Hero+Quotes

Key Quotes - please write them here and put brackets next to them noting what themes or ideas they could be used for.

"What of it? If I die, I die. It will be no great loss to the world, and I am thoroughly bored with life. I am like a man yawning at a ball; the only reason he does not go home to bed is that his carriage has not arrived yet." (fate, honesty, character of Pechorin, cynicism, )

Niels:

She was a strange creature

Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there.

My whole life has been merely a succession of miserable and unsuccessful denials of feelings or reason.

There are times when I can understand the Vampire

It is difficult to convince women of something; one must lead them to believe that they have convinced themselves.

What of it? If I die, I die. It will be no great loss to the world, and I am thoroughly bored with life. I am like a man yawning at a ball; the only reason he does not go home to bed is that his carriage has not arrived yet.

When I think of imminent and possible death, I think only of myself; some do not even do that. Friends, who will forget me tomorrow, or, worse still, who will weave God knows what fantastic yarns about me; and women, who in the embrace of another man will laugh at me in order that he might not be jealous of the departed--what do I care for them?

Women! Who will understand them? Their smiles contradict their glances, their words promise and lure, while the sound of their voices drives us away. One minute they comprehend and divine our most secret thoughts, and the next, they do not understand the clearest hints.

I am not capable of close friendship: of two close friends, one is always the slave of the other, although frequently neither of them will admit it. I cannot be a slave, and to command in such circumstances is a tiresome business, because one must deceive at the same time.

To cause another person suffering or joy, having no right to so-- isn't that the sweetest food of our pride? What is happiness but gratified pride?

I'll hazard my life, even my honor, twenty times, but I will not sell my freedom. Why do I value it so much? What am I preparing myself for? What do I expect from the future? in fact, nothing at all.

Perhaps that’s why you loved me, I thought. Moments of happiness one forgets, but sorrow neve

There are two men within me - one lives in the full sense of the word, the other reflects and judges him. In an hour's time the first may be leaving you and the world for ever, and the second?

What of it? If I die, I die. It will be no great loss to the world, and I am thoroughly bored with life. I am like a man yawning at a ball; the only reason he does not go home to bed is that his carriage has not arrived yet


 * Heroism and Failure **

My whole life has been a mere chain of sad and futile opposition to the dictates of either heart or reason. The presence of an enthusiast makes me as cold as a midwinter's day (Pechorin, 11 May, Princess Mary)

…I am incapable of friendship. Between two friends one is always the slave of the other, though frequently neither will admit it--the slave I cannot be, and to dominate is an hard job since one has to use deception as well. Pechorin 13 May Princess Mary

…fearing ridicule I buried my finest feelings deep in my heart, and there they died 3 June Princess Mary

If I must die, I must! The world will lose little, and I am weary enough of it all. I am like a man who yawns at a ball and doesn't go home to sleep only because his carriage hasn't come. But now the carriage is here--goodbye! 16 June

When I think of imminent and possible death, I think only of myself; some do not even do that. Friends, who will forget me tomorrow, or, worse still, who will weave God knows what fantastic yarns about me; and women, who in the embrace of another man will laugh at me in order that he might not be jealous of the departed--what do I care for them? 16 June

twenty times I can stake my life, even my honor, but my freedom I'll never sell. 14 June

Passions are nothing more than ideas at the first stage of their development. June 3

It is hard to convince women of anything--they must be brought to a point where they will convince themselves. June 11 Princess Mary
 * Role of Women **

When I was still a child, some old woman told my fortune for my mother, predicting that I'd die through a wicked wife. It made a deep impression on me at the time, and an insuperable abhorrence for marriage grew within me. 14 June Princess Mary

Women must be given credit for possessing an instinct for spiritual beauty 13 May Princess Mary

Oh women, women! Who really does understand them? Their smiles contradict their glances, their words promise and beguile, but their tone of voice repulses. They either figure out in a flash your innermost thought or they don't get the most obvious hint 23 May Princess Mary

I don't like him either, and I feel we are bound to fall foul of each other one day with sorry consequences for one of us. 11 May Princess Mary

