Eventually, his wife has a male companion and Pozdnyshev assumes that they are having an affair. This is the turning point in the relationship. Her purity is tarnished. This, according to Pozdnyshev, is all her fault because he has not cheated on her once. .
Pozdnyshev was a very narrow minded individual who womanized in his youth and thought that if he did not cheat on his wife, everything would be perfect. Despite his previous affairs, he considered himself pure. Pozdnyshev takes no responsibility in the failed marriage. He based everything on purity. Once his wife lost that purity, Pozdnyshev had to do something about it. He brutally kills her.
That being said about Pozdnyshev, conclusions can be drawn about him. He was sexist, egotistical, and nave. His sexism was the way he thought marriage should be. Pozdnyshev was as impure as any prostitute, but his wife had to be pure. He had too high of expectations of a woman. He wanted his wife to fit his image perfectly, if she did not, then she was not good enough. His egoism fuels the fact that he never takes any responsibility for the marriage. He thinks that he is perfect! Even after he has killed his wife, he is concerned about himself only. He makes sure to put on slippers for appearances when it becomes clear that the police will arrive to question him. And finally, his naivety is what got him in trouble in the first place. He did not know that women are complex individuals who need to be treated as equals. He did not know that a marriage is a two way street. His lack of experience led to a miserable marriage.
Pechorin was the master of manipulation. His character in Lermontov's "Princess Mary- was able to seduce any woman at will. He liked to use them as pawns in his psychological game. Physical beauty did not necessarily attract him to women. To Pechorin, it was more about the challenge. .
In the short story, "Princess Mary-, Pechorin decides that the princess will be his next conquest.
