Dmitry Rudin, a high-minded gentleman of reduced means, arrives at the estate of Darya Mikhailovna, where his intelligence, eloquence and conviction immediately make a powerful impression. As he stays on longer than intended, Rudin exerts a strong influence on the younger generation, and gradually Darya's daughter, Natalya, falls in love with him. But circumstances soon show whether Rudin has the courage to act on his beliefs, and whether he can live up to the image he has created for himself.