Why did Pechorin treat Maxim Maksimych so coldly during their last meeting? Essay “The last meeting of Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych. (Analysis of the episode)" (Hero of Our Time) How Pechorin met Maxim Maksimych

01.07.2020

Text based on the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov Hero of Our Time

Why did Pechorin treat Maxim Maksimych so coldly during their last meeting?

The chapter “Maksim Maksimych” describes a scene when at a crossroads, in Vladikavkaz, on the square near the hotel, an army captain and a man from a chosen environment, the main character of the novel Pechorin, meet.

Maxim Maksimych, by definition of critic V.G. Belinsky, is one of the best folk characters. He has kindness, sincerity and a bright faith in friendship between people.

And therefore, he, being a simple-minded man, is confident that the aristocrat Pechorin will “come running” when he learns that Maxim Maksimych, his former comrade in arms, a modest, low-ranking officer, is staying at a local hotel.

But Pechorin coldly greets Maxim Maksimych, citing the fact that each of them has “their own path.”

The old man is upset, if not killed, by Pechorin’s behavior. He is sincerely convinced that the reason is in himself, in the old man who is “not rich, not an official,” and he cannot remain “on an equal footing” with the brilliant St. Petersburger.

But there are other reasons for Pechorin’s coldness. The staff captain is a witness and even a participant in the story of the seduction of Bela, a mountain girl, by the capital's aristocrat. He knew the story of the death of her family, and was present at the bedside of the dying Bela.

Outwardly, the romantic story with Bela is the story of Pechorin’s crime, which led to the destruction of family foundations, the death of both the family itself and all its members. If Maxim Maksimych had “kicked things into gear,” then his young friend, selfish and frivolous, would not have escaped severe punishment. That’s why Pechorin is still cold towards his former comrade in arms: who wants to reopen old wounds?

Psychologism in the behavior of the heroes is seen in the throwings of the kind Maxim Maksimych, who is impatiently waiting for Grigory Alexandrovich, and in the careless attitude of the main character towards his comrade in arms from previous years. However, as a sensitive person, Pechorin understands the reason for the old man’s offense and in his own way tries to justify himself and reassure his interlocutor.

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Why did Pechorin greet Maxim Maksimych so coldly?
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why Pechorin coldly greeted Maxim Maksimych

The chapter “Maxim Maksimych” of M. Yu. Lermontov’s novel “Hero of Our Time” depicts the last meeting of G. A. Pechorin with staff captain Maxim Maksimych five years after they met. Despite the fact that the old man had been waiting impatiently for his long-time friend for a long time, and when he arrived, he ran towards him “as best he could,” Pechorin responded to this with a cold smile and a simple polite phrase. Stunned, “with tears in his eyes,” the old man did not know what to say. At that moment he was a pitiful sight: “barely

could breathe; sweat rolled down from his face. his knees trembled.” Having calmed down slightly, Maxim Maksimych began to remember life in the fortress, hunting, Bela. After which Pechorin “turned a little pale and turned away.”

This scene has caused and continues to cause numerous controversies among both critics and readers. Why did G. A. Pechorin do this to the poor old officer? What motivated his action? Who is in front of us at that moment: an egoist or an unhappy person, a ruthless, rude creature or a tactful aristocrat defending himself from new suffering?!

I think that Pechorin in this scene is an unhappy man who was once again reminded of his bitter experience

past. He knows Maxim Maksimych very well, imagines the questions that he will begin to ask, and the memories that he will begin to share. That's why he avoids meeting with his old colleague. Alas! It was not possible to avoid it. And what Lermontov’s hero foresaw happened happened. Maxim Maksimych, forgetting about tact and not thinking about his friend’s feelings, immediately started talking about Bela, the very girl whose death causes Pechorin not only sadness, but also the deepest feeling of guilt. Figuratively speaking, the best friend in terms of strength, from the first minute of the meeting, begins to “pour salt” into Pechorin’s spiritual wound. And what remains for the hero? To be rude to an old man? Cut it off abruptly? No! Leave immediately! Interrupt this unexpected and unpleasant meeting for him.

That is why G. A. Pechorin so quickly breaks up with his old friend.

