The Possessed, Chapter 10 summary

What happens

1. Workers gather peacefully outside the governor’s house to seek redress for dismissal and cheating by their factory manager.
2. After a bitter quarrel with Yulia Mihailovna, Lembke returns to town, mistakes the gathering for rebellion, and orders flogging.
3. Stepan Trofimovitch protests police brutality, then confronts Lembke about the search of his home and removal of his papers.
4. Yulia Mihailovna welcomes Stepan into her drawing room, where literary conversation and Pyotr Stepanovitch’s mockery precede another disturbing outburst from Lembke.
5. Liza publicly challenges Stavrogin about Lebyadkin’s letters, and he confirms that he has a wife.
6. Varvara Petrovna refuses visitors, while the distressed Stepan prepares eagerly for his reading.

In this chapter

What to notice

Nikolay Stavrogin’s calm admission turns Liza’s public challenge into an explicit disclosure. Varvara Petrovna reacts with horror, and the gathering breaks into gossip.

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