Famous and unknown recipients of Lermontov’s love lyrics

It so happened that the works of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov are often studied in comparison with Pushkin. These poets have many poems, not only on the same topic, but even with the same names: “Prisoner”, “Homeland”. Although for all the apparent similarity, there is a very big difference between Pushkin and Lermontov.

Pushkin took shape as a poet in the wake of the rise of the Decembrist movement, and Lermontov’s creations existed in the era of persecution. In addition, Mikhail Yurievich was alone in life. Indeed, until now, all the recipients of Lermontov’s love lyrics are unknown, although the theme of love is the main one in his work. Pushkin was fond of, loved, married, he had children.

Lermontov did not have time to do anything. His mother died early, the despotic by nature grandmother Elizaveta Alekseevna Arsenyeva forbade little Misha to see his father. Events in the family left a mark on the life of the poet as a whole. Then service in the army, which also limits personality, prevents the development of a flight of fantasy.

Motives of sadness can be seen everywhere: in works about the homeland, heroes and exploits. All characters are lonely. All the hobbies of Mikhail Yuryevich, sometimes very strong and passionate, did not end with anything. Lermontov’s love poems have a motive of disappointment, distrust and misunderstanding of society: “I go out alone on the road”, “The sail turns white”, “To love, but whom”, “Sadly I look not our generation.”

Reliably known recipients of Lermontov’s love lyrics are Sofya Saburova, Katerina Sushkova, Varvara Lopukhina, Natalya Ivanova and Maria Shcherbatova. Interestingly, at the same time, the poet could write a poem dedicated to one woman, and immediately create an ardent declaration of love for another. “I do not humble myself before you” tells about the period of the break with Natalya Ivanova and was written in 1832, at the same time the lines appeared “She does not seduce the living young men with proud beauty”, addressed to Varvara Lopukhina.

According to some scholars studying the poet's work, it was these women who had the main influence on him. According to others, the addressees of Lermontov’s love lyrics have not yet been determined precisely. Despite a large number of studies, there is no concrete data on this subject; all the arguments are hypothetical.

“Why is it so painful and so difficult for me? Waiting for what? Are you sorry about what? ” - in these lines the whole essence of the poet is exposed. On the one hand he is waiting, but on the other not. He regrets and immediately remains indifferent. The poet was the same in love. He was lonely, quick-tempered and not always behaved nobly. First, Lermontov passionately loves Katerina Sushkova, and then she goes to great lengths to ruin this girl's life. He writes an anonymous letter that upsets the engagement, and considers himself a hero at the same time.

According to the memoirs of contemporaries that have reached us, it is impossible to compose an integral picture of the poet’s inner world. Lermontov either met with this person, or not. All his love affairs ended in failure. At the time of the tragic death in a duel, the poet was not married. All the recipients of Lermontov’s love lyrics are still unknown for certain and, most likely, will remain in secret.

And among all the poets of the 19th century, Lermontov has the most “unfinished” fate. Such inner mental disorder runs through all his lyrics and Lermontov’s poems, like Pushkin’s, have practically no poems. If Alexander Sergeyevich’s poem “In the depths of Siberian ores” ends with a call to action and faith in a brighter future, then this ending cannot be found in any of the works written by Lermontov.

The poet’s love lyrics are also full of sadness and sadness. If we talk about his life in our usual human understanding - this is the life of a failed person. Although many researchers are sure that if Lermontov lived as long as Pushkin, he would surpass the latter in his work. But fate decreed otherwise. The poet lived only as a youth and did not reach a period of maturity.