Essay “The last meeting of Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych. (Analysis of the episode)" (Hero of Our Time)

In the chapter “Maksim Maksimych” M. Yu. Lermontov shows Pechorin
on the eve of his departure to Persia. Chronologically this chapter
is the last: from the preface to Pechorin’s magazine we learn
that, returning from Persia, Pechorin died. Lermontov violates
chronological order of parts to reveal deeper and more clearly
Pechorin's character. In the chapter “Maksim Maksimych” we see how
became Pechorin towards the end of his short life. The main character is depicted
indifferent, passive, having lost interest in life. He
doesn’t want to pretend and involuntarily offends his old one with his indifference
friend Maxim Maksimych.
Five years earlier, Pechorin served in a fortress in the Caucasus
under the leadership of Maxim Maksimych. The old staff captain believes
that since then they have become “bosom friends.” Besides the heroes
They are connected not only by service, but also by Bela’s sad story. Having learned
that Pechorin is also passing through Vladikavkaz, Maxim
Maksimych asks the footman to inform the master about an old friend who is waiting
at the hotel. The staff captain is confident that Pechorin will hurry
meet with him. Maxim Maksimych seemed to have forgotten that he himself
spoke of Pechorin as a “strange man.” While still in service
in the fortress, a young officer surprised Maxim Maksimych with a complaint
to mortal boredom, early disappointment in life, selfish
behavior in relations with Bela. Maxim Maksimych in vain
waits for Pechorin in front of the hotel until late in the evening. Headquarters
the captain is upset, he doesn’t understand why the “sidekick” like him
believes that his friend did not immediately come running to meet him. Lermontov
sympathetically describes the simple-minded Maxim Maksimych,
however, he is little surprised at Pechorin’s absence: the staff captain himself
described his former colleague as a complete egoist.
In the morning, Maxim Maksimych is forced to leave on official business.
Soon Pechorin appears in the hotel courtyard and, without asking anyone,
about the staff captain, who had been waiting for him for so long, orders
pack the stroller. The author draws a portrait of the main character and shares
assumptions about his character. In Pechorin immediately
a secular and rich man is visible, an aristocrat endowed with noble
appearance and physical strength. His movements emphasize
some kind of relaxation, laziness, carelessness. Especially
The author remembers Pechorin’s “insightful and heavy” look,
who "might seem impudent if he were not so indifferent
calm."
Maxim Maksimych barely manages to catch his old friend. How
it turns out later that for the first time he “left the work of the service for his own
needs." The staff captain runs to the hotel, he is out of breath
and cannot speak at first, but Pechorin turns
to him with routine politeness. Maxim Maksimych is ready to “throw
on Pechorin’s neck,” but sees a “rather coldly” outstretched hand.
Lermontov builds a description of the short meeting of the heroes using the technique of contrast.
Maxim Maksimych expresses sincere joy from
meeting with a friend, and Pechorin speaks to him calmly, indifferently,
even reluctantly. Maxim Maksimych’s speech is full of abrupt exclamations,
caused by running and excitement: “And... you?... and you?... how many
years... how many days... but where is it?..." Pechorin gets off with nothing
meaningless phrases. All he can say about himself is that he is going
“to Persia - and further...”, and all five years he was “bored.” True, when mentioned
about Bad Pechorin turns pale, turns away and forcibly
yawns. Maxim Maksimych touched upon a sore subject for Pechorin.
Despite the obvious apathy, Pechorin is still able to worry about
memories of the past, but he tries to avoid it. Maksim
Maksimych’s very appearance brings back difficult memories.
Perhaps this partly explains Pechorin’s reluctance
stay and have lunch with a former colleague. When Pechorin
Says goodbye: “Thank you for not forgetting”, Maxim Maksimych
cannot contain his resentment: “Forget! - he grumbled, - I
I haven’t forgotten anything... Well, God be with you!..." Pechorin feels awkward
because he upset the old man. He hugs him friendly
and remarks: “...am I really not the same?” Pechorin’s remark is correct:
he never called himself a friend of Maxim Maksimych, as,
indeed, any other person; has always been indifferent
to those around him and did not hide it.
Maxim Maksimych retained his childhood faith in man in his years,
and Pechorin casually destroys it. It can be seen that the main character is driving
to Persia to have some fun. “...Perhaps I’ll die somewhere
on road!" - Pechorin prophetically declares during the service
in the fortress. He is indifferent to his own diaries,
remaining with the staff captain, although he had recently written down in them
innermost thoughts and desires. In the following parts of the novel Lermontov
uses diary form to look deeper
hero's soul. In "Maxim Maksimych" we can only guess
about the reasons for Pechorin’s collapse in life, but this collapse is obvious.
And the old staff captain is worried not only because of indifference
former friend. Maxim Maksimych regrets that he is so smart
and a strong man did not find himself in life: “Oh, it’s true, it’s a pity that he
it will end badly... and it can’t be otherwise!

Concept.

