Description of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky. The composition of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky analysis of the episode of the scene. Is there friendship between Pechorin and Grushnitsky

DUEL IN M.YU. LERMONTOV "HERO OF OUR TIME"

Grushnitsky before the duel could read books, write love poems, if he had not turned into a nonentity. That Grushnitsky, who wore a soldier's overcoat and made romantic speeches, could read Schiller and write poetry ... But that Grushnitsky would actually be ready to shoot himself, to risk his life. And this Grushnitsky, who accepted Pechorin's challenge, is deceiving, he has nothing to fear, nothing to worry about for his life: only his pistol will be loaded ... Whether his conscience tormented him on the night before the duel, we do not know. He will appear before us, ready to fire.

Lermontov does not talk about Grushnitsky. But he forces Pechorin to write down in detail what he thought and felt: “Ah! Mr. Grushnitsky! Your hoax will not succeed ... we will switch roles: now I will have to look for signs of secret fear on your pale face. Why do you yourself appointed these fatal six steps? Do you think that I will turn my forehead to you without a dispute ... but we will cast lots! ... and then ... then ... what if his happiness outweighs? if my star finally betrays me ?.."

So, Pechorin's first feeling is the same as Grushnitsky's: a desire for revenge. "Let's switch roles", "the hoax will fail" - that's what he cares about; he is driven by rather petty motives; he, in essence, continues his game with Grushnitsky, and nothing more; he brought it to its logical end. But this end is dangerous; life is at stake and, above all, his, Pechorin, life!

"Well? To die like this is to die: a small loss for the world; and I myself am quite bored..."

I run through my memory of all my past and involuntarily ask myself: why did I live? for what purpose was I born?

Pechorin more than once referred to fate, which takes care that he is not bored and sends him Grushnitsky for entertainment, brings him together with Vera in the Caucasus, uses him as an executioner or an ax - but he is not such a person to submit fate he himself directs his life, he manages himself and other people.

He "loved for himself, for his own pleasure ... and could never get enough." Therefore, on the night before the duel, he is alone, "and not a single creature will remain on earth that would understand him" if he is killed. He draws a terrible conclusion: "After this, is it worth the trouble to live? But you still live - out of curiosity; you expect something new ... Ridiculous and annoying!"

Pechorin's diary ends on the night before the duel. The last entry was made a month and a half later, in fortress N. "Maxim Maksimych went hunting ... gray clouds covered the mountains to the soles; the sun seems to be a yellow spot through the fog. It's cold, the wind whistles and shakes the hundred. It's boring."

How different this dreary landscape is from the one with which Pechorin's diary opened: "branches of blossoming cherries", bright motley colors; "the air is fresh and clean, like the kiss of a child"; there the mountains turned blue, their peaks were like a silver chain - here they are covered with gray clouds; there the wind strewed the table with white petals - here it "whistles and shakes the shutters"; there it was "fun to live" - ​​here it was "boring"!

Still not knowing about the details of the duel, we already know the main thing: Pechorin is alive. He is in the fortress - what could he have come here for, if not the tragic outcome of the duel? We already guess: Grushnitsky is killed. But Pechorin does not say this right away, he mentally returns to the night before the duel: "I thought of dying; it was impossible: I have not yet drained the cup of suffering and now I feel that I still have a long time to live."

On the night before the duel, he "did not sleep for a minute", could not write, "then sat down and opened the novel by Walter Scott ... it was The Scottish Puritans"; he "read at first with effort, then forgot, carried away by magical fiction. .."

But as soon as it dawned, and his nerves calmed down, he again submits to the worst in his character: “I looked in the mirror; a dull pallor covered my face, which kept traces of painful insomnia; but my eyes, although surrounded by a brown shadow, shone proudly and inexorably. I was satisfied , yourself".

Everything that tormented and secretly disturbed him at night is forgotten. He prepares for the duel soberly and calmly: "... having ordered the horses to be saddled... he got dressed and ran to the bath... he came out of the bath fresh and cheerful, as if he was going to a ball."

Werner (Pechorin's second) is excited about the upcoming fight. Pechorin speaks to him calmly and mockingly; even to his second, his friend, he does not reveal "secret restlessness"; as always, he is cold and smart, prone to unexpected conclusions and comparisons: "Try to look at me as a patient obsessed with a disease that is still unknown to you ...", "Waiting for a violent death, isn't it already a real disease?"

Alone with himself, he is again the same as on the first day of his stay in Pyatigorsk: a natural, life-loving person. This is how he sees nature on the way to the duel site:

“I don’t remember a bluer and fresher morning! The sun barely emerged from behind the green peaks, and the merging of the first warmth of its rays with the dying coolness of the night inspired some kind of sweet languor . The joyful has not penetrated into the gorge yet a ray of a young day..."

