Lermontov's only full-scale novel, which prophetically describes the
duel in which he later lost his own life. The hero of the novel,
Pechorin is an intense individual, a military officer who kidnaps
beautiful daughter of Circassian tribesman and who, according to
Lermantov's own introduction, is a composite portrait, made up of all
the vices which flourish, full grown, amongst the generation of the
time. A timeless classic representing nihilistic aspect of Romanticism.
On July 25, 1841, at Pyatigorsk, fellow soldier Nikolai Martynov, who
had been the butt of Lermontov's jokes, challenged Lermontov to a duel.
The duel took place two days later at the foot of Mashuk mountain.
Lermontov deliberately chose the edge of a precipice for the duel, so
that if either combatant was wounded, he would fall and his fate would
be sealed. Lermontov was killed by Martynov's first shot. Much of his
best verse was posthumously discovered in his pocket-book. This edition
is a new revision aiming to bring English translation as close as
possible to Lermontov's original vision. There has been some confusion
in various English editions containing entries of Pechorin's diary, not
present in Lermontov's original and various other alterations of
Lermnontov's original structure of the novel. This edition has been
compiled after close examination of Russian originals and follows
originally intended structure. This edition is part of a new series of
Romantic writing, aiming to give readers a complete experience of both
classic and contemporary Romantics.
