The action takes place in Moscow, in the first decade of the reforms of Alexander II. The first act of the play is in an apartment where a young man, Yegor Dmitrievich Glumov, lives with his widowed mother. According to the author’s remark, there is a clean, well-furnished room in it.

Glumov and his mother enter the room, continuing the conversation. Glumov tells her: “I’m all in you - smart, angry and envious” and declares that from now on she will make a career through dating in the light: “Epigrams to the side! This kind of poetry, besides harm, does nothing to the author. Let’s go for panegyrics! ” Now Glumov will keep a diary for himself and write openly in it that he thinks about the people he seeks to find.

The hussar Kurchaev, Glumov’s acquaintance, comes with him Golutvin, a man who does not have classes. They are going to publish a magazine and ask Glumov for his epigram or diary, about which they have already heard something. Glumov refuses. Kurchaev, a distant relative of Glumov through dignitary Neil Fedoseevich Mamaev, tells Glumov about Mamayev’s habit of looking in vain for rented apartments and at the same time instructing everyone and everyone, and after a conversation he throws a caricature at Mamaev, attributing “the latest tutorial”. Golutvin wants to take her. Kurchaev does not give: "Still, uncle." She remains to Glumov. Kurchaev informs Glumov that Mamayev’s wife is “in love like a cat” in Glumov. Kurchaev and Golutvin leave.

In a subsequent conversation between Glumov and his mother, it turns out that Glumov had already bribed Mamaev’s servant, and Mamaev will now arrive to watch the allegedly rented apartment of the Glumovs.

A servant appears, followed by Mamaev himself. Mamaev blames the servant: why did he bring him to a residential apartment. Glumov explains that, in need of money, he wants to move from this apartment to a big one, and to the perplexed questions Mamayev says: "I'm stupid." He was dumbfounded at first, but quickly began