How Lermontov M.Yu. died. Who killed Lermontov

More than one hundred and seventy years have passed since Lermontov died. During this time, many researchers have tried to penetrate into the mystery of the mysterious death of the poet. It is known that he was killed in a duel by a close friend - Nikolay Martynov. But under what circumstances there was this fatal collision - it is still unclear. About how and where Lermontov died, will be told in this article.

Longtime buddy

Prior to his last meeting in Pyatigorsk, Martynov and Lermontov were close friends. The friendship between them began in the Junker school. Despite the long and frequent separation, the friends managed to maintain a good relationship. It is known that in 1840, while in Moscow, the poet often visited the Martynov family. At that time, Nikolai Solomonovich himself served in the Caucasus. When Mikhail Yurievich arrived in Pyatigorsk and found out that Martynov was there, he was pleased to look forward to meeting a longtime comrade. It was May 13, 1841. Exactly two months later (on July 13) Lermontov was killed in a duel.

Hurt insult

The researchers suggest that Martynov could quarrel with Lermontov for various reasons. One of them is the desire to protect the honor of his own sister. The fact is that Mikhail Yuryevich did not just visit his friend's family often, but also looked after Natalia Solomonovna Martynova. She, according to some eyewitnesses, was even in love with the poet. Known for his complex character, Lermontov did not inspire the sympathy of Martynov's mother. In her letters she wrote that her daughters like to be in the company of Mikhail Yurievich, but the evil language of the poet can not spare these young beauties. Who knows, maybe her fears were not in vain? Over time, this version was found to be untenable.

Hitman

There are undocumented assumptions of individual novelists-biographers about the fact that Lermontov died in a duel not accidentally. Martynov allegedly knew about the negative attitude to the poet in the higher aristocratic circles and was ready to destroy the longtime friend, pursuing selfish goals. Perhaps he thereby tried to restore his ruined military career. However, this version does not hold water. The duel was punished very hard in those days. Nikolai Solomonovich (after Lermontov was killed) at best could count on serving in the Caucasian army as a simple soldier. The worst option could be a link to Siberia.

Fatal wits

The most common version of the reasons for the duel is that Mikhail Yurievich was of an uneasy nature and often evil joked around others. Contemporaries of the poet testify that he often chose the target for merciless witticisms among his acquaintances. For example, according to the memoirs of Satin NM, this quality did not allow Lermontov to draw closer in 1837 in Pyatigorsk with the exiled Decembrists and Belinsky. In the summer of 1841 Martynov became another victim of the poet's poignancy. Mikhail Yuryevich gave him the nickname "man with a dagger" and "mountaineer" and drew a lot of sarcastic caricatures on this subject. A whole hail of mockery fell upon Nikolai Solomonovich's head. They say that Lermontov simply depicted a characteristic curved line and a long dagger, and everyone immediately realized who he was drawing. Martynov tried in every possible way to laugh, but in vain - it was impossible to compete with the wit of the poet. This fact is the main answer to the question of how Lermontov perished.

Other factors

So, Mikhail Yurievich possessed an evil language and a very unrestrained temper. Thanks to these qualities, during his short life he managed to gain many enemies. About who these people are and what motives they were guided by, nobody knows. The most authoritative researcher of the life of the poet - PA Viskovatov - argues that the intrigue was pummeling in the chambers of General's Merlini. Perhaps, the well-known department of Benckendorff entered the game. It is known that another target for the ridicule of the poet - a certain Lisanevich - was often urged to call Mikhail Yuryevich to a duel. But he invariably refused. In the case of angry for the whole world, forced for unknown reasons to resign Martynov, the situation was different. To convince him to fight with the offender in an honest duel was not difficult. Lermontov's death was almost inevitable. In 1941, on July 13, Nikolai Solomonovich summoned him to a duel.

The circumstances of the quarrel

Prince Vasilchikov in his memoirs writes that on that day Mikhail Yurievich, at the reception at the General's in the office of Versilin, released another sharpness to Martynov. The wife of Lermontov's relative and friend, EA Shan-Giray, testifies that Nikolai Solomonovich turned pale and in a reserved voice reminded the poet that he always asked him to abstain from such ridicule in the ladies. He repeated this remark afterwards several more times, after which Mikhail Yurievich himself invited him to demand satisfaction from himself. Martynov immediately appointed a day for the duel. At first the friends of the duelists did not attach any importance to this fleeting quarrel. Apparently, the conflict could be resolved at any moment. But Mikhail Yuryevich did not take any steps towards reconciliation.

Negotiations with Martynov

Witnesses and eyewitnesses of how M. Yu. Lermontov perished, claim that Nikolai Solomonovich was trying to dissuade from a duel. But he was adamant. Perhaps Martynov was under the influence of some instigators, who convinced him that consenting to reconciliation would make him ridiculous in the eyes of "light." Many people assume that the ubiquitous Third Department played its role here. There are cases when the department of Benckendorff prevented the impending duel. And it probably was notified of the duel. No wonder that the next day Pyatigorsk was simply teeming with gendarmes. However, it was not in their interests to prevent Lermontov's death.