A lesson devoted to the analysis of the second part of the novel, the central task is the definition reasons for the alienation of the “common man” Maxim Maksimych and Pechorin. A situation emphasizing Maxim Maksimych’s impatient anticipation of a meeting with Pechorin, accuses the hero in advance, and the students, as a rule, speak with indignation about his cruelty and coldness towards the devoted staff captain. Let's try, with the help of compositional analysis and expressive reading of the dialogue between Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych, to overcome the one-sidedness of the reader's assessment. The students are concerned with the question: why didn’t Pechorin stay with Maxim Maksimych? After all, he was in no hurry and, only after learning that Maxim Maksimych wanted to continue the conversation, he hastily got ready for the road.

In order to imagine why Pechorin left, we pay attention to the meeting of Maxim Maksimych with the officer-narrator. After all, in this short story there are not one, but two meetings. The first of them opens differently than the second. There is nothing like Pechorin’s coldness in the officer: “We met like old friends.” However, the result of this meeting is comical and sad at the same time: “... I must admit that without him I would have had to remain on dry eating... We were silent. What did we have to talk about? He already told me everything that was interesting about himself, but I had nothing to tell.”

The generally significant content of the staff captain’s life comes down to his relationship with Pechorin (perhaps involuntarily feeling this, that’s why Maxim Maksimych values them so much). The narrator, although his suitcase is full of travel notes, does not tell the staff captain about them, apparently not hoping for understanding. So, it’s not about the first hug, which Pechorin didn’t start with (he ended the conversation by hugging Maxim Maksimych in a friendly manner). The point is the separation of the “common man” and the noble intellectual, that tragic abyss that Lermontov recognizes as one of the “caustic truths.”

How does Maxim Maksimych explain Pechorin’s reluctance to stay? Does the author agree with him?

We re-read the scene of Pechorin’s meeting with Maxim Maksimych and compile a “score of feelings” for their dialogue. Did Pechorin want to offend Maxim Maksimych? Is he indifferent to the fate and grief of the staff captain? Pechorin's portrait testifies to his fatigue and coldness. It was as if the feelings had left his face, leaving their traces on it and the impression of unspent strength. Pechorin is indifferent to his fate, to his past. To Maxim Maksimych’s question about what to do with the “papers”, Pechorin’s journal, he answers: "What do you want!" But even in this state of alienation from everything and from himself, Pechorin tries to soften his coldness "a friendly smile" and kind words: “I’m so glad, dear Maxim Maksimych! Well, how are you doing?” Pechorin’s refusal to stay is given in an impersonal form, as if it is not his will, but something more powerful that dictates this decision to him: “I have to go,” was the answer.” To the passionate questions of Maxim Maksimych (“Well! Retired?.. how?.. what did you do?”) Pechorin answered, “smiling,” in monosyllables: “I missed you!”

This smile, directly opposite to the meaning of the words, is often perceived by students as a mockery of the staff captain. But Pechorin is rather ironic at himself, at the hopelessness of his situation, when all attempts to invade life end in bitter results. Back in “Bel” the author warned us that today those who are truly bored the most are trying to hide this misfortune as a vice.” For For Maxim Maksimych, everything that happened was sweet, for Pechorin it was painful.: “Do you remember our life in the fortress?.. A glorious country for hunting!.. After all, you were a passionate hunter to shoot... And Bela?..” Pechorin turned slightly pale and turned away...

· Yes I remember! - he said, almost immediately yawning forcefully..."

The staff captain does not notice the involuntary irony of his words: "passionate hunter to shoot" Pechorin "shot" Bela (after all, his pursuit and shot prompted Kazbich to grab a knife). And Pechorin, it seems indifferent to everything in the world, he cannot calmly endure this reproach that he has not forgiven himself, just as he cannot calmly, epically remember the story with Bela in a conversation over pheasant and Kakhetian with Maxim Maksimych. Not hoping for Maxim Maksimych’s understanding, avoiding pain, Pechorin refuses to continue the meeting and, as best he can, tries to soften his refusal: “Really, I have nothing to tell, dear Maxim Maksimych... However, goodbye, I have to go... I’m in a hurry... Thank you for not forgetting... - he added, taking him by the hand,” and, seeing the old man’s annoyance, he added: “Well, that’s enough, that’s enough! - said Pechorin, hugging him in a friendly manner - am I really not the same?.. What to do?.. to each his own way.

Pechorin does not condemn the staff captain for being unable to understand him, does not blame anyone for his loneliness, but bitterly admits that they have different roads. He knows that a meeting with Maxim Maksimych will not dispel his boredom, and will only intensify his bitterness, and therefore avoids vain explanations. Once upon a time, Pechorin tried to open himself (confession in “Bel”), understand the position of the staff captain (conversation at the end of “Fatalist”) and behaved without any arrogance.

