Lermontov’s life and death

October 15, 2019 marks the 205th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov, one of the most profound and deep poets of Russia. The Presidential Library’s electronic collection Mikhail Lermontov (1814–1841), marking his 200th birthday in 2014, contains materials that reveal the poet’s extraordinary personality and his role in the development of new literature in Russia. The fact that Lermontov lived only 27 years did not stop him from comprehending the sacred essence of Russia and the nature of the obstacles on its historical path, looking into the most hidden corners of the Russian soul. 

New rare editions enter the Presidential Library’s electronic collections: unpublished poems by Mikhail Lermontov, draft versions of his famous literary works, numerous drawings, feature films and video lectures, and other materials. Recently, the publication “Literary Heritage. №. 45/46. Mikhail Lermontov”, 1948, with an article by B. Eikhenbaum, where he talks about an accidentally discovered manuscript with still unpublished poems by Lermontov entered the collections.

Many authors of biographical essays try to find the roots of genius in the early childhood of the poet, from a fragile-looking child who lost his parents early and remained in the care of his grandmother, E. A. Arsenyeva, in her estate in Tarkhany. In this regard, the image of the poet’s mother is described in an electronic copy of the album Mikhail Lermontov: “Marya Mikhailovna, - we read the memoirs of a relative of Lermontov, - was gifted with a musical soul. Having placed her child on her lap, she played the piano, and he, clinging to her head, sat motionless, the sounds as if shook his infant soul, and tears rolled down his face. Mother gave him her extraordinary nervousness”. 

As a result, a talented man with naked nerves grew up, reflecting, sharply reacting to everything happening around, despising vulgarity in any of its manifestations. For this, in fact, he paid with his life - a stupid skirmish with a fellow Martynov led to a duel under Mount Mashuk in Pyatigorsk.

The poem "The Death of the Poet", written on the occasion of the tragic death of Alexander Pushkin brought to him glory. .

According to “Lermontov on the death of Alexander Pushkin: following genuine documents // Bulletin of Europe. 1887. Vol. 1". Lermontov was terribly shocked with Pushkin’s death”.

The government regarded the poem as a call for revenge, realizing its social significance, and Lermontov's cornet was exiled to the Caucasus as an ensign.

The Caucasus of the 30s - early 40s of the XIX century was the site of expeditions of the tsarist troops to suppress the uprising of the highlanders. “There were very educated and interesting people, - Lermontov’s fellow soldiers recalled, “not the last among them were the Decembrists, who at that time were sent to the Caucasus as ordinary soldiers after being in Siberian penal servitude or in settlements”. "In the Caucasus... among the majestic nature from the time of Yermolov, the shelter of Russian free thought did not disappear, where, by the will of the government, exiles gathered, and the generals, according to legend, remained their friends".

At the same time, showing extraordinary courage, Lermontov was a poet, a collector of Caucasian folk tales and legends, which later formed Demon, The Novice and other works. It was in the Caucasus, in between fights, that Mikhail Lermontov painted his best canvases in oil and watercolor, created pencil sketches of mountain landscapes and battle scenes: “View of Pyatigorsk”, “Dance of Georgians”, “Tiflis. Metekhi Castle”, “Two Highlanders by the River” - these drawings are featured on the Presidential Library’s portal.

At the same time, Mikhail Yuryevich wrote letters to his friend’s sister Varvara Lopukhina. Lermontov spoke with her about the main thing: he expressed fears that military service would prevent him from engaging in literature, that in the new field he would not be able to develop his abilities, etc., which are reflected in the collection Literary heritage. №. 45/46. Mikhail Lermontov". The poet expressed his intention to hand over his manuscripts to Varvara Alexandrovna, and she answered: “You will do well by sending me everything you have written so far. You know, I honestly keep all the sent by you, and someday you will read everything with pleasure”. She asked him to write: “If you don’t have time to do this every week, well, then once every two weeks. But please, do not deprive me of this consolation". But she got married then.

Lermontov, who had lost his mother so early and was in dire need of female understanding and participation, could not get them from any of the women he liked. Only the grandmother who raised him remained a real support in life.

Thanks to Elizaveta Alekseevna, Lermontov was given a vacation, he came to St. Petersburg, where he was invited to the best metropolitan salons. Meanwhile, the poet made his own plans for future life. “I still hope, dear grandmother, that I will nevertheless receive a pardon and will retire”, - he wrote to E. A. Arsenyeva in May 1841.

The poet went to the Caucasus with the fatal anticipation of the imminent ending.

Martynov could not forgive. Lermontov died on Mount Mashuk during a meaningless duel, never having learned that the commander of the troops on the Caucasian line and Black Sea region, Adjutant General Grabbe, in a report dated February 3, 1841 for № 76 again submitted Lermontov to the award - this time not to the order to which the general unsuccessfully represented the daredevil, but to the "golden semi-saber". But this time it was refused again - after the poet’s death.