Pecherin is an extra person comparison with Eugene Onegin. Onegin and Pechorin - a comparative analysis
COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF ONEGIN AND PECHORIN
(Advanced people of the 19th century)
My life, where are you coming from and where?
Why is my path so unclear and mysterious to me?
Why am I ignorant of the purpose of labor?
Why am I not the master of my cravings?
Pushkin worked on the novel "Eugene Onegin" for many years, it was his favorite work. Belinsky called in his article "Eugene Onegin" this work "the encyclopedia of Russian life." Indeed, this novel gives a picture of all strata of Russian life: the high society, and the small nobility, and the people - Pushkin studied well the life of all strata of society at the beginning of the 19th century. During the years of the creation of the novel, Pushkin had to endure a lot, lose many friends, experience the bitterness of the death of the best people of Russia. The novel was for the poet, in his words, the fruit of "the mind of cold observations and the heart of sorrowful remarks." The dramatic fate of the best people, the progressive noble intelligentsia of the Decembrist era is shown against the broad background of Russian life pictures.
Without Onegin, Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time would have been impossible, because the realistic novel created by Pushkin opened the first page in the history of the great Russian novel of the 19th century.
Pushkin embodied in the image of Onegin many of those features that were later developed in individual characters of Lermontov, Turgenev, Herzen, Goncharov. Eugene Onegin and Pechorin are very similar in character, both of them are from a secular environment, they received a good upbringing, they are at a higher stage of development, hence their melancholy, blues and dissatisfaction. All this is characteristic of the more subtle and more developed souls. Pushkin writes about Onegin: "The blues were waiting for him on guard, and she ran after him like a shadow or a faithful wife." The secular society in which Onegin moved, and later Pechorin, spoiled them. It did not require knowledge, a superficial education was enough, knowledge of the French language and good manners were more important. Eugene, like everyone else, "danced the mazurka easily and bowed at ease." He spends his best years, like most people of his circle, at balls, theaters and love interests. Pechorin leads the same way of life. Very soon both begin to understand that this life is empty, that there is nothing behind the "external tinsel", boredom, slander, envy reign in the world, people spend the inner strength of the soul on gossip and anger. Petty vanity, empty talk of "necessary fools", spiritual emptiness make the life of these people monotonous, outwardly dazzling, but devoid of inner "content. Idleness, lack of high interests vulgarize their existence. the best get sick with nostalgia. They essentially do not know their homeland and people. Onegin "wanted to write, but hard work was sick to him ...", he also did not find an answer to his questions in books. , but the lack of need for work is the reason that he does not find something to his liking. From this he suffers, realizing that the upper stratum of society lives off the slave labor of serfs. Serfdom was a shame of tsarist Russia. Onegin in the village tried to alleviate the position of his serfs ("... he replaced the old corvée with a light one ..."), for which he was condemned by his neighbors, who considered him an eccentric and dangerous " a freethinker. " Many do not understand Pechorin either. In order to reveal more deeply the character of his hero, Lermontov places him in a variety of social spheres, confronts him with a wide variety of people. When a separate edition of A Hero of Our Time was published, it became clear that there was no Russian realistic novel before Lermontov. Belinsky pointed out that Princess Mary is one of the main stories in the novel. In this story, Pechorin talks about himself, reveals his soul. Here the features of "A Hero of Our Time" as a psychological novel were most clearly manifested. In Pechorin's diary, we find his sincere confession, in which he reveals his thoughts and feelings, mercilessly scourging his inherent weaknesses and vices: Here is given the answer to his character and an explanation of his actions. Pechorin is a victim of his difficult time. Pechorin's character is complex and contradictory. He talks about himself; "There are two people in me: one lives, in the full sense of the word, - the other thinks and judges him." In the image of Pechorin, the character traits of the author himself are visible, but Lermontov was wider and deeper than his hero. Pechorin is closely associated with progressive social thought, but he ranks himself among the pitiful descendants who wander the earth without convictions and pride. "We are not capable of greater sacrifices either for the good of humanity, or for our own happiness," says Pechorin. He lost faith in people, his disbelief in ideas, skepticism and undoubted selfishness - the result of the era that came after December 14, the era of moral decay, cowardice and vulgarity of the secular society in which Pechorin moved. The main task that Lermontov set himself was to sketch the image of a young man of his day. Lermontov poses the problem of a strong personality, so unlike the noble society of the 30s.