Violations in a duel

Friends of Mikhail Yurievich did not doubt the peaceful outcome of the fight. They thought that the duel would be formal. Infrequently, friends because of a trifle shoot to death. The witness of how Mikhail Lermontov died, Prince Vasilchikov, until the last minute believed that the poet did not take seriously the upcoming fight. In the duel there were no clearly allocated seconds, there was no doctor and even, in violation of all generally recognized canons, there were spectators. Lev Sergeevich Pushkin, who was friends with Mikhail Yurievich, in his notes on how Lermontov perished, directly claimed that the fight was "against all rules and honor." Over Martynov, who had a reputation as a man of timid, many wanted to laugh. This circumstance did not allow him to remove the gun barrel from his old friend.

Circumstances of the duel

Prince Vasilchikov, remembering how Lermontov perished, wrote the following. The seconds measured thirty paces and set the last barrier in ten steps. Then they spread the enemy to the extreme distance and told them to converge at the command: "March!" After that, the seconds were loaded with pistols, distributed to their duelists and commanded: "Go!" Mikhail Yurievich stayed where he was, shielded himself from the sun, cocked the trigger and lifted the gun up. There was a calm, almost gay expression on his face. In turn, Martynov quickly approached the barrier and immediately fired. The poet fell. Viskovatov adds to the circumstances of how M. Lermontov died, an important detail. He testifies, from the words of Vasilchikov, that the look of Martynov aiming at him caused a contemptuous smile on Mikhail Yurievich's face. The poet stretched his arm up, but did not have time to shoot into the air.

Behavior Lermontov

The behavior of the poet raises a number of questions. The fact that Mikhail Yuryevich made a target for his merciless witticisms Martynov was a common thing. But why did the sincere resentment of an old friend not stop the poet from further bullying? After all, Lermontov, despite the difficult nature, was very kind to his friends. There are cases when Mikhail Yurievich immediately apologized to the person who was offended by him. Why, in the case of Martynov, did he actually ask for a duel? In addition, if Lermontov did not consider the reasons for the duel serious, why did not he immediately shoot himself in the air? These features in the poet's behavior are still unclear.

Lermontov and Pechorin

Mikhail Yurievich repeatedly stressed that neither the circumstances of the novel "The Hero of Our Time" nor the character of Pechorin have anything to do with him. Nevertheless, the psychological analysis to which the protagonist of the novel subjects the surrounding people is undoubtedly close to Lermontov himself. After all, revealing the inner world of his characters is his profession. So, maybe, in this capacity, lies the main secret of how Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov perished? Perhaps he just started playing, conducting a psychological experiment on his longtime friend? In fact, there is something about Martynov's behavior from Grushnitsky. He also tries to hide behind the mask of a romantic hero, and in the eyes of the poet, he probably looks ridiculous and ridiculous. Lermontov also summons a duel, when he can not defeat his opponent in any other way. Why is Mikhail Yuryevich trying to shoot at the very last moment, when there is no longer any doubt that Martynov wants to kill him? He, like Pechorin, plays with death, but, unlike his character, dies. This version of the answer to the question "why Lermontov died" is offered by one of the researchers of his work - V. Levin. His article "The Duel of Lermontov" contains many interesting psychological details of the poet's behavior in the last days of his life.

Death of Lermontov

The poet died a few minutes after being wounded, without regaining consciousness. Vasilchikov rushed to the city for a doctor, but returned with nothing - because of the bad weather, no one agreed to go with him. According to eyewitnesses, the day when Lermontov perished, it was pouring rain. After that, Stolypin and Glebov hired a cart in Pyatigorsk and sent Ivan Vertyukov (the coachman of the poet) and Ilya Kozlov (Glebov's servant) to the place of the match. While the dead lay in place of the duel, many approached to find out how M. Lermontov died and look at his body. Mikhail Yurievich was brought to the apartment at about eleven o'clock in the evening. He was buried in 1841, on July 17, in the Pyatigorsk cemetery. There, the poet's body lay for 250 days. His grandmother, EA Arsenyeva, managed to obtain permission from the emperor and transport the remains of his grandson to his homeland. In 1842, April 23, the poet Mikhail Yuryevich was buried in Tarkhany, next to his grandfather and mother.

The fate of Martynov

The death of Lermontov caused great indignation in the progressive circles of Russian society. His murderer was sharply criticized by many enlightened people of the time. At first he was sentenced to deprivation of the whole estate and demotion by a court martial. However, the final verdict was more lenient. According to him, Martynov spent three months in the guardhouse, was subjected to church repentance, and then served a few years of penance in the city of Kiev. Subsequently, he wrote memories of how Lermontov perished from his hand. Nikolai Solomonovich himself died in 1875, at the age of 60, and was buried in a family crypt near the village of Ievlevo. His grave was not preserved. In 1924, the Alexeyev school colony of MONO was placed in Martynov's family estate. Its inhabitants ruined the crypt, and the remains of Nikolai Solomonovich were drowned in a local pond. Such was the retribution for the murder of the great poet.

Now you know how and where Lermontov died. This gifted man combined the great creative talent and fearlessness of a real combat officer. His life was short, but bright, he managed to write many outstanding works. The name of Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov is one of the most famous and revered in Russian literature.