The image of Bela in the novel "The Hero of Our Time" by Lermontov

The image of Bela in the novel "The Hero of Our Time" is one of the most memorable and exciting. A proud nature, devotion to one's traditions, sincerity in everything, ability to selflessly love are the main qualities of this heroine, contrasted in the work of the romantic undina and the secular beauty Mary.

Feature of narration

The tragic fate of the girl is devoted to the first chapter of the work. The image of Bela in the novel "The Hero of Our Time" is given through the perception of it by Maxim Maksimych - a simple and kind person who has become an unwitting participant in the events described. During several months of acquaintance, he well recognized the character of the Caucasian princess and became attached to her soul. Therefore, his story is filled with warmth and compassion for the "poor" Circassian. He recalls how he served in the fortress behind the Terek, where a young officer arrived. The appearance of Pechorin Grigory Alexandrovich and was soon the cause of the tragic events.

So he introduces the story of Circassian M. Lermontov into the novel.

"Bela": a summary of dating heroes

The worldly prince, a Tatar, a friend of Maxim Maksimych, invited Russian officers to the wedding of his eldest daughter. During the holiday Pechorin drew attention to the younger princess. Thin, tall, black-eyed, about sixteen - so describes the girl in the beginning of the story M. Lermontov. Bela immediately struck Grigory Alexandrovich with her beauty and grace. She, in turn, also noticed a young man and, approaching him, complimented him in the form of a song. Pechorin was familiar with the traditions of the highlanders, but here everything was decided by chance.

Maksim Maksimych went out to freshen up and heard the conversation. Kazbich, the owner of the best horse in the district, praised his Karagez, and Azamat, the prince's son, persuaded him to give him the horse. He even cried, and then offered to steal his sister in exchange for a steed. Kazbich remained adamant, and a quarrel broke out between them. Maxim Maximich, not guessing how all this may end, talked about the conversation he had heard Pechorin. Grigory Alexandrovich then laughed, and he himself had something in mind - said Lermontov. Bela, as he later explains, was perceived by him as a rescue from boredom and disappointment.

The victim of a whim

Unstable in everything, tired of the world, the young officer tried in every possible way to find meaning in life. When he first saw the princess, she seemed to him not like all the girls he knew. The naturalness and inability to pretend - these are the qualities that, in addition to beauty, Pechorin saw in it. And when Azamat appeared in the fortress, Grigory Alexandrovich offered him a deal: Bela in exchange for Karagez. At that moment the young man was sure: she was an angel, whom fate had finally sent him. Perhaps the author wanted to emphasize that other "heroes of our time" sometimes embroidered similar thoughts. Bela was in the house of Grigory Alexandrovich that night. And the next day, when Kazbich drove the sheep into the fortress, Azamat stole Karageza and did not appear at home any more.

In captivity

Maxim Maksimych first outraged the act of the young officer, and he began to insist on the return of the girl to her parents. However, Pechorin was adamant - such were, in the author's opinion, "the heroes of our time": Bela remained in the fortress.

Proud, independent, with an innate sense of dignity - the heroine for a long time did not want to submit to the Russian officer. She often felt sad and sang songs in her own language. She avoided strangers who speak a foreign language. She was not seduced by dresses or expensive jewelry, so beloved by other women. Devoted to the laws of the mountaineers and offended by Pechorin's act, Bela long rejected her captor. Maxim Maksimych compares it these days with wild sulfur, freedom-loving and disobedient. The eyes of the Circassian were burning like coals. In general, they seemed to peer into the soul, trying to find there answers to the heroin-tormented questions. And without knowing it herself, the heroine with her disobedience increasingly inflamed Pechorin. Now he was just going to the goal: to conquer a recalcitrant at any cost. Seeing that all efforts are fruitless, Pechorin went to the trick - these were probably, for the author, the "heroes of our time".

Lermontov shows that the girl's feelings matured in her soul gradually. There were moments when the Circassian looked at Grigory Alexandrovich gently. She learned to understand Russian speech and seemed to trust him. But the pride and education of the mountaineers did not allow her to show her feelings: Islam does not allow such a connection with a man. And only at the moment when the young officer made it clear that he was saying good-bye to Bela forever, his beloved captive, sobbing, rushed to the man's neck.

Love Circassian

The image of Bela in the novel "The Hero of Our Time" evokes in the reader admiration and compassion. Breaking herself, the heroine gave herself entirely to the first love. According to Maxim Maksimych, in her feeling, sincere and touching, she was beautiful: her cheeks glowed, and fun and leprosy became her constant companions. This went on for four months, until Pechorin cooled to his janechka. Once he confessed Maxim Maksimych that, as it turned out, love Circassian is not much better than the love of a noble woman. The young man began to leave the house more and more often, and in front of Bela's eyes, which again faded and looked sadly, tears glistened. And no words could convince her that Grigory Alexandrovich loved her as before. But even at such moments Bela did not forget that she was the prince's daughter. Willingness to leave, so as not to feel like an abandoned woman, testified to innate pride - Lermontov emphasizes.

"Bela": a summary of the episode of doom

Once the officers left the fortress. On this day, the Circassian became an instrument of revenge against Kazibich, who did not accept the loss. He stole a girl, who descended to the river alone. And after discovering the pursuit, he mortally wounded, thrusting a dagger into his beautiful chest.

Fate let the heroine two more days. The image of Bela in the novel "The Hero of Our Time" from the very beginning embodies the devotion to the traditions of the Eastern people. Dying, the girl does not forget about her beloved for a minute and regrets that their souls will not meet in another world. But when Maxim Maksimych invites her to accept the Christian faith, the beauty refuses. She is brought up according to Muslim customs and does not want to change her home and people.

conclusions

In the novel "The Hero of Our Time" the image of Bela is the brightest and innocent. The life of a girl largely depends on those around her: the will of her father, who betrayed her brother, who used Pechorin for his own purposes. Cherkeshenka in the story says little and only in communication with Maxim Maksimych sometimes complains that Grigory Alexandrovich fell out of love with her. But the description of Bela's eyes and actions gives a complete picture of what is happening in her soul. And this sincerity of feelings, coupled with the inability to pretend, arouse the reader's respect and admiration.

In conclusion, I would like to note that after reading the story, the bitterness arises that Pechorin's "heroes of our time" - Lermontov repeatedly stressed the typical character of the image - can easily and impunity intervene in the destinies of other people and break them.