Belinsky wrote that "Pechorin is Onegin of our time." The novel "A Hero of Our Time" is a bitter meditation on the "history of the human soul", a soul ruined by the "brilliance of the deceiving capital", seeking and not finding friendship, love, happiness. Pechorin is a suffering egoist. Belinsky wrote about Onegin: "The forces of this rich nature were left without application: life without meaning, and romance without end." The same can be said about Pechorin. Comparing the two heroes, he wrote: "... There is a difference in the roads, but the result is the same." With all the difference in appearance and difference in characters and Onegin; both Pechorin and Chatsky belong to the gallery of "superfluous people for whom there was no place or business in the surrounding society. The desire to find their place in life, to understand the" great purpose "is the main meaning of the novel of Lermontov's lyrics. , lead him to a painful answer to the question: “Why did I live?” This question can be answered with the words of Lermontov. "In Lermontov's lyrics and Pechorin's thoughts we meet a sad admission that people are skinny fruits, ripe for a time. How Pechorin's words that he despises life and Lermontov's words echo," but I despise fate and the world, "therefore in "Hero of Our Time" we so clearly hear the voice of the poet, the breath of his time. Portrayed the fate of their heroes, typical for their generation? Pushkin and Lermontov protest against reality, which forces people to waste energy NS.
In Russian literature of the 19th century, the images of Eugene Onegin and Pechorin became symbols of the era. They combined the typical features of the nobility with outstanding personal qualities, deep intellect and strength of character, which, alas, were not used in the conditions of a deep moral crisis, which became the main sign of the time in the 30s - 40s. Misunderstood in their circle, superfluous, they wasted their energy in vain, and failed to overcome the moral deafness of their contemporaries and the pettiness of public opinion, which was considered the main measure of human values in high society. For all the similarities, Onegin and Pechorin are endowed with bright individual traits, thanks to which modern readers also show interest in these literary heroes.
Pechorin- the protagonist of the novel by M. Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time", a Russian nobleman, an officer who, on duty, found himself in a war zone in the Caucasus. The uncommon personality of this literary hero caused sharp controversy among critics and the hot interest of contemporary readers.
Onegin- the main character of the novel in verse "Eugene Onegin", written by Alexander Pushkin. Onegin belongs to the noble aristocracy. His biography, according to V.G.Belinsky, became an encyclopedia of Russian life in the first half of the 19th century.
What is the difference between Pechorin and Onegin?
Comparison of Pechorin and Onegin
The first chapters of Eugene Onegin were published by A. Pushkin in 1825. Readers met Pechorin in 1840. The insignificant difference in the time of creation of these literary images was still of fundamental importance for the disclosure of their personal qualities, which contemporaries perceived as a reflection of deep social processes.
At the beginning of the novel, Onegin is a secular dandy. He is rich, educated and constantly under the scrutiny of high society. Tired of idleness, Eugene makes an attempt to get down to serious business: reforming the economy he inherited. The novelty of village life turned into boredom for him: the lack of the habit of working gave rise to a blues, and all the undertakings of the learned economist came to naught.
Both characters are representatives of the capital's aristocracy. The heroes received an excellent education and upbringing. Their intelligence level is higher than the average level of those around them. The characters are separated by ten years, but each of them is a representative of its own era. Onegin's life takes place in the twenties, the action of Lermontov's novel takes place in the 30s of the 19th century. The first is under the influence of freedom-loving ideas in the midst of the flourishing of the progressive social movement. Pechorin lives in a period of violent political reactions to the activities of the Decembrists. And if the first could still join the rebels and find a goal, thus giving meaning to his own existence, then the second hero no longer had such an opportunity. This already speaks of the greater tragedy of Lermontov's character.
The drama of Onegin is in the futility of his own strength and the emptyness of the way of life, which was imposed by public opinion and accepted by the hero as a standard, beyond which he did not dare to step. The duel with Lensky, the difficult relationship with Tatyana Larina is a consequence of the deep moral dependence on the opinions of the world, which played a primary role in Onegin's fate.
Pechorin, unlike Onegin, is not so rich and noble. He serves in the Caucasus, in the place of dangerous hostilities, showing miracles of courage, demonstrating endurance and strength of character. But its main feature, repeatedly emphasized in the novel, is the ambiguous contradictoriness of spiritual nobility and selfishness, bordering on cruelty.
