A Hero of Our Time - Gregoriy Pechorin is No Hero Essay examples -- H

A Hero of Our Time- Gregoriy Pechorin is No HeroIs Pechorin, the protagonist of Mikhail Lermontovs novella A Hero of Our Time an effective man? Much of Pechorins behavior proves him to be a cruel and unresponsive man, who seems to bring barely havoc and destruction to a situation. He is practically aggravating, ego-serving and insensitive to others. However in other instances, Pechorin proves himself to be the least reprehensible character. He shows himself to be a man with great self knowledge and knowledge of pitying behavior. Pechorin can be seen as a dangerous man, who is insensitive and manipulative to others for self-serving reasons to the point of their destruction. Over the way of life of this book, A Hero of Our Time, Pechorin plays a major role, whether intentionally or recklessly, in the cruel destruction of four secondary characters Princess Mary, Grushnitsky, Bela and Maxim Maximych. Pechorin finds entertainment in playing with peoples lives and emotions. Prin cess Mary, the younker beautiful and slightly pompous Moscow princess and Grushnitisky, a young, arrogant, superficial and self-centered cadet, two young people beginning to die in love, are Pechorins victims. The stage is set, Pechorin cries, delighted, to his friend Dr. Werner, Well see if we can supply a denouement for this comedy. Evidently fate means to see that I am not bored.(102-103) Envious of their happiness, particularly Grushnitskys, as well as their utter blindness, Pechorin takes it upon himself to make sure their relationship is obliterated. He uses their individual and human weakness against them. The most manipulated character of this novel is Princess Mary. The majority of her interactions with Pechorin serve only to... ... be truly blamed for his behavior because he is tormented by eyes that seek truth and purity in a botch up and deranged society. Pechorin is a man of contradiction in termss, for he writes honestly to himself, I was natural with a passion for contradiction. My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason. (98) Pechorin is a contradiction within himself. He is a disturbing and dangerous character cloaked behind the innocent facade of a beautiful and heroic young man. His redeeming quality is that he understands this about himself. However it isnt enough. Works Cited and ConsultedBrown, William Edward. ed. hypercritical Essays on Mikhail Lermontov. Boston G. K. Hall & Co., 1997.Lermontov, Mikhail. A Hero of Our Time. Ed. Neil Cornwall. Trans. Martin Parker. Rutland, Vermont Charles E. Tuttle, 1995.