“Returning to the fortress, I told Maxim Maksimych everything that happened to me and what I witnessed, and wanted to know his opinion about predestination. At first he did not understand this word, but I explained it as best I could, and then he said, shaking his head significantly: “Yes! Of course, sir - this is a rather tricky thing! However, these Asian triggers often misfire if they are poorly lubricated, or if you press your finger firmly with dissatisfaction...” And then the staff captain willingly discusses the qualities of the Circassian weapons. In the end, Maxim Maksimych discovers that fatalism is characteristic of him: “Yes, it’s a pity for the poor fellow... The devil pulled him to talk to a drunk at night! However, apparently, it was written in his family!” I couldn’t get anything else out of him: he doesn’t like metaphysical debates at all.”

The kindness of Maxim Maksimych is powerless because it lacks an understanding of the general meaning of things. And therefore the staff captain is submissive to the circumstances, while Pechorin is trying to overcome them. For Lermontov, the confrontation between these heroes is so important that he ends the novel with a dialogue between Pechorin and the staff captain.. The short story “Maksim Maksimych” ends even more bitterly. In his offense, the staff captain is ready to confuse Pechorin with his proud lackey. Not understanding Pechorin, Maxim Maksimych accuses him of class arrogance: “What does he need in me? I’m not rich, I’m not an official, and I’m not his age at all... Look, what a dandy he has become, how he visited St. Petersburg again...”The staff captain's wounded pride pushes him to revenge. Having just considered himself a friend of Pechorin, Maxim Maksimych calls him “a flighty man”, “with contempt” throws his notebooks to the ground, ready to expose Pechorin to everyone: “at least print it in the newspapers!” What do I care!.. What, am I some kind of friend or relative?”

The change in Maxim Maksimych is so striking that it seems unthinkable or prompted by momentary anger. But the author will not allow us to be mistaken. Good turned to evil, and this is not a moment, but the final result of the life of the staff captain: “We said goodbye rather dryly. Good Maxim became a stubborn, grumpy staff captain! And why? Because Pechorin, absent-minded or for another reason (the author revealed it to us in the remarks to the dialogue - V.-M.) extended his hand to him when he wanted to throw himself on his neck! It's sad to see when a young man loses his best hopes and dreams... although there is hope that he will replace old misconceptions with new ones... But how to replace them in the years of Maxim Maksimych? Involuntarily, the heart will harden and the soul will close... I left alone.”The divergence between the “common man”, in whom there is a heart, but there is no understanding of people of another circle, the general circumstances of life, and the “hero of the time”, and with him the author of the novel, turned out to be inevitable.

With all the spiritual merits of Maxim Maksimych, he is not able to resist evil either in the private, human, or in the general, social sense.

At home, we give the students a plan to answer the topic “Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych” and, after reading the textbook article under the same title, think about whether they agree with all its provisions, justifying their point of view with the text of the novel.

Retelling and analysis of the story “Maksim Maksimych” or reading by role. Questions you can use:

1) What is your impression of what you read?

2) What are the features of Pechorin’s portrait? How does it differ from the portrait given by Maxim Maksimych in the story “Bela”?

3) What is the role of the narrator in the story?

4) How is Lermontov’s ideological plan manifested?

5) Analyze the episode of Pechorin’s meeting with the staff captain. Can Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych be called friends?

6) How do you explain Pechorin’s coldness? Why didn't he stay to dine with the staff captain?

7) What character traits of Pechorin were revealed in the last meeting with Maxim Maksimych?

8) Which of the heroes do you sympathize with?

9) What do you think their meeting should be like?

10) What is the place and significance of the story “Maksim Maksimych” in the novel?

(The compositional role of the story “Maksim Maksimych” is great. It is like a connecting link between “Bela” and “Pechorin’s Magazine”. It explains how the magazine came to the author, a visiting officer.

The plot of the story is also simple. But the meeting between Pechorin and Maxim Maksimych is sad. The coldness, indifference and selfishness of the main character have increased. Travel is the last attempt to somehow fill your life with something useful, new experiences.)

The most important means of characterizing Pechorin in this story is a psychological portrait (features of appearance, reflection of complex emotional experiences in it, psychologism of the portrait).

Homework.

1. The story “Taman”. Reading, retelling the plot. What is the meaning of Pechorin’s clash with the smugglers?

2. Analysis of the episodes “The Boat Scene” and “Yanko’s Farewell to the Blind Boy.” What new did you learn about the main character?

