Mikhail Lermontov

Mikhail Lermontov was Russia's most renowned Romantic poet. Born in 1814, his short life was both difficult and sensational. Raised by his grandmother, he served in the Russian military as an adult but fought several duels, meeting his end in the last one at just twenty-six in 1841.It was his writing that brought him enduring fame, inspiring giants like Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Chekhov. A prolific poet, his novel A Hero of Our Time is a cornerstone of Russian literature, and his play Masquerade marks a pivotal moment in the nation's theatre-a whirlwind of jealousy, deception, and societal critique.