Lermontov's dramaturgy in the history of Russian culture and literature is a less significant phenomenon than his poetry and prose. This is explained to a certain extent by the fact that Lermontov turned to dramatic form only in the first years of his literary activity. Five plays (not counting the passage “Gypsies”), different in character, style, artistic completeness and value, were written by Lermontov before 1836. Convinced of the complete impossibility of seeing any of his plays on stage or in print, and deeply disillusioned with the repertoire policy pursued by the management of the imperial theaters, Lermontov moved away from drama.