The reader learns about Onegin's personality from the narrator's remarks and Tatiana Larina's observations. The narrator and Maxim Maksimych express their opinions about Pechorin. But his inner world is fully revealed in the diary - a bitter confession of a person who has not been able to find his place in life.
Pechorin's diary entries are the philosophy of the Byronic hero. His duel with Grushnitsky is a kind of revenge on secular society for heartlessness and a passion for intrigue.
In opposition to the light, Pechorin, like Onegin, is defeated. Forces without use, life without a goal, inability to love and friendship, secular tinsel instead of serving a high goal - these motives in Eugene Onegin and A Hero of Our Time have a common sound.
Pechorin became a hero of his time: the second half of the 30s of the XIX century, marked by a deep social crisis after the events associated with the Decembrist movement in Russia.
Both characters are highly critical of people and life. Realizing the emptiness and monotony of their existence, they show dissatisfaction with themselves. They are oppressed by the surrounding situation and people mired in slander and anger, envy. Disappointed in society, the heroes fall into melancholy, begin to get bored. Onegin is trying to start writing to satisfy his spiritual needs. But he quickly gets tired of "hard work". Reading also captivates him for a short time. Pechorin, too, quickly gets tired of any business he has begun. However, having got to the Caucasus, Grigory still hopes that there will be no place for boredom under the bullets. But he gets used to military operations very quickly. Lermontov's character was also bored with love adventures. This can be seen in the attitude of Pechorin to Mary and Bela. Having achieved love, Grigory quickly loses interest in the ladies.
A comparative description of Onegin and Pechorin would be incomplete without mentioning the self-criticism of the heroes. The first is tormented by remorse after the duel with Lensky. Onegin is unable to remain in the places where the tragedy happened, drops everything and begins to wander around the world. The hero of Lermontov's novel admits that he has caused a lot of grief to people in his entire life. But, despite this understanding, Pechorin is not going to change himself and his behavior. And Gregory's self-criticism does not bring relief to anyone - neither to himself, nor to those around him. This attitude towards life, himself, people portrays him as a "moral cripple." Despite the differences between Pechorin and Onegin, they both have many similarities. Each of them has a particular ability to understand people well. Both heroes are good psychologists. So, Onegin singled out Tatiana immediately, at the first meeting. Of all the representatives of the local nobility, Eugene became friends only with Lensky. Lermontov's hero also correctly judges the people who meet him on the way. Pechorin gives quite accurate and accurate characteristics to those around him. In addition, Gregory perfectly knows female psychology, can easily predict the actions of women and, using this, wins their love. Comparative characteristics of Onegin and Pechorin allow one to see the true state of the characters' inner worlds. In particular, despite all the misfortunes that each of them caused to people, both of them are capable of bright feelings.
Love in the lives of heroes
Realizing his love for Tatiana, Onegin is ready to do anything in order to just see her. Lermontov's hero immediately rushes after Vera who has left. Pechorin, not having caught up with his beloved, falls in the middle of the path and cries like a child. Pushkin's hero is noble. Onegin is honest with Tatiana and does not think to take advantage of her inexperience. In this, Lermontov's hero is the exact opposite. Pechorin appears as an immoral person, a person for whom the people around him are just toys.
Pechorin and Onegin belong to that social type of the twenties of the nineteenth century, who were called "superfluous" people. “Suffering egoists”, “clever uselessness” - this is how Belinsky figuratively and precisely defined the essence of this type.
So, how are the characters in Pushkin's and Lermontov's works similar and in what ways?
First of all, the heroes of both novels appear before us as historically and socially conditioned human characters. The social and political life of Russia in the twenties of the nineteenth century - the strengthening of political reaction, the decline of the spiritual forces of the young generation - gave rise to a special type of incomprehensible young man of that time.
Onegin and Pechorin combine their origin, upbringing and education: both of them come from wealthy noble families. At the same time, both heroes do not accept much of the secular conventions, they have a negative attitude towards the external secular splendor, lies, and hypocrisy. This is evidenced, for example, by Pechorin's detailed monologue about his "colorless" youth, which "passed in the struggle with himself and the light." As a result of this struggle, he "became a moral cripple", quickly fed up with "all the pleasures that money can get." The same definition is quite applicable to Pushkin's hero: "fun and luxury child", he quickly got tired of the bustle of the world, and "the Russian blues took possession of him little by little."
