SOURCE: Liberman, Anatoly. “Lermontov as a Poet.” In Mikhail Lermontov: Major Poetical Works, translated by Anatoly Liberman, pp. 8-22. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1983.

In the following essay, Liberman provides a brief overview of Lermontov's reputation as a poet, praising him for his introduction of impressionism into Russian literature.

Lermontov was confronted with the most difficult poetic task—to overcome the Pushkin canon.

(Eikhenbaum)

To be so dependent on Pushkin, so totally, so completely, so slavishly; and to shake off this dependence—this is where Lermontov's genius manifested itself.

(Anna Akhmatova, as reported by Lidia Chukovskaya)

The enormous literature on Lermontov falls roughly into six groups.

1) Biography. In 1841 Lermontov's readers knew nothing at all about his life. Even several decades later, the political scandal associated with his name sealed many mouths. His letters were destroyed, and his friends kept their recollections to themselves. At the same time his...