A Hero for Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov - 1840 - translated from the Russian by Phillip Foote - 2001

 A Hero for Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov - 1840 - translated from the Russian by Phillip Foote - 2001

Born: October 15, 1814, Moscow, Russia

Died: July 27, 1841, Pyatigorsk, Russia

A Hero for Our Times is considered one of the founding works of Russian fiction in prose, in a period of transitioning from poetic epics to novels.  A Hero for Our Times is structured as five related stories about a Young army Officer with what was then seen as a Byronic personality, rash and cynical but romantic, very self-reflecting. The work is full of psychological observations.  There is an extensive prolonged romance straining credibility at times.  His attitude toward women veers from predatory to enthallment.  Looks are all that matter to him.

The stories are set in the Caucasus region. There are long lushess descriptions of the country side.  Horses Play a very big part in the stories, o beautiful woman is traded for a horse.  There are numerous references to tribal customs.  Violence is always just around the Corner.

I enjoyed this historically important novel. 

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