Chapter 10 Summary

Bazarov's presence at the farm is becoming less awkward among the servants who find a friend in the young doctor but the relations between Bazarov and the older men continue to cool. Nikolai overhears Bazarov lecturing Arkady on Nikolai's old ways of thinking and lack of progress on the farm. The comments spur Nikolai on his way home and do not ingratiate Bazarov to the old man.

Pavel, in particular, finds Bazarov to be a grating presence in the house and the rift in the relationship comes to near explosive levels one evening at dinner when Pavel challenges Bazarov's beliefs on the rotten nature of aristocrats. To Pavel, aristocracy represents a way of life that is noble and cultured, while Bazarov finds the aristocracy to represent a people who have long outlived their necessity to Russia.

Pavel counters that if people were to...