It unites heroes and spiritual loneliness among the secular "motley crowd". "... My soul is spoiled by the light, my imagination is restless, my heart is insatiable," Pechorin bitterly notes in a conversation with Maxim Maksimych. The same is said about Onegin: “… early feelings in him cooled down; he got bored with the noise of the light. "
Hence, in both works, the idea of escapism arises - the desire of both heroes for solitude, their attempt to remove themselves from society, worldly vanity. This is expressed both in a literal escape from civilization, and in flight from society into the world of inner experiences, "the conditions of light overthrowing the burden." Onegin and Pechorin are also united by the common motive of "wandering without a goal", "the hunt for a change of place" (Pechorin's wanderings in the Caucasus, Onegin's fruitless travels after a duel with Lensky).
Spiritual freedom, which is understood by the heroes as independence from people and circumstances, is the main value in the worldview system of both characters. For example, Pechorin explains his lack of friends by the fact that friendship always leads to the loss of personal freedom: "Of two friends, one is always the slave of the other." The similarity between Onegin and Pechorin is manifested in their identical attitude to love, inability to deep affection:
“We managed to tire of treason;
Friends and friendship are tired. "
Such a perception of the world determines the special significance of the actions of the heroes in the lives of other people: both of them, according to Pechorin's different expressions, play the role of “axes in the hands of fate,” inflicting suffering on people with whom fate confronts them. Lensky dies in a duel, Tatyana suffers; similarly, Grushnitsky dies, Bela dies, good Maxim Maksimych takes offense, the smugglers' way of life is destroyed, Mary and Vera are unhappy.
The heroes of Pushkin and Lermontov are almost equally likely to "take the form", "put on a mask."
Another similarity of these heroes is that they embody a type of intellectual character, which is characterized by an eccentricity of judgments, dissatisfaction with oneself, a tendency to irony - all that is brilliantly defined by Pushkin as a "sharp, chilled mind." In this respect, there is a direct overlap between Pushkin's and Lermontov's novels.
However, there are also clear differences between the characters of these characters and the means of their artistic depiction in both novels.
So what's the difference? If Pechorin is characterized by an unlimited need for freedom and a constant desire to "subjugate what surrounds him to his will," "to arouse feelings of love, devotion and fear", then Onegin does not strive for constant self-affirmation at the expense of other people, takes a more passive position.
Pechorin's worldview is also distinguished by great cynicism, some disdain for people
The difference between Pechorin and Onegin
- Onegin is a literary hero who could devote his life to democratic transformations in society, but due to his personal qualities he became a hostage of the high society.
- Pechorin understands the worthlessness of his own existence and tries to change it: at the end of the novel, he leaves Russia.
- Onegin does not seek to change anything in his fate: all his actions are a consequence of the prevailing circumstances.
- Pechorin is able to objectively assess himself and honestly admit his passions and vices.
- Onegin understands his own imperfection, but is unable to analyze his own actions and their consequences.
(Option 1)
"Eugene Onegin" and "A Hero of Our Time" are the main milestones in the development of Russian literature in the 19th century. These are the best works of two true geniuses of Russia: A.S. Pushkin and M.Yu. Lermontov. The novels amaze readers and literary critics not only by the grandeur of the concept, but also by their innovation. It manifests itself primarily in the disclosure of the images of the two main characters. For the first time, Pushkin wrote a realistic novel in verse. It was like a revolution. The poet was worried about his creation, realizing that not all people can
Appreciate a work ahead of its time. These experiences were not unfounded. Even many of Pushkin's friends could not understand the genius of the concept of the work.
M.Yu. Lermontov went even further in his creative pursuits. The novel he created was not realistic, like Pushkin's, but combined the features of two currents. And this ingenious work was not appreciated by critics and contemporaries.
First of all, the innovation of the two novels lies in the characters new to the literature of that time. Subsequently, this type was called the "superfluous person". This concept implies a romantic, then a realistic image of a young man, a nobleman, intelligent, educated and interesting, but far from real life, disappointed, inactive, alien to his contemporaries. The gallery of these characters is opened by Onegin, followed by Pechorin.