There are two men in me--one lives in the full sense of the word, the other reasons and passes judgment on the first. The first will perhaps take leave of you and the world forever in an hour now; and the second. . . the second? 16 June Princess Mary

The fullness and depth of emotions and thought precludes furious impulses, for the soul in its suffering or rejoicing is fully alive to what is taking place and conscious that so it must be. June 3

…for me the verb "to marry" has an ominous ring: no matter how passionately I might love a woman, it's farewell to love if she as much as hints at my marrying her. 14 June

The story of a human soul, even the pettiest of souls, can hardly be less interesting and instructive than the story of a nation Intro to Journal entries
 * Structure **

I don't like him either, and I feel we are bound to fall foul of each other one day with sorry consequences for one of us. 11 May Princess Mary

1) “The turmoil of life has left me with a few ideas, but no feelings.” (Irony, Character of Pechorin) 2) “There are times when I can understand the Vampire.” (Irony) 3) “The air is pure, as the kiss of a child, the sun in bright, the sky blue – what more does one want? What need have we here of passions, desires, regrets?” (Character of Pechorin) 4) “If I cause unhappiness to others, I’m no less unhappy myself.” (Irony, Character of Pechorin) 5) “I’ve got an unfortunate character.” (Honesty) 6) “Why did fate toss me into the peaceful midst of these honest smugglers?”(Fate) 7) “My whole life has been merely a succession of miserable and unsuccessful denials of feelings or reason.” (Irony) 8) “What of it? If I die, I die. It will be no great loss to the world, and I am thoroughly bored with life. I am like a man yawning at a ball; the only reason he does not go home to bed is that his carriage has not arrived yet.” (Charcter of Pechorin, Fate) 9) “ If you like I’m still in love with her. I’m greatful to her for a few moments of relative bliss. I’d give my life for her. But she bores me.” (Character of Pechorin, Betrayal)   10) “I’ve seen through him, and that’s why he dislikes me – though outwardly we are on the best of terms. He is reputed to be very brave, but I’ve seen him in action: he waves his sword and charges forward shouting, eyes half-closed. Not exactly the Russian type of bravery.” 11) “All this time, though, I never once saw a tear in his eye. Perhaps he couldn’t cry, perhaps he controlled himself, I don’t know. As far as I was concerned, I’d never seen something so pathetic in my life.”   12) “Now can you finish your story about Bela. I’m sure that wasn’t the end of it.’ What makes you so sure? Asked the captain, winking and smiling artfully. ‘Why its not the nature of things. An unusual begining must have an unusual end.” 13) “I was born with a passion for contradiction. My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason.”  14) “While Pechorin sat down on the bench, his erect figure bent as though he hadn’t a bone in this back..posture gave the impression of a nervous debility. ”  15) "All this time, though, I never once saw a tear in his eye. Perhaps he couldn’t cry, perhaps he controlled himself, I don’t know. As far as I was concerned, I’d never seen something so pathetic in my life.”    16) “I must say a little more about his eyes. In the first place, they never laughed when he laughed. Have you ever noticed this peculiarity some people have? It is either a sign of an evil nature or of a profound and lasting sorrow.”     17) “My soul’s been corrupted by society. My imagination knows no peace, my heart no satisfaction. Nothing counts for me.I grow used to sorrow as easily as I do to pleasure, and my life gets emptier every day” 18) “Perhaps that’s why you loved me, I thought. Moments of happiness one forgets, but sorrow never.” 19) “But how well I remember that year ! He led me a dance alright, though I don’t hold it against him- after all, some people have unusual things happen to them” 20) “If only people thought more about it, they would see that life is not woth worrying about so much.”

