"After all that - how, you might wonder, could one not become a
fatalist?"
Here is a fine new translation of the first great Russian novel, A Hero
of Our Time, which brings tales of Romantic adventure to a new pitch of
intensity and reflection.
Lermontov's hero, Pechorin, is a young army officer posted to the
Caucasus, where his adventures--amorous and reckless--do nothing to
alleviate his boredom and cynicism. World-weary and self-destructive,
Pechorin is yet is full of passion and romantic ardor, sensitive as well
as arrogant. The episodic narrative transports the reader from the
breathtaking terrain of the Caucasus to the genteel surroundings of spa
resorts. Told in an engaging yet pointedly ironic style, the story
expresses Lermontov's own estrangement from the stifling conventions of
bourgeois society and the oppression of Russian autocracy, but it also
captures a longing for freedom through acts of love and bravery.
Andrew Kahn's introduction sheds light on the novel's relation to
orientalism and the ethnographic and anthropological discourses of the
day, and his informative notes illuminate a wide range of historical,
literary, and geographical references. This new edition is the only one
to include Pushkin's Journey to Arzrum, in which Pushkin describes his
own experiences of Russia's military campaigns in the Caucasus, offering
a fascinating counterpoint to Lermontov's novel.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has
made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the
globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to
scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other
valuable features, including expert introductions by leading
authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date
bibliographies for further study, and much more.
