Mikhail Lermontov – 19th-century Russian poet and novelist, author of The Demon and A Hero of Our Time, hailed as “Pushkin’s heir.” His works combine Romanticism and psychological depth, exploring loneliness and rebellion. He died in a duel at the age of 27.
📖 His poem Death of the Poet, about Pushkin’s demise, made him famous in 1837. 🎨 Lermontov was also a gifted painter and portraitist. 🏔️ The Caucasus deeply shaped his life and writing – he served there as an officer. 📚 A Hero of Our Time is considered the first psychological novel in Russian literature. 🎭 His works were often censored but circulated in manuscripts. 🖋️ He translated Byron and was seen as the “Russian Byron.” 👥 Served as a guard officer but clashed with authorities due to his rebellious spirit. 🌍 Influenced major writers like Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. 😲 Curious: he could improvise poetry aloud, astonishing listeners. 😂 Funny: he joked his uniform was “made more for duels than for parades.”