About
Mikhail Lermontov, born in Moscow in 1814, is a major figure of Russian Romanticism. Orphaned of his mother at a young age, he was raised by his maternal grandmother. After studying at Moscow University and the School of Guards Sergeants and Cavalry Cadets in Saint Petersburg, he gained fame in 1837 with his poem 'The Death of the Poet', written in homage to Pushkin, which led to his first exile to the Caucasus. His novel 'A Hero of Our Time' (1840) is considered the first Russian psychological novel. He died in a duel in Pyatigorsk in 1841, at the age of 26.
* 1814-10-03 — † 1841-07-15
Major works
- Un héros de notre temps (1840)novel
- Le Démon (1842)narrative poem
- La Mort du poète (1837)poem
- Borodino (1837)poem
- Mascarade (1835)verse play
Key milestones
- 1837His poem 'The Death of the Poet' on Pushkin's death brings him national fame and leads to his first exile to the Caucasus.
- 1840Publication of 'A Hero of Our Time', considered the first Russian psychological novel.
- 1841Killed in a duel in Pyatigorsk at the age of 26.
Themes
RomanticismCaucasusRomantic heroFate and fatalitySolitude
Sources: britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org · oxfordreference.com
