting appeal to readers of all countries and.
Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov by mikhail lermontov, vladimir nabokov translator, dmitri nabokov translator online at alibris. Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri naboko. Were accustomed to seeing book jackets and the opening pages adorned with quips and praise by other authors, newspapers and journals, and if you look through any bookshop, youll be guaranteed that 70% of those books will be described as the. A hero of our time 1840, a set of five loosely linked stories unfolding the drama of the two conflicting characters, pechorin and grushnitsky, who move side by side towards a tragic finale as if driven by destiny itself, proved to be lermontov s magnum opus. In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antiherolermontovs novel. Mikhail lermontov s a hero of our time 1840 is one of the great classics of russian nineteenthcentury literature, is a novel of unique structure, based on a series of short storied held together by a byronic hero, pechorin, whose gifted but embittered nature typified the socalled superfluous men of the 1830s. Its hero, pechorin, is byronic in his wasted gifts, his cynicism, and his desire for any kind of actiongood or illthat will stave off boredom. A hero of our time is a classic work of russian literature written by mikhail lermontov and published in 1840. In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antihero lermontov s novel looks forward to the subsequent glories of a russian literature that it. The preface is the first and at the same time the last thing in any book. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of a hero of our time by mikhail lermontov. A hero of our time is a novel by mikhail lermontov, written in 1839, published in 1840, and. M ikhail lermontovs a hero of our time demonstrates the peculiar fascination of the byronic antihero.
Lermontov is a sleeper by which i mean that he is lesser known and read outside russia than other immortals. Little i knew that lermontov himself was kind of the personification of the byronic hero, like the main character of this book, pechorin, a man made of flesh, bones, arrogance, cynicism and melancholy. A hero of our time mihail lermontov, vladimir nabokov, dmitri nabokov on. The book is a series of five short stories and is written to imply that the stories were collected and told by lermontov himself. The way it is narrated, the way the story is told, is truly unique. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Mikhail yuryevich lermontov, a russian romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called the poet of the caucasus, was the most important russian poet after alexander pushkins death. Mikhail lermontovs a hero of our time demonstrates the peculiar fascination of the byronic antihero.
In the character of its protagonist, pechorinthe archetypal russian antihero lermontov s novel looks forward to the subsequent glories. If one book just isnt enough, you can buy additional credits at any. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. A captive of his own pessimism and that familiar feeling of emptiness and perpetual loss. Its psychologically probing portrait of a disillusioned 19thcentury aristocrat and its use of a nonchronological and fragmented narrative structure influenced fyodor dostoyevsky, leo tolstoy, and other major writers of russian literature. Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov by mikhail yurievich lermontov, vladimir nabokov translator, dmitri nabokov translator online at alibris. Of lasting appeal to readers of all countries and centuries. Librivox recording of a hero of our time, by mikhail yurevich lermontov. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov narrative magazine. Czar nicholas i read the book soon after it was published in 1840 and, according to lermontov scholar emma gershtein, pronounced lermontovs composition the work of a pitiful talent, indicating an author with a disgusting mind. Marion schwartzs translation of lermontov s classic adventure novel captures all the suppleness and wit of lermontov s prose, the fine texture of his descriptions and the galloping rhythm of his narrative passages.
Described as a dangerous man by one of his young female victims, pechorin, the hero of lermontovs novel, outraged many critics with his immortal behaviour when the book was published in 1840. First published in 1840, the novel recounts a series of adventures of the military officer. The novel was published in 1840 and compiles stories of a byronic hero, grigory alexandrovich pechorin, through travellers notes, tales and pechorins personal journals. Mihail lermontov, vladimir nabokov, dmitri nabokov, edward gorey. In its adventurous happenings, its abductions, duels, and sex. A hero of our time by mikhail lermontov contents the authors preface to the 2nd edition bela maksim maksimich introduction to pechorins journal taman princess mary the fatalist the authors preface.
I read hero of our time after pushkins eugene onegin. Lermontovs 19thcentury adventures of a melancholic army officer resonate still in contemporary russian concerns, writes anna winter. Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov by mikhail lermontov jun 30 1992 hardcover 1994 by aa author. Naturally nabokov s footnote was, as usual, irrelevant, but still, how ridiculous. Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov by mikhail lermontov jun 30 1992 hardcover 4. Russian literature did not yet have a tradition of the prose novel, while.
Pechorin definitely is a bad seed and lermontov is able to bring this out very well through his prose characterization. His influence on later russian literature is still felt in modern times, not only through his poetry, but also by his prose. Nabokov has the confidence to correct what he considers obvious errors in the published versions available for translation. A hero of our time 1839 is the only novel written by one of russias greatest romantic poets, mikhail lermontov considered by many to be the russian counterpart of lord byron who died in a duel at the age of 26, leaving behind an unforgettable literary legacy. Outraging many critics when it was first published in 1840, a hero of our time follows pechorin as he embarks on an exciting adventure involving brigands, smugglers, soldiers, rivals, and lovers. Its dissipated hero, twentyfiveyearold pechorin, is a beautiful and magnetic but nihilistic young army officer, bored by life and indifferent to his many sexual conquests. Russian literature did not yet have a tradition of the prose novel, while european printers at the time usually divided novels into separate volumes for convenience and sales. Pechorins chronologically last adventure was first described in the book, showing the events that explain his upcoming fall. Foreword by vladimir nabokov, translation by vladimir nabokov and dmitri nabokov. The first example of the psychological novel in russia, a hero of our time influenced tolstoy, dostoyevsky, and chekhov, and other great nineteenthcentury masters that followed. The work is of exceptional interest to the student of. The book is narrated by a man traveling in the southern portion of the russian empirepresent day georgia, chechnya, etc.