3. Observations on the composition “Tamani”, description of nature, speech of the characters.

In M. Yu. Lermontov’s novel “A Hero of Our Time,” the events are presented in violation of the chronological sequence, so the reader learns about the main character first from the memoirs of Maxim Maksimych, and later from the diary entries of Pechorin himself.

Several years passed after the hero left the fortress, where he served together with Maxim Maksimych. Pechorin has already retired and lived in St. Petersburg, but boredom forces him to hit the road again. On the way to Persia, fate unexpectedly prepared for him a meeting (in Vladikavkaz) with a former colleague,

Maxim Maksimych, but not only is he not in a hurry to this meeting, but he could well leave without seeing each other. And there is an explanation for this.

Life in the fortress, where Pechorin was sent after the duel with Grushnitsky, was painful for him, too secluded and monotonous. Pechorin did not want to remember this life, and especially the story with Bela, whose tragic death was his fault. For certain reasons, the difficulties of everyday life and military life did not bring the young officer closer to his senior comrade, who helped him in everything. And over the past time, Pechorin has moved away even more. Apparently, this was due to the character of an individualist who did not want to experience

Feeling of attachment. He lacks such qualities as sociability, friendliness, affability, the desire for mutual assistance and mutual assistance. This is a closed, selfish person who did not allow anyone to “open the secrets of his soul.” He could be cold, mocking or even cruel so as not to get close to anyone.

Maxim Maksimych does not understand how one can not consider a former colleague as a friend, with whom he lived side by side for some time and shared the difficulties of military service. The old soldier, whose interests are focused on the honest performance of military duties, lives simply and modestly. This is a kind, sincere person, his heart is open to people, he is ready to pity and love those who, by the will of fate, find themselves next to him. Maxim Maksimych becomes attached to Pechorin, takes care of him and Bela, deeply worries about the death of the young mountain girl, and he cannot forget the past, everything that connects him with Pechorin. Therefore, he does not understand the behavior of a fellow employee, who seems not to be happy about the meeting and would like to avoid it.

In fact, everything is clear here. And not only because these heroes are very different. We must not forget that Pechorin is still a “suffering egoist.” When meeting after a certain period of time, it is more pleasant to remember good deeds or any good events. And what should Pechorin remember? How did he once again commit a selfish and thoughtless act? Or how did he perform “the role of an ax in the hands of fate”?

Over the years, Pechorin learned to distance himself from people: he did not make friends with anyone, he did not feel love for anyone. He is not only a disappointed, but also an indifferent person: he yawns when Maxim Maksimych tries to call him for a conversation; he is not interested in the fate of his own diary; he doesn’t ask his former colleague about anything, he doesn’t even ask about his health.
Pechorin offended Maxim Maksimych due to his callousness and indifference, but his behavior is also explained by many subjective reasons and objective circumstances.

The question also arises: why is Pechorin completely indifferent to the fate of his diary?
Every reader, like every critic, sees the character of the hero of the times in his own way.
Pechorin’s diary was introduced by Lermontov as a compositional device in order to show a person’s personality from the inside, since the hero’s entries are “a consequence of observations of a mature mind on itself. without any vain desire to excite participation or surprise.”

What does the diary reflect? First of all, a tendency to reflection, that is, to introspection and comprehension of one’s actions, sensations, desires, and feelings. Why does Pechorin need this self-analysis if he is not going to change, to follow the path of personal self-improvement? There is only one answer: there is no definite goal, as in everything and always in the life of this person. He doesn’t know why he was born, why he studied, why he lives. “But I probably had a high purpose?” But life is wasted: he didn’t find a calling in the service, didn’t make friends, no love, no family, doesn’t feel his need. Complete disappointment in everything. Pechorin considers even his tears over the unexpected separation from Vera to be a consequence of an empty stomach or poor sleep. Although this episode is similar to the whim of a spoiled child because of a toy that he was suddenly deprived of.

Pechorin does not show off when he talks about cooling of feelings, disappointment, loss of interest in life and its complete aimlessness. This state of mind requires intense sensations, and he recklessly plays with fate, emphasizing that he does not value life. This is observed in the episode with the smugglers, and in the duel with Grushnitsky, and in the fight with the drunken Cossack.
Pechorin is indifferent to his future. How can he be not indifferent to the fate of his diary?

Maxim Maksimych, who found this abandoned confession, asks his former colleague what to do with the diary. And Pechorin answers: “Whatever you want.” By this time, he feels complete indifference to everyone and everything. He no longer wants to analyze his life, and the past is not interesting to him, just like the future. Everything loses its meaning, loses its value: people and life are not dear, old thoughts and feelings are not dear.

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