Vivek

1. ‘//Roaring songs at the top of his voice, the Ossete driver relentlessly urged on his horses so as to reach the top of Koyshaur by nightfall’ (pg. 5) (setting, emphasis on people’s origins)// 2. //‘Ah these people!” he said. “They don’t know the Russian for ‘bread’, but they’ve learnt to say ‘Officer, tip for vodka’.’ (pg. 7) (character of Maxim Maxymich, characterization of Ossetes)// 3. //‘Once they get drunk on buza at a wedding or a funeral, it’s sheer murder’ (pg. 10) (revelation of people’s nature through insignificant nature, divide between Russians and Asians, stereotyping of people based on their origins)// 4. //‘I’m still in love with her; I’m grateful to her for a few moments of relative bliss. I’d give my life for her. But she bores me.’ (pg. 35) (ease with which Pechorin is bored, objectification of women, slow revelation of details about Pechorin)// 5. //‘He was about to throw his arms round Pechorin, but Pechorin rather coldly held out his hand, although he gave him a friendly smile.’ (pg. 49) (Emotionally distant nature of Pechorin, slow revelation of details about Pechorin, Maxim Maxymich’s attitude towards Pechorin)// 6. //‘I don’t like him either. I fancy one day our paths will cross and one of us will come off worst.’ (pg. 73) (foreshadowing, Pechorin’s tendency to manipulate others, Pechorin’s intelligence)// 7. //‘My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason’ (pg. 77) (cynicism, Pechorin’s bitter nature, Pechorin’s ability to understand his own faults)// 8. //‘Of two friends, one is always the slave of the other, though often neither will admit it. I can never be a slave, and to command in these circumstances is too exacting. For you have to pretend at the same time.’ (pg. 79) (cynicism, emotionally distant nature of Pechorin, Pechorin’s understanding of relations)// 9. //‘I must confess I don’t really like strong-willed women. That’s not their role in life!’ (pg. 89) (misogyny, male chauvinism, stereotyping of women, Pechorin’s will to control, power)// 10. //‘What is happiness but gratified pride? If I thought myself better and more powerful than everyone else in the world, I should be happy.’ (pg. 103) (bitterness, cynicism, logic over emotions, Pechorin’s inability for compassionate emotions)// 11. //‘Passions are merely ideas in their initial stage. They are the property of youth, and anyone who expects to feel their thrill throughout his life is a fool.’ (pg. 103) (logic over emotions, cynicism, Pechorin’s inability for emotional experiences)// 12. //‘…and you can never convince a woman of anything, - you have to arrange matters so that they convince themselves.’ (pg. 117) (male chauvinism, misogyny, male superiority, Pechorin’s tendency to manipulate others)// 13. //‘Women! Women! Who can understand them? Their smile says one thing, their eyes another, their words lead you on with promises, but their tone of voice repulses you.’ (pg. 98) (misogyny, male superiority, this quotes shows this belief to be common to the whole society)// 14. //‘What if it does? If I die, I die. It will be small loss to the world, and I’ve had about enough of it myself.’ (pg. 131) (Pechorin’s struggle to enjoy life, cynicsm, bitterness)// 15. //‘I’ve now been six weeks here in the fort at N -. Maxim Maximych has gone out hunting, and I’m alone, sitting by the window.’ (pg. 132) (narrative voice)// 16. //‘When I think of possible, imminent death, I think only of myself. Some people don’t even do that. To hell with the friends who’ll forget me in a day…’ (pg. 134) (Pechorin’s inability for emotional experiences, Pechorin’s struggle to enjoy life, cynicsm, bitterness)// 17. //‘If predestination really exists, why have we been given free-will and reason? Why do we have to give an account of our deeds?’ (pg. 148) (predestination, fate, predestination vs. fate)// 18. //‘Lieutenant Vulich was a Serb by origin, as you could tell from his name, and his looks matched his character perfectly.’ (pg. 148) (emphasis on people’s origins, identification of people according to their origins, this quote shows this tendency to be common among whole society)// 19. //‘Vulich pulled the trigger. The pistol misfired’ (pg. 151)// //‘Vulich has been killed’ (pg. 154) (predestination, fate, predestination vs. fate)// 20. ‘//The turmoil of life has left me with a few ideas, but no feelings’ (pg. 134) (pechorin's inability for emotional experiences, cynicism, bitterness)//
 * 1) “The turmoil of life has left me with a few ideas, but no feelings” he tells his friend Dr Werner (pechorin's character, lack of emotion, cynicism,
 * 2) “ The air is pure, as a kiss of a child, the sun is bright, the sky blue- what more does one want? What need have we here of passions, desires, regrets?”
 * 3) “I’ve got an unfortunate character” “If I cause unhappiness to others I’m no less unhappy myself”
 * 4) Taman- “why did fate toss me into the peaceful midst of these honest smugglers?”
 * 5) Princess Mary “...fate always seems to have brought me in for the dénounment of other people’s drama’s” “how many times have I been in the axe in the hands of fate?” “Why didn’t I choose to follow the path that fate had opened to me?”
 * 6) “But how well I remember that year ! He led me a dance alright, though I don’t hold it against him- after all, some people have unusual things happen to them” pg11
 * 7) “If only people thought more about it, they would see that life is not woth worrying about so much” pg 28
 * 8) “Now can you finish your story about Bela. I’m sure that wasn’t the end of it.’ What makes you so sure? Asked the captain, winking and smiling artfully. ‘Why its not the nature of things. An unusual begining must have an unusual end.” Pg 30
 * 9) “I’ve got an unfortunate character. I don’t know how I came by it, whether it was the way I was brought up or whether its just the way I’m made. All I know is that if I make other people unhappy, I’m no less unhappy myslef.” Pg 34
 * 10) “...as soon as I got my freedomI threw myself wildly into all the pleasures that mony can buy, and soon I grew sick of them, needless to say. Then I went into society high-life and before long I was tired of that too. I fell in love with women of fashion and was loved in return. But their love merely stirred my imagination and vanity, my heart remained empty.” Pg 35
 * 11) “ If you like I’m still in love with her. I’m greatful to her for a few moments of relative bliss. I’d give my life for her. But she bores me.” Pg 35
 * 12) “My soul’s been corrupted by society. My imagination knows no peace, my heart no satisfaction. Nothing counts for me.I grow used to sorrow as easily as I do to pleasure, and my life gets emptier every day”pg 35
 * 13) “...the people who suffered most from boredom tried to keep thier misfortune to themselves, as if it were some vice.” Pg 36
 * 14) “All this time, though, I never once saw a tear in his eye. Perhaps he couldn’t cry, perhaps he controlled himself, I don’t know. As far as I was concerned, I’d never seen something so pathetic in my life.” Pg 39
 * 15) “ When he looked at you, his quick, penetrating, sombre glance left you with the unpleasant feeling that you’d been asked an indiscrete question, and it would have seemed insolent had it not been so nonchalantly calm.” Pg 49
 * 16) “While Pechorin sat down on the bench, his erect figure bent as though he hadn’t a bone in this back..posture gave the impression of a nervous debility.” Pg 48
 * 17) “I must say a little more about his eyes. In the first place, they never laughed when he laughed. Have you ever noticed this peculiarity some people have? It is either a sign of an evil nature or of a profound and lasting sorrow.” Pg 49
 * 18) “I’ve seen through him, and that’s why he dislikes me – though outwardly we are on the best of terms. He is reputed to be very brave, but I’ve seen him in action: he waves his sword and charges forward shouting, eyes half-closed. Not exactly the Russian type of bravery.” Pg 73
 * 19) “I was born with a passion for contradiction. My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason.” Pg 77
 * 20) “Perhaps that’s why you loved me, I thought. Moments of happiness one forgets, but sorrow never.” Pg 8