The time of the appearance of such characters is the 1830s, a period of decline. After the uprising of the Decembrists and the accession of Nicholas I, a cruel, reactionary politician, the social life of Russia fell silent for a long time. A new social phenomenon appeared - young people who had everything except happiness and a sense of the importance of their personality. Their sufferings and quests were embodied in novels about Onegin and Pechorin - the heroes of their time.
Despite the apparent dissimilarity of the two works, their plot is structured in the same way: the hero goes through some kind of test, his character is revealed depending on the situation.
Undoubtedly, the main test for both Onegin and Pechorin is the test of love.
Onegin, like Pechorin, at the beginning of the novel appears as a conqueror of other people's hearts, "a fickle adorer of charming actresses." He was not interested in deep feelings, he did not seek love for life, to the grave, but only cynically sought adoration of pretty girls, and, having achieved, quickly abandoned them, not thinking about the suffering caused. It was his cure for boredom.
How early could he be a hypocrite
Conceal hope, be jealous
Reassure, make you believe
To seem gloomy, to languish,
Be proud and obedient
Attentive il indifferent!
In the "science of tender passion" Onegin clearly excelled.
So, Onegin is a life-burner. But now he meets Tatyana. He manages to easily conquer this provincial young lady. She does not shine with beauty, and her soul is darkness for the carminative. And Eugene here just plays the role of a mentor, teaches the girl how to live. But, returning from the trip, having experienced a moral upheaval and purification, he looks at Tatiana with different eyes. Onegin falls in love with her, completely loses his head, and not because Tatyana has changed (in her soul she remained the same), but because profound changes affected Eugene himself, he grew spiritually, became worthy of Tatyana. But Onegin was late, she is married and will be "faithful to him for a century." And this is a graphic illustration of the tragedy of the "superfluous person", his "pitiful lot."
Pechorin repeats the fate of Onegin. He also wanders aimlessly through life, trying to find himself, also for some reason achieves the love of women, and then leaves them. Onegin sees that Tatiana has become his victim, but it's too late. Pechorin could also prevent the tragedies of Bela and Mary, but he did not want to. He played with the fate of Vera, but she turned out to be stronger than him - and here he is, crushed and humiliated, crying about the lost happiness.
In the romantic "Hero of Our Time" there is no single female image. We recognize Tatiana's traits in Bela, in Mary, and in Vera. And thus, the hero's love is more multifaceted and expressive.
The attitude of the heroes to friendship is no less expressively described. Lermontov again lacks unambiguity, Lensky is embodied in Grushnitsky, and in Werner, and even in Maxim Maksimych. However, a comparison between Lensky and Grushnitsky suggests itself. Pechorin and Grushnitsky, too, "there is nothing to do friends." The storyline of a duel over a trifle, a hobby for one loved one for another is also traced in both works.
It is impossible not to mention the moral searches of Onegin and Pechorin, because both of them are involuntarily alien to the upper world, the society to which they should belong. Onegin travels across Russia, Pechorin - across the Caucasus, both are trying in these travels to find the meaning and purpose of their existence. They drag after women, make them suffer, shoot in duels, break the fate of people, without knowing why. As a result, their fate is unenviable.
Both Onegin and Pechorin are real "heroes of the time." They are very similar to each other, and their tragedies are similar. In the whole world there is no refuge for them, they are destined to suffer and seek peace all their lives. This is the lot of superfluous people.
(Option 2)
Probably, starting his novel, Lermontov thought that his main character would remind readers of the existence of Pushkin's Onegin. The undoubted similarity of the images of Eugene Onegin and Grigory Pechorin was noted by one of the first V.G. Belinsky. "Their dissimilarity is much less than the distance between Onego and Pechora ... Pechorin is Onegin of our time," the critic wrote.
The lifespan of the heroes is different. Onegin lived in the era of Decembrism, freethinking, and rebellions. Pechorin is a hero of the era of timelessness. Common to the great works of Pushkin and Lermontov is the image of the spiritual crisis of the noble intelligentsia. The best representatives of this class turned out to be dissatisfied with life, excluded from social activities. They had no choice but to waste their strength aimlessly, turning into "superfluous people."
The formation of characters, the conditions for the upbringing of Onegin and Pechorin, no doubt, are similar. These are people of the same circle. The similarity of the heroes lies in the fact that both of them went from harmony with society and themselves to denial of the light and deep dissatisfaction with life.