Everything that he sees on the way to the place of the duel pleases, amuses, revives him, and he is not ashamed to admit it: "I remember - this time, more than ever before, I loved nature. How curiously I peered into every dewdrop that fluttered on a wide grape leaf and reflected millions of rainbow rays! how greedily my gaze tried to penetrate the smoky distance!

But all this joy, greedy enjoyment of life, delight, exclamations - all this is hidden from prying eyes. Werner, who is riding nearby, cannot imagine what Pechorin is thinking about:

"We drove in silence.

Have you written your will? asked Werner suddenly.

What if you are killed?

The heirs will find themselves.

Do you really have no friends to whom you would like to send your last forgiveness? ..

I shook my head."

Before the duel, he even forgot about Vera; he does not need any of the women who loved him now, in moments of complete spiritual loneliness. Starting his confession, he said: "Do you want, doctor... that I reveal my soul to you?" He does not deceive, he really reveals his soul to Werner. But the fact is that the soul of a person is not something immovable, its state changes, a person can look at life differently in the morning and in the evening of the same day.

In "Eugene Onegin" all the participants in the duel were serious. Lensky seethed with "impatient enmity"; Onegin, inwardly tormented, understood, however, that he did not have the courage to refuse a duel; Onegin's second, Guillot's lackey, was frightened; Lensky's second, Zaretsky, "a classic and a pedant in duels," enjoyed the ritual of preparing for a duel "according to the strict rules of art, according to all the legends of antiquity." Zaretsky is disgusting, hateful to us, but even he begins to look almost like a noble knight, if we compare him with Grushnitsky's second, the captain of the dragoons. Lermontov's contempt for this man is so great that he did not even give him a name: enough of his rank!

The duel in "Princess Mary" is unlike any duel known to us from Russian literature. Pierre Bezukhov shot with Dolokhov, Grinev with Shvabrin, and even Bazarov with Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov - without deceit. A duel is a terrible, tragic way of resolving disputes, and its only merit is that it presupposes absolute honesty on both sides. Any tricks during a duel covered with indelible shame the one who tried to cheat.

The duel in "Princess Mary" is unlike any duel known to us, because it is based on a dishonest conspiracy of a dragoon captain.

Of course, the dragoon captain does not even think that this duel could end tragically for Grushnitsky: he himself loaded his pistol and did not load Pechorin's pistol. But, probably, he does not even think about the possibility of Pechorin's death. Assuring Grushnitsky that Pechorin would certainly chicken out, the dragoon captain himself believed this. He has one goal: to have fun, present Pechorin as a coward and thereby disgrace him. Remorse of conscience is unknown to him, the laws of honor too.

Everything that happens before the duel reveals the complete irresponsibility and stupid self-confidence of the dragoon captain. He is convinced that events will go according to his plan. But they unfold differently and, like any self-satisfied person, having lost power over events, the captain is lost and powerless.

However, when Pechorin and Werner joined their opponents, the dragoon captain was still sure that he was directing the comedy.

We've been expecting you for a long time,' said the dragoon captain with an ironic smile.

I took out my watch and showed it to him.

He apologized, saying his watch was running out."

While waiting for Pechorin, the captain, apparently, had already told his friends that Pechorin was scared, he would not come - such an outcome of the case would have completely satisfied him. But Pechorin arrived. Now, according to the laws of behavior in duels, the seconds were supposed to start with an attempt at reconciliation. The dragoon captain broke this law, Werner did it.

“It seems to me,” he said, “that, having shown both of you a readiness to fight, and having thereby paid the debt to the conditions of honor, you could, gentlemen, explain yourself and end this matter amicably.

I'm ready," Pechorin said.

"The captain winked at Grushnitsky"... The role of the captain in a duel is much more dangerous than it might seem. He not only came up with and carried out a conspiracy. He personifies the very public opinion that will expose Grushnitsky to ridicule and contempt if he refuses to duel.

Throughout the scene leading up to the duel, the dragoon captain continues to play his dangerous role. Then he "winked at Grushnitsky", trying to convince him that Pechorin was a coward - and therefore ready for reconciliation. That "took him by the arm and took him aside; they whispered for a long time ..."

If Pechorin had actually become cowardly, this would have been a salvation for Grushnitsky: his pride would have been satisfied, and he could not have fired at an unarmed man. Grushnitsky knows Pechorin well enough to understand: he does not admit that he was at Mary's last night, he will not refuse the assertion that Grushnitsky slandered. And yet, like any weak person who finds himself in a difficult situation, he is waiting for a miracle: suddenly something will happen, save, help out ...

The miracle doesn't happen. Pechorin is ready to abandon the duel - provided that Grushnitsky publicly renounces his slander. To this the weak man replies: "We will shoot ourselves."

