SOURCE: "Byron and the Evolution of Lermontov's Poetry 1814-1841," in Renaissance and Modern Studies, Vol. 32, 1988, pp. 80-95.

Below, Diakonova shows how Byronism affected Lermontov's artistic development.

As an influence in the artistic development of Lermontov, Byron comes second only to Pushkin. This is a point that has been taken for granted by scholars both old (N. Storozhenko, V. Spasovich, A. Veselovskij, E. Djushen, M. Rozanov, S. Shuvalov, N. Dashkevich) and new (B. Ejkhenbaum, V. Zhirmunskij, L. Grosman, N. Brodskij, B. Tomashevskij, A. Fedorov, M. Nol'man, K. Chernyj). The latter have convincingly proved that the Russian poet's Byronism was part of the Byron-worship characteristic of Russian letters and culture in the days of reaction preceding and following the defeat of the Decembrists' attempt, in 1825, to break down the autocracy of the crown and liberalise its policy.

In the period before the beginning of a wider and more democratic opposition...