"But early feelings in him cooled down", - writes Pushkin about Onegin, who "fell ill" with "Russian blues. Pechorin also very early" ... despair was born, covered with courtesy and a good-natured smile. "
They were well-read and educated people, which placed them above the rest of the young people in their circle. Onegin's education and natural curiosity is revealed in his disputes with Lensky. One list of topics worth:
Tribes of bygone treaties,
The fruits of science, good and evil,
And age-old prejudices,
And the fatal secrets of the grave,
Fate and life ...
Onegin's high education is also evidenced by his extensive personal library. Pechorin, on the other hand, said this about himself: "I began to read, study - they are also tired of science." Possessing remarkable abilities, spiritual demands, both failed to realize themselves in life and wasted it on trifles.
In their youth, both heroes were fond of carefree social life, both succeeded in the "science of tender passion", in the knowledge of "Russian young ladies". Pechorin says about himself: "... getting to know a woman, I always guessed unmistakably whether she would love me ... I never became a slave to a beloved woman, on the contrary, I always acquired an invincible power over their will and heart ... Is that why I never really do anything I treasure ... "Neither the love of the beautiful Bela, nor the serious passion of the young princess Mary could melt the coldness and rationality of Pechorin. He brings only misfortune to women.
The love of the inexperienced, naive Tatiana Larina also leaves Onegin indifferent at first. But later our hero, upon a new meeting with Tatiana, now a secular lady and general, realizes what he has lost in the face of this extraordinary woman. Pechorin, it turns out, is not at all capable of great feeling. In his opinion, "love is jaded pride."
Both Onegin and Pechorin value their freedom. Eugene in his letter to Tatiana writes:
Your hateful freedom
I didn't want to lose.
Pechorin directly declares: "... twenty times my life, I will even put my honor at stake, but I will not sell my freedom."
Indifference to people inherent in both, disappointment and boredom affect their attitude towards friendship. Onegin is friends with Lensky "there is nothing to do". And Pechorin says: "... I am not capable of friendship: of two friends, there is always one slave of the other, although often neither of them admits this to himself; I cannot be a slave, and in this case it is tiring work to command, because at the same time, and to deceive ... "And he demonstrates this in his cold attitude to Maxim Maksimych. The words of the old staff captain sound helpless: "I have always said that there is no point in forgetting old friends! .."
Both Onegin and Pechorin, disillusioned with the life around them, are critical of the empty and idle "secular rabble." But Onegin is afraid of public opinion, accepting Lensky's challenge to a duel. Pechorin, shooting with Grushnitsky, takes revenge on society for unfulfilled hopes. In essence, the same evil trick led the heroes to the duel. Onegin "vowed to enrage Lensky and take revenge" for a boring evening at the Larins'. Pechorin says the following: "I lied, but I wanted to defeat him. I have an innate passion to contradict, my whole life was only a tribute to sad and unsuccessful contradictions to my heart or reason ..."
The tragedy of the feeling of their own uselessness is deepened in both by the understanding of the uselessness of their lives. Pushkin exclaims about this bitterly:
But it's sad to think it's in vain
Youth was given to us,
That they cheated on her every hour
That she deceived us
That our best wishes are
That our fresh dreams
Decayed in quick succession
Like leaves rotten in autumn.
He seems to be echoed by the hero of Lermontov: "My colorless youth passed in the struggle with myself and the light, my best qualities, fearing ridicule, I buried in the depths of my heart: they died there ... Having learned well the light and springs of life, I became a moral cripple."
Pushkin's words about Onegin when
Killing a friend in a duel,
Having lived without a goal, without work
Until twenty six,
Languishing in the inaction of leisure,
he "began wandering without a goal," can be attributed to Pechorin, who also killed his former "friend", and his life continued "without a goal, without work." Pechorin during the trip reflects: "Why did I live? For what purpose was I born?"
Feeling "immense strength in his soul," but wasting them completely in vain, Pechorin seeks death and finds it "from a random bullet on the roads of Persia." At the age of twenty-six, Onegin was also "hopelessly tired of life." He exclaims:
Why am I not pierced by a bullet,
Why am I not a frail old man? ..