 * 1) "I was incapable of friendship." - portraying the current generation
 * 2) "Of two friends, one is always the slave of the other, though often neither will admit it." - friendship, link with Pushkin
 * 3) "Life has left me with a few ideas, yet no feelings." - how unaffected Pechorin is by feelings
 * 4) "He who has experienced them knows their languor and sweetness; there is no way in explaining them to someone who has not." - love, emotions
 * 5) "When I think of imminent and possible death, I think only of myself, some do not even do that." - heroic failure of Pechorin
 * 6) "She was a strange creature" - role of women
 * 7) "What is happiness but gratified pride?" - character of Pechorin
 * 8) "I'll hazard my life, even my honor, twenty times, but I will not sell my freedom." - character of Pechorin
 * 9) "And then we had one of those conversations which make no sense on paper, which you can't repeat and can't even remember." - character of Pechorin, love, emotions
 * 10) "In this fruitless struggle I wasted all the ardour of spirit and firmness of will that are needed in real life; when I then came into this life, I had lived through already in my mind and found it boring and disgusting, like reading a poor pastiche of a long familiar book." - selfishness of Pechorin's character, theme of fate
 * 11) "Some carts of filthy Armenians drove into the hotel yard, followed by an empty calash." - setting, revelation of Pechorin's character
 * 12) "This is how the hero of our time must be. He will be characterized either by decisive inaction, or else by futile activity." - inability to enjoy life, Pechorin's will for control
 * 13) "I make fun of everything, feelings especially, and this is beginning to alarm her." - Pechorin's inability for emotional responses
 * 14) "I was most eager to get some kind of yarn out of him - a desire common to all those who keep travel notes." character of Pechorin
 * 15) "I've got an unfortunate character." - Pechorin's inability to enjoy life
 * 16) "Then he fell to the ground and sobbed like a child." - bitterness of Pechorin's character
 * 17) "Women! Women! Who can understand them?" - role of women, hatred, emotional feelings, misogyny
 * 18) "I'm bored, so I'll go on with my journal that's been interrupted by so many strange events." - inability to enjoy life
 * 19) "I might recover, or I might just as easily die: one thing or the other, it's all in the way of nature." - bitterness, inability to enjoy life
 * 20) "For a long time now I've lived by intellect, not feeling." - fate of Pechorin