This is how Grushnitsky signs his sentence. He does not know that Pechorin is aware of the plot of the dragoon captain, and does not think that he is endangering his life. But he knows that with three words: "We will shoot ourselves" - cut off his way to honest people. From now on, he is a dishonorable person.

Pechorin once again tries to appeal to Grushnitsky's conscience: he recalls that one of the opponents "will certainly be killed." Grushnitsky replies: "I wish it were you..."

"But I'm so sure of the opposite ...", - says Pechorin, deliberately burdening Grushnitsky's conscience.

If Pechorin had spoken to Grushnitsky in private, he could have achieved repentance or a refusal to duel. That inner, inaudible conversation that goes on between opponents could take place; Pechorin's words reach Grushnitsky: "there was some kind of uneasiness in his eyes," "he became embarrassed, blushed" - but this conversation did not take place because of the dragoon captain.

Pechorin is passionately immersed in what he calls life. He is fascinated by intrigue, conspiracy, the intricacies of the whole thing ... The dragoon captain set up his net, hoping to catch Pechorin. Pechorin discovered the ends of this network and took them into his own hands; he tightens the net more and more, and the dragoon captain and Grushnitsky do not notice this. The conditions of the duel, worked out the day before, are cruel: shoot at six paces. Pechorin insists on even more severe conditions: he chooses a narrow platform on top of a sheer cliff and demands that each of the opponents stand on the very edge of the platform: "in this way, even a slight wound will be fatal ... The one who will be wounded, will surely fly down and shatter into smithereens..."

Still, Pechorin is a very courageous person. After all, he is in mortal danger and at the same time knows how to control himself in such a way that he still has time to see the tops of the mountains, which "crowded ... like an innumerable herd, and Elborus in the south," and the golden fog ... Only going to the edge of the platform and looking down, he involuntarily betrays his excitement: “... it seemed dark and cold down there, as in a coffin; mossy teeth rocks thrown down by a thunderstorm and time were waiting for their prey" .

He admits this only to himself. Outwardly, he is so calm that Werner had to feel his pulse - and only then could he notice signs of excitement in him.

Having risen to the platform, the opponents "decided that the one who had to meet the enemy fire first would stand at the very corner, with his back to the abyss; if he was not killed, then the opponents would change places." Pechorin does not say who this proposal belonged to, but we can easily guess: one more condition that makes the duel hopelessly cruel is put forward by him.

A month and a half after the duel, Pechorin frankly admits in his diary that he deliberately put Grushnitsky before a choice: kill an unarmed man or dishonor himself. Understands Pechorin and more; in Grushnitsky's soul "vanity and weakness of character should have triumphed!.."

Pechorin's behavior can hardly be called completely noble, because he always has double, contradictory aspirations: on the one hand, he seems to be preoccupied with the fate of Grushnitsky, wants to force him to abandon the dishonorable act, but, on the other hand, Pechorin is most concerned about his own conscience, from which he pays off in advance in case the irreparable happens and Grushnitsky turns from a conspirator into a victim.

It fell to Grushnitsky to shoot first. And Pechorin continues to experiment; he says to his opponent: "... if you do not kill me, then I will not miss! - I give you my word of honor." This phrase again has a double purpose: once again to test Grushnitsky and once again to calm his conscience, so that later, if Grushnitsky is killed, say to himself: I am clean, I warned ...

Grushnitsky, of course, does not guess about this second meaning of Pechorin's words; he has another concern. Exhausted by conscience, "he blushed; he was ashamed to kill an unarmed man ... but how to confess to such a vile intent? .."

That's when Grushnitsky becomes sorry: why did Pechorin and the dragoon captain confuse him so much? Why should he pay such a high price for pride and selfishness - how many people live in this world, possessing the worst shortcomings, and do not find themselves in such a tragic dead end as Grushnitsky!

We forgot about Werner. And he's here. He knows everything that Pechorin knows, but Werner cannot understand his plan. First of all, he does not have the courage of Pechorin, cannot comprehend Pechorin's determination to stand at gunpoint. In addition, he does not understand the main thing: why? For what purpose does Pechorin risk his life?

"It's time," whispered ... the doctor ... Look, he's already loading ... if you don't say anything, then I myself ... "

Werner's reaction is natural: he seeks to prevent tragedy. After all, Pechorin is primarily exposed to danger, because Grushnitsky will be the first to shoot!

"Not for anything in the world, doctor!.. What business is it of yours? Maybe I want to be killed..."

In response to such a statement by Pechorin, he says:

"Oh! this is different! .. just don't complain about me in the next world."

Every person - and a doctor in particular - has no right to allow either murder or suicide. A duel is another matter; they had their own laws, in our modern view, monstrous, barbaric; but Werner, of course, could not and should not interfere with a fair duel. In the same case that we see, he acts unworthily: he evades the necessary intervention - from what motives? So far, we understand one thing: Pecho-rin turned out to be stronger here too. Werner submitted to his will in the same way that everyone else submits.

