Lermontov's philosophical lyrics are saturated with bitter sadness, pessimism, gloomy mood, longing. The thing is that Mikhail Yurievich lived an era of timelessness, at the time of his youth and adulthood came the period of political reaction that followed the unsuccessful uprising of the Decembrists. Many smart and talented people were immersed in themselves, scared, freedom-loving moods were banned. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the gloomy and pessimistic works of Lermontov.
Mikhail Yuryevich suffered from the fact that he could not speak out, openly declare his ideals, thoughts and desires. He poured out all his pain and suffering on paper because he wanted to be heard by at least someone. Lermontov's philosophical lyrics are dedicated to a wanderer, a lone wanderer who has no place in society. The poet does not see the light at the end of the tunnel, his contemporaries only make him bitterly smile, because his generation is not able to think, feel and create.
Mikhail Yuryevich despises not only society, but himself, because he has to live in an autocratic serfdom and he is not able to change anything. The peculiarities of Lermontov’s lyrics are that the poet considers young people lost for society, they were already born old men with a barren soul. In the view of the poet, Russia appears as a country of masters and slaves. He blames high society and angrily turns to the crowd, which is "the images of soulless people."
Lermontov's philosophical lyrics are imbued with the Russian national spirit. Mikhail Yuryevich in his works singled out two Russia: secular and popular. The poet admits that he loves his homeland, but with a "strange love." He does not care about military victories, secular conversations, his soul rejoices at the contemplation of Russian nature, the festivities of ordinary peasants. In the last years of his life, only Lermontov recognizes people's Russia, it is closer to him, relatives and more understandable. The writer was one of the first to criticize his country, openly talk about its shortcomings, but this was not gloating, but pain and bitterness from resentment for a homeland that deserves a better fate.
An analysis of Lermontov’s lyrics shows that the poet pays much attention to the question of the poet’s purpose and his role in society. This theme in the works very often acquires a hostile and aggressive attitude, because Mikhail Yuryevich’s relations with the crowd were not developing in the best way. Particularly vivid is the relationship between society and the creative person described in the poem "The Prophet". The writer tells how difficult it is to bring the truth to people, to live in a misunderstanding, to tolerate the disbelief of others.
Lermontov's philosophical lyrics are imbued with a gloomy mood, disbelief in better times,
disappointment in people, contempt for contemporaries, hatred for autocracy. Almost all the works are deeply pessimistic. The theme “poet-society” is the main one in philosophical lyrics; Lermontov revealed it in the poems “Poet”, “Death of a poet”, “Journalist, reader and writer”.