Comparing the descriptions of the lives of the heroes, one can be sure that Pechorina is a more active personality with traits of demonism. "To be the cause of suffering and joy for someone, without having any positive right to do so, is not this the sweetest food of our pride?" - says the hero of Lermontov. As a person, Onegin remains a mystery to us. It is not for nothing that Pushkin characterizes him as follows:
A sad and dangerous freak
Creation of hell or heaven,
This angel, this arrogant demon,
What is he? Is it an imitation
An insignificant ghost? ..
Both Onegin and Pechorin are selfish, but thinking and suffering heroes. Despising an idle secular existence, they do not find ways and opportunities to freely, creatively resist it. In the tragic outcomes of the individual fates of Onegin and Pechorin, the tragedy of "superfluous people" is evident. The tragedy of the "superfluous person", in whatever era he appears, is at the same time the tragedy of the society that gave birth to him.
To fully understand the character of the "superfluous person" type, a comparative characteristic of Onegin and Pechorin is necessary. These characters have common features that belonged to the representatives of "extra people", but there are differences in these images.
Similarities
The hero of Pushkin's novel in verse "Eugene Onegin" and the hero of the novel "A Hero of Our Time" by M. Yu. Lermontov, when compared, have many similar traits of character and lifestyle.
Both characters are about the same age, both were born in St. Petersburg and raised in luxury. Onegin and Pechorin own money that allows them to have fun. However, they quickly bore them. Pushkin and Lermontov's heroes feel boredom in society, which makes them different from other nobles.
The similarity between Pechorin and Onegin also lies in the fact that both of them could seduce women. But the women of the heroes quickly got bored, although both paid great attention to them. Freedom was important for Grigory and Eugene, so they did not want to connect their lives with women. The character of Pechorin and Onegin showed a similarity even in some of their actions: the scene of Pechorin's refusal to feel Princess Mary resembles Onegin's explanation with Tatyana Larina. And Pechorin's meeting with Vera in the Caucasus, which revived the hero's feelings, is similar to Onegin's meeting with Tatyana in St. Petersburg.
Neither Pechorin nor Onegin had real friends, because they did not know how to appreciate other people. Eugene Onegin has a friend Vladimir Lensky, whom he kills in a duel. Pechorin kills Grushnitsky, whom he did not love from the very beginning, but with whom he communicated as a friend. Pechorin was indifferent to the meeting with his old friend Maksim Maksimych.
By their nature, the characters in the novels of A.S. Pushkin and M. Yu. Lermontov were selfish, which leads them to an unhappy life. They cannot find themselves in life. Pechorin and Onegin are not understood by their environment, they are "superfluous" people. These two characters were alone in the crowd.
Pechorin and Onegin are really similar to each other, which is why VG Belinsky calls the central character of the novel "A Hero of Our Time" "Onegin of our time."
Differences
Despite the fact that there are many similarities between Pechorin and Onegin, they have the main difference: their attitude to their own life. Eugene Onegin is bored, but does not look for himself in life, he does not see the true reasons for his behavior. Grigory Pechorin, on the other hand, constantly emphasizes that he is a selfish nature who lives only for himself. He understands why he cannot find happiness with women, why he cannot find his place in life. However, unlike Eugene Onegin, he is trying to find new hobbies that could turn a simple existence into real life.
M. Yu. Lermontov uses the method of psychologism in his novel "A Hero of Our Time", the reader sees the thoughts and experiences of the protagonist. The basis of Pechorin's outpourings is his diary. There are no diary entries in Eugene Onegin, but there are books with Onegin's remarks, which Tatyana finds, but the reader cannot see the hero's true thoughts from these pencil sketches.
table
In order to most clearly show the general and different features of Pechorin and Onegin, we present a table.
Similarities |
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Representatives of the secular society |
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Bored by society |
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Bored women |
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Rejection of marriage |
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Love for freedom |
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Similarity of actions |
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Lack of real friends |
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Loneliness in the crowd |
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"Extra people" |
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Understands his own self |
Doesn't think about his own life |
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Seeks new emotions from life |
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Trying to find herself in life |
Doesn't try to find his place in life |
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Psychologism |
Lack of psychologism |
This article, which will help write the essay "Comparative characteristics of Onegin and Pechorin", will consider the main similarities and differences between the heroes of the novel in the poems "Eugene Onegin" by A. Pushkin and the novel "A Hero of Our Time" by M. Yu. Lermontov and formulate the conclusion in the form comparison table.
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