And so Pechorin "stood at the corner of the site, firmly resting his left foot on a stone and leaning forward a little, so that in case of a slight wound he would not tip back." Grushnitsky began to raise his pistol...

“Suddenly he lowered the muzzle of his pistol and, turning as pale as a sheet, turned to his second.

Coward! replied the captain.

The shot rang out."

Again - the dragoon captain! For the third time, Grushnitsky was ready to succumb to the voice of conscience - or, perhaps, to the will of Pechorin, which he feels, which he is accustomed to obey - he was ready to abandon the dishonest plan. And for the third time, the dragoon captain was stronger. Whatever Pechorin's motives, here on the site, he represents honesty, and the dragoon captain - meanness. Evil turned out to be stronger, the shot rang out.

The weak man was aiming at Pechorin's forehead. But his weakness is such that, having decided on a dirty deed, he does not have the strength to bring it to the end. Raising the pistol for the second time, he fired, no longer aiming, the bullet scratched Pechorin's knee, he managed to retreat from the edge of the platform.

Be that as it may, he continues to play his comedy and behaves so disgustingly that you involuntarily begin to understand Pechorin: barely holding back from laughter, he says goodbye to Grushnitsky: “Hug me ... we won’t see each other again! .. Don’t be afraid ... everything nonsense in the world! .. "When Pechorin tries to appeal to Grushnitsky's conscience for the last time, the dragoon captain intervenes again: "Mr. Pechorin! .. you are not here to confess, let me tell you ..."

But it seems to me that at this moment the words of the dragoon captain no longer matter. Conscience no longer torments Grushnitsky; he, perhaps, keenly regrets that he did not kill Pechorin; Grushnitsky is crushed, destroyed by mocking contempt, he only wants one thing: for everything to end soon, Pechorin's shot rang out - a misfire, and to be left alone with the consciousness that the plot had failed, Pechorin won, and he, Grushnitsky, was disgraced.

And at that moment Pechorin finishes him off: "Doctor, these gentlemen, probably in a hurry, forgot to put a bullet in my pistol: I ask you to load it again, and well!"

Only now it becomes clear to Grushnitsky; Pechorin knew everything! He knew when he offered to give up slander. Knew, standing at the muzzle of a gun. And just now, when he advised Grushnitsky to "pray to God," he asked if his conscience was saying anything - he also knew!

The dragoon captain is trying to continue his line: shouting, protesting, insisting. Grushnitsky doesn't care anymore. "Confused and gloomy," he does not look at the captain's signs.

At the first minute, he probably cannot even realize what Pechorin's statement brings him; he experiences only a feeling of hopeless shame. Later he will understand: Pechorin's words mean not only shame, but also death.

There is nothing unexpected in the behavior of the dragoon captain: he was so bold and even arrogant until there was danger! But as soon as Pechorin suggested that he "shoot on the same conditions," he " hesitated," and when he saw a loaded pistol in Pechorin's hands, he "spit and stamped his foot."

The captain immediately understands what it means for Grushnitsky a loaded pistol in the hands of Pechorin, and speaks of this with rude frankness: "... stab yourself like a fly ..." He leaves the one who until recently was called his "true friend", in a moment of mortal danger and dares only to "mutter" words of protest.

What was left for him to do? Of course, shoot with Pechorin on the same terms. He started the whole business; now that the plot has been revealed, it is the captain who must bear responsibility for it. But he avoids responsibility.

Pechorin is trying for the last time to prevent the tragedy:

"Grushnitsky," I said, "there's still time. Give up your slander, and I'll forgive you everything; you didn't manage to fool me, and my pride is satisfied—remember, we were once friends."

But Grushnitsky just cannot bear this: Pechorin's calm, benevolent tone humiliates him even more - again Pechorin won, took over; he is noble, and Grushnitsky...

“His face flushed, his eyes sparkled.

Shoot! he answered. “I despise myself, but I hate you. If you don't kill me, I'll stab you around the corner at night. There is no place for us on earth...

Finita la comedia! I said to the doctor.

He did not answer and turned away in horror.

Comedy turned tragedy. But don't you think that Werner behaves no better than the dragoon captain? At first, he did not keep Pechorin when he became under a bullet. Now that the murder had been committed, the doctor had turned away from responsibility.

At the center of Lermontov's novel "The Hero of Our Time" is the problem of the individual, the "hero of the time", who, while absorbing all the contradictions of his era, is at the same time in deep conflict with society and the people around him. This conflict determines the figurative system of the work. All characters are grouped around the main character - Pechorin, and, entering into various relationships with him, help to highlight one or another trait of his personality.

By nature, Pechorin is a romantic of the Byronic type. He, a bright, strong and extremely controversial personality, stands out from the background of all other heroes and is himself aware of his originality, despising other people and trying to make them toys in his hands. Interestingly, in the eyes of those around him, he also appears in the halo of a romantic hero, but the attitude towards him is ambiguous.

