The town's inhabitants are divided into various factions, including radical intellectuals, aristocrats, government officials, and peasants, each with their own agendas and ideologies.

Stavrogin's arrival sparks intrigue and controversy among the town's residents, as rumors circulate about his scandalous past and his involvement in a tragic incident years earlier.

Stavrogin's presence disrupts the lives of those around him, including the governor's wife, Varvara Stavrogina, and her stepson, Pyotr Verkhovensky, a charismatic and radical revolutionary.

As tensions escalate within the community, fueled by Stavrogin's provocative actions and Verkhovensky's radical ideology, the characters find themselves drawn into a web of intrigue, manipulation, and moral corruption.

Meanwhile, Stavrogin becomes entangled in a series of scandalous affairs and personal conflicts, including a tumultuous relationship with a young woman named Marya Lebyadkina, who becomes infatuated with him.