tzvetan


 * Yadhu**

1. “My whole life has been merely a succession of miserable and unsuccessful denials of feelings or reason”.

2. “… I am not capable of close friendship: of two friends, one is always the slave of the other, although frequently neither of them will admit it. I cannot be a slave, and to command in such circumstances is a tiresome business, one must deceive at the same time”.

3. “Afraid of decision, I buried my finger feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there”.

4. “It is difficult to convince women of something; one must lead them to believe that they have convinced themselves”.

5. “What of it? If I die, I die. It will be no great loss to the world, and I am thoroughly bored with life. I am like a man yawning at a ball; the only reason he does not go home to bed is that his carriage has not arrived yet.”

6. “When I think of imminent and possible death, I think only of myself; some do not even do that. Friends, who will forget me tomorrow, or, worse still, who will weave God knows what fantastic yarns about me; and women, who in the embrace of another man will laugh at me in order that he might not be jealous of the departed-what do I care for them?

7. “Women! Women! Who will understand them? Their smiles contradict their glances, their words promise and lure, while the sound of their voices drives us away. One minute they comprehend and divine our most secret thoughts, and the next, they do not understand the clearest hints”.

8. “There are two men within me – one lives in the full sense of the word, the other reflects and judges him. In an hour’s time the first may be leaving you and the world for ever, and the second? …the second?”

9. “To cause another person suffering or joy, having no right to so – isn’t that the sweetest food of our pride? What is happiness but gratified pride?”

10. “I’ll hazard my life, even my honor, twenty times, but I will not sell my freedom. Why do I value it so much? What am I preparing myself for? What do I expect from the future? In fact, nothing at all”.

11. “Passions are merely ideas in their initial stage”.

12. “He was like that. He’d get something into his head and not be content till he got it”.

13. “His face showed me nothing particular, and that annoyed me. If I’d been in his place I’d have died for grief… I wanted to console him, more for decency’s sake, you understand, than anything else”.

14. “I’m not a slave – I’m a princely daughter”.

15. “The love of a savage girl is a little better than the love of noble lady; ignorance and alertness of one is equally annoys as the coquetry of another”.

16. “She is the only women in the world who I will be unable to deceive”.

17. “If I cause unhappiness to other, I’m no less unhappy myself”.

18. “I don’t like him either. I fancy one day our paths will cross and one of us will come off worst”.

19. “My soul is been corrupted by the society. My imagination knows no peace, my heart no satisfaction”.

20. “I make fun of everything, feelings especially and this is beginning to alarm her”.