All this is manifested in the relationship between Pechorin and Grushnitsky, depicted in the chapter "Princess Mary". Grushnitsky is the antipode of Pechorin. He. the personality is quite ordinary and ordinary, he tries with all his might to look like a romantic, an unusual person. As Pechorin ironically remarks, "his goal is to become the hero of the novel."

From the point of view of revealing the character of the "hero of time", Grushnitsky's pseudo-romanticism emphasizes the depth of the tragedy of the true romantic - Pechorin. On the other hand, the development of their relationship is determined by the fact that Pechorin despises Grushnitsky, laughs at his romantic pose, which causes irritation and anger of the young man, who at first looks at him with delight. All this leads to the development of a conflict between them, which is aggravated by the fact that Pechorin, courting Princess Mary and seeking her favor, finally discredits Grushnitsky.

All this leads to their open clash, which ends in a duel. This scene is very important both for understanding the character of Pechorin and for the general concept of the novel. It brings to mind another duel scene - from Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin". This is not surprising: if Belinsky called Pechorin "The Onegin of our time", then Grushnitsky is often compared with Lensky. There are quite sufficient grounds for this.

Lensky and Grushnitsky are a type of romantic, who takes, first of all, the outward side of romanticism - demeanor, enthusiastic speech, style of dress - which immediately raises doubts about its authenticity. Both young men admire their older comrade (respectively, Onegin and Pechorin), listen to his judgments, and then, angry with him because of courting a girl who was for them the subject of a romantic passion and further love, they challenge him to a duel. Both are killed in a duel. But, perhaps, it is the difference in this scene that most clearly expresses the difference between these two images and their place in each of the novels.

Lensky's duel, no matter how insignificant its cause may seem, is serious and truly tragic. Lensky, carried away by his imagination, is actually ready to lay down his life for the honor of his beloved. He boldly goes to the end and dies, defending his own, albeit not quite legitimate, view of life. He is certainly an honest and noble person, and his death causes sincere regret and sympathy for the author and readers. Pushkin notes that, “perhaps even that: a lot awaited the poet / Ordinary,” that is, the outer side of his romanticism could disappear over time, exposing a completely ordinary nature. But at the same time, the author does not exclude the possibility that Lensky's romanticism could be truly serious and reflect the true originality of his personality.

Grushnitsky's duel is a dirty game from start to finish. Together with the dragoon captain, even before the open clash with Pechorin, he decided to “teach him a lesson” by exposing a coward in front of everyone. But already in this scene, it is obvious to the reader that Grushnitsky himself is a coward, who agrees to the vile offer of the dragoon captain to leave the pistols unloaded. Pechorin accidentally learns about this conspiracy and decides to seize the initiative: now he, and not his opponents, is leading the party, planning to check not only the measure of meanness and cowardice of Grushnitsky, but also entering into a kind of duel with his own fate.

Werner informs Pechorin that the opponents' plans have changed: now they are planning to load one pistol. And then Pechorin decides to put Grushnitsky in such conditions that he had no choice but to either admit himself to everyone as a scoundrel, revealing a conspiracy, or become a real killer. After all, the possibility of simply satisfying one’s revenge by slightly wounding Pechorin and not endangering himself at the same time was now excluded: Pechorin demanded that the duel be held on the edge of a cliff and shoot in turn. Under such conditions, even a slight wound of the enemy became fatal.

Obviously, compared with the duel between Lensky and Onegin, the situation here is much more acute. There, the outcome of the duel is to some extent predetermined only by the fact that Onegin, an experienced person in such matters, has an advantage over a young and inexperienced opponent, moreover, who is still in an extremely nervous state. And yet for Onegin the death of a friend is an unexpected and terrible blow. In the future, we will learn that it was this story that became for Onegin the beginning of a radical revision of his life positions, which led to the rejection of romantic individualism and opened the way to true love.

In Lermontov, for all the importance of its ideological and compositional role, the scene of Pechorin's duel with Grushnitsky, obviously, cannot be considered as the central episode of the entire novel, although in this chapter it is, to some extent, such. But it cannot be said in any way that this story changed Pechorin's life in significant ways, influenced the change in his character and internal appearance. As a result of a duel with Grushnitsky, Pechorin finds himself in a remote fortress, the story of which opens the novel (the story "Bela"). So by the time the events in "Princess Mary" take place, the reader is already well aware that there, in the fortress, Pechorin remained the same as here. The duel for him is just one of the arguments in his constant dispute with the people around him, with himself and his destiny.

