Mikhail Yuryevich
Lermontov
1814-1841
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was a Russian poet, novelist, playwright, artist, lieutenant of the Life Guards of the Hussar Regiment. He was born in Moscow on 15 October 1814. Mikhail Yurievich was a fragile and unhappy boy who was often ill. M.Y. Lermontov began studying at Moscow University in 1830, which was of great importance for his personal development. However, due to disagreements with his teachers, he tried to transfer to St Petersburg University. Lermontov was refused because his two years of study were not recognised and he offered to start from the first year. As a result, the offended M.Y. Lermontov was admitted to the School of Guardsmen and Cavalry Junkers in 1832. Interestingly, Nikolai Martynov became a classmate of M.Y. Lermontov, who later killed the poet in a duel. In 1837, after the fatal duel with Alexander Pushkin, Lermontov wrote the poem “The Death of a Poet”. During that time, he worked on the poems “Mtsyri” and “The Demon” and often visited Pyatigorsk. Lermontov became a famous poet after his return to St Petersburg in 1838, where he entered the literary circles of the capital and published his works in the “Domestic Notes”. In 1840, after a duel with the son of the French ambassador, Lermontov was sent back to the Caucasus to take part in military operations. During that time, he wrote and published the novel “The Hero of Our Time” in fragments. His collection of poems was also published during his lifetime. On 27 July, 1841 Lermontov insulted Nikolai Martynov, who challenged him to a duel on Mashuk Mountain near Pyatigorsk. The poet defiantly fired into the air, but the offended Martynov killed M.Y. Lermontov with a shot to the chest. The bust of the poet by A.N. Burganov, installed in 1994, brings to us the image of the genius poet – tender, romantic, endowed with powerful passions and shrewd ruthless mind.
Address: Moscow, Bolshaya Molchanovka str.