The problem of fate in the novel is the most important, its final solution will be presented only in the final part - the philosophical story "The Fatalist". But the question of fate is raised one way or another in other parts of it. In the duel scene, Pechorin also decides to try his luck: “What if his happiness outweighs? If my star finally cheats on me? he thinks on the eve of the duel. - And no wonder: for so long she served faithfully to my whims; there is no more constancy in heaven than on earth.” As later in The Fatalist, Pechorin suggests trusting fortune: he and Grushnitsky cast lots on who to shoot first. And happiness smiled at the enemy.

But Pechorin's dispute continues. He still has time to change everything - just say that he knows about the conspiracy. That is what his second, Dr. Werner, expects from him. But Pechorin wants to test Grushnitsky, in whom conflicting feelings struggle: shame to kill an unarmed man and repentance, fear of confessing meanness and at the same time fear of death. Pechorin, despite the mortal danger that threatens him, looks at the poor young man with curiosity, like a guinea pig. After all, he deliberately set up an "experiment" to test human nature: what is more in it - meanness, anger and fear, or repentance and good impulses. “For a minute it seemed to me that he would throw himself at my feet,” Pechorin thinks of Grushnitsky, who is about to shoot. At some point, it seems that conscience and good principles can prevail in him: “I can’t,” he said in a hollow voice. But the cry of the dragoon captain - "coward!" - returns everything to its place: Grushnitsky is used to posing and cannot change his habit: he shoots and almost kills Pechorin, because he wounds him in the knee.

Then it's up to Pechorin. If earlier he tried to understand the psychology of Grushnitsky's actions, now his subtle analytical mind, as if under a microscope, examines all the smallest movements of his own soul. What is in it: “and the annoyance of offended pride, and contempt, and malice”? The hero cannot explain this complex feeling to himself.

But Grushnitsky's trial continues. Pechorin once again invites him to abandon the slander and ask for forgiveness. Why does he need it? I think, not only - for the "purity of the experiment." A little earlier, Pechorin, giving the opportunity to cast lots, thinks that the "spark of generosity" that could wake up in Grushnitsky will certainly be defeated by "vanity and weakness of character." He, a connoisseur of human souls, who studied Grushnitsky perfectly, was not mistaken in this. But there is another argument concerning him: "I wanted to give myself every right not to spare him, if fate had mercy on me." And then he strictly observes these "conditions with his conscience", concluded here.

After Pechorin demands to load the pistol, he appeals to Grushnitsky for the last time: "Give up your slander, and I will forgive you everything ... remember - we were once friends." What is it: a sincere desire to peacefully end the quarrel or something else? If we take into account Pechorin's very specific attitude towards friendship (in fact, he does not believe in it, and even more so it is problematic to talk about friendship with Grushnitsky), as well as his views on enemies (“I love enemies, but not in a Christian way”), then we can draw the following conclusion. Pechorin was already convinced of Grushnitsky's weakness, he had already exposed him as a complete scoundrel and a coward in front of everyone, and now the fight against him had become uninteresting for him: the enemy turned out to be too insignificant. And then Pechorin, pulling the necessary strings, like a puppeteer, achieves to have a real enemy in front of him: “Shoot! shouts Grushnitsky. “... There is no place for us on earth together...” These are no longer just the words of despair of a scared boy to death. And Pechorin kills Grushnitsky in cold blood, concluding the scene just played out with the words: "Finita la commedia." A comedy, but one in which real people play, not actors, and they die for real. Truly a brutal comedy!

And how does its director feel? “I had a stone in my heart,” Pechorin notes. Even nature, with which he, unlike people, did not have contradictions, and she seems to condemn him: “The sun seemed dim to me, its rays did not warm me.” It is no coincidence that the whole scene is framed by the landscape: the beautiful description of the "blue and fresh" morning at the beginning shows the only thing that is truly dear to the romantic hero: "This time, more than ever before, I loved nature." The description of the place of the duel on the rock and the gloomy abyss below also fully corresponds to the spirit and mood of the hero. And having left after the duel far from people and riding a horse through unfamiliar places until evening, Pechorin regains peace of mind. The romantic remained a romantic: a person’s life is worth nothing for him compared to the power and beauty of nature, and his own individuality will always be more significant and more important than everything that concerns others: “What do I care about human joys and misfortunes! ..” - this the position of the hero remained unchanged.

Can you justify her? The author does not hide his ambivalent attitude towards his hero, but he is a romantic himself and, probably, for him, in some ways, Pechorin's behavior was, if not closer, then at least clearer than to us. Maybe he himself decided at one time to put on such an "experiment" with his old friend Martynov? But life turned out to be more cruel to its hero - Martynov's bullet pierced right through the heart of the poet. Such is the tragic ending of the duel that stretched the thread from the artistic world of the novel to the real world.

"Princess Mary", the head of Lermontov's work "The Hero of Our Time", tells us about the vain human passions, heartlessness, irresponsibility, and finally - the immorality of the contemporary author's society.

The protagonist of the work, a man endowed with a sharp mind and inner nobility, used them for insignificant entertainment, which the language does not dare to call innocent. He himself looks "on the sufferings and joys of others ... as food that supports my spiritual strength." Largely due to this “energy vampirism”, the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky took place. Analysis of the episode, as well as all previous events, allows us to come to this conclusion.

Grushnitsky's character

The dynamics of the development of relations between these characters is one of the main ones in the story. The author shows the reader a short way from hostility to hatred, from stupidity to meanness, from narcissism to aggression. Before starting an analysis of the duel, it is necessary to understand what made the young people take up arms.

So, in Pyatigorsk, on the waters, two people meet. They do not like each other, but at the same time maintain friendly relations. Pechorin despises Grushnitsky. In his opinion, he is stupid, pompous, little capable of sincere feeling. The whole life of a young cadet is a pretense, even the soldier's overcoat, which he wears, following the new Caucasian fashion, means nothing, because soon the young man will be promoted to officer.

Personality Pechorin

Everything that Grushnitsky is trying to demonstrate, Pechorin possesses. And disappointment in life, and a rich past, and power over a woman's heart. In principle, the analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky should indeed begin with a description of the opponents.

There is no positive hero in this work, although the character on whose behalf the narration is being conducted still looks preferable. Pechorin, at least undeniably, is smart and able not to lie at least to himself. And this quality is generally quite rare in people.

The protagonist's habit of constantly dissecting his own feelings may have played a cruel joke on him somewhere. He himself admits that his personality is bifurcated: one Pechorin lives, the other closely watches him. I must say that he copes with this task perfectly, not sparing his "alter ego" even a bit. It is not surprising that those around them become the object of equally unfriendly attention.

In every person, Pechorin sees weaknesses and vices - and cannot find in himself either the strength or the desire to forgive them.

illusory love

But let's get back to the story, the key to which is the analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky: a brief summary of their quarrel is quite capable of proving that the reason was not so much the woman, but the character traits of the characters.

The young cadet begins courting the Moscow princess. The reason is her touching participation in the wounded soldier (after all, Grushnitsky flaunts in his overcoat) - the girl gives him a dropped glass.

A minor event is enough to make the romantic hero rush to play the role of a madly in love enthusiastically. Watching him amuses Pechorin - Grushnitsky is completely devoid of both a sense of proportion and the ability to self-criticize. The young man not only thinks that he is in the grip of a sincere feeling - he immediately convinces himself of his reciprocity and presents his non-existent rights to an outsider, in essence, a woman.

“You can’t confuse real tenderness ...”

The subsequent analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky clearly shows how little love is in the heart of a young cadet and how much wounded pride is. After all, he does not hesitate to slander his beloved, trying to denigrate her name - and after all, Princess Mary did nothing wrong to him. Inclined to exaggerate everything in the world, Grushnitsky interpreted her innocent interest and affection as love. But is it the girl's fault?

The reason for the loss of interest in Grushnitsky was, among other things, Pechorin, who partly out of boredom, partly out of spite of the so-called. friend, achieves a great feeling from the young princess. He is smart, educated, interesting as an interlocutor. It is all the more easy for him because he himself is cold-blooded - which means that the probability of making a mistake is small. Using the knowledge of female nature, Pechorin becomes the cause of sleepless nights and deep sadness of an innocent being.

Irresponsibility and vice

In this sense, the protagonist of the story does not cause sympathy - at least in the female part of the audience. He behaved not in the best way with Princess Mary, and with his old love Vera, and even with her husband. Such behavior is all the more unforgivable because nobility is not at all alien to the hero: an analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky does not contradict this version.

The events of the story begin to rush at a gallop after the young cadet is finally convinced that the opponent turned out to be more successful. He does not disdain anything to deprive Princess Mary of Pechorin's society - and makes a big mistake. Grushnitsky cannot offer anything in return: his conversation is boring and monotonous, he himself is ridiculous. Quick-witted Mary quickly becomes disillusioned with her boyfriend, which infuriates him.

Formally, it was thanks to this unsuccessful passion that the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky took place. An analysis of the behavior of both characters makes us pay tribute to the protagonist of the story. He, at least, cannot be charged with cowardice and meanness.

His Majesty Chance

A case helped Pechorin not to be a laughingstock: a young officer accidentally becomes a secret witness to a shameful agreement between Grushnitsky and his new friend, a dragoon captain. This person is very interesting and acts as a kind of demon-instigator in the story, which is confirmed by the analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky. According to the plan of the scoundrel (with whom, however, the young officer agreed), the conditions of the duel were to force the hated "darling of fate" to show cowardice. To put opponents at six paces, give them unloaded pistols and amuse themselves with the fright of the victim - such was the original plan of the “Grushnitsky gang”.

After the incident in the garden, when the protagonist was seen near the balcony of the princess (and in fact, returning from a date with the married Vera), the plans of the dragoon captain changed. The reason was the blow that Pechorin inflicted on him in the dark. Enraged, the villain set out to destroy the offender, using his young friend for low purposes. Now the analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky, the reasons for which, in essence, lie in the idleness and unimportant spiritual qualities of the participants, acquires even more food for thought: the unlucky contender for the heart of Princess Mary agrees to the duel taking place on other conditions. It was decided to load only one pistol - even if it would be cold-blooded murder.

Test of endurance

All these secret plans become known to the main character: an analysis of the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky, in short, gives reason to think that the main character of the story is also looking for an excuse to kill yesterday's friend. Only before that he wants to finally ascertain the baseness of the enemy, in order to "give himself the full right not to spare him."

Already in preparation for the fight, Pechorin changes his conditions to even more severe ones. Now each of the duelists must wait for a shot at the very edge of the mountain platform - then almost any wound will be fatal, since the enemy hit by the bullet will certainly fall on sharp stones. Pechorin patiently waits for the hesitant Grushnitsky's shot - and only after the bullet has scratched his leg, he orders to load his pistol.

The price of fun

A young man who has shown himself not in the best way does not resist and even gives a fair assessment of his own actions, responding to the enemy’s proposal to make peace: “I despise myself, but I hate you ... there is no place for us on earth together.”

Only now, having achieved what he wanted, Pechorin shoots. When the smoke clears, everyone sees that the edge of the site is empty, and true to the image of a cynic, the winner gives a peculiar assessment of what happened: stunning even his own second.

Thus ends the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky. An analysis of the feelings of the protagonist tells the reader that what happened did not bring him pleasure at all - his heart is heavy.

The denouement can hardly be considered happy: Grushnitsky died, the life of Vera was destroyed, who, in the frenzy of anxiety for her lover, confessed to her husband of treason, the heart of the young princess was broken. It must be admitted that Pechorin had a great time ...

Duel of Grushnitsky and Pechorin

Purpose: to analyze the episode "Duel of Pechorin with Grushnitsky", to find out how the characters of the characters are revealed in this episode.

During the classes:

Introduction to the topic

Reading the epigraph

"I don't like him either: I feel

that we will ever face him

on a narrow road, and one of the bad luck."

As you might have guessed, today we will talk about Pechorin's duel with Grushnitsky.

Viewing the duel scene

Conversation on questions (brief retelling)

Why does Pechorin despise Grushnitsky?

Who destroyed the "friendly" relationship between Pechorin and Grushnitsky?

How was the duel provoked? What is the role of Grushnitsky in this story?

The reason for the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky is Grushnitsky's unworthy behavior towards Princess Mary and Pechorin.

What were the terms of the duel?

What new trick did Pechorin's opponents perform before the duel? Before the duel, Grushnitsky plots meanness: he wants to slip an unloaded pistol on Pechorin and thereby disgrace him. But Pechorin accidentally reveals this dastardly plan: "... I found out the intention of these gentlemen to fool me by forcing me to shoot with blank charges. But now the matter went beyond the bounds of a joke: they probably did not expect such a denouement ..."

How did Pechorin behave when he found out about this? Finally, Pechorin demands a loaded pistol for himself, and Grushnitsky's vile plan fails. Opponents shoot equally. Pechorin wounds Grushnitsky. From the wound he falls off the cliff and dies

How are the opponents revealed in the duel scene itself?

Comparative characteristics of heroes

Working with illustration

In the illustration by M.A. Vrubel's "Duel of Pechorin with Grushnitsky" we see Pechorin, Werner and the dragoon captain. Pechorin stands half-turned, his right hand, which has just dropped his pistol, is wearily stretched out along the body, with his left hand he convulsively holds the saber. In his posture, one can feel fatigue and relaxation after the stress he has just experienced, and in his facial expression there is an understanding of the irreparability of what happened, some kind of bewilderment and a sad realization that he again turned out to be an “instrument of execution”. It seems that he does not see anything around him, but, immersed in his thoughts, he repeats: “The comedy is over!”. And at the same time, some hidden forces are felt in him, the ability to endure the condemnation of people and remain himself; he will not leave the duel broken, although it is very difficult for him.

Independent task for students:

Describe the image of Pechorin created by the artist.

Appearance

Body position (posture)

Facial expression

Summarizing

What is the state of Pechorin after the duel? Find a quote in the text (“I had a stone in my heart. The sun seemed dim to me, its rays did not warm me ... The sight of a person would be painful for me: I wanted to be alone.”)

What new character traits did you see in Pechorin? (optional)

Words for reference: vindictive, proud, selfish, vile, merciful, selfish, honest, proud, heartless, cruel, courageous, brave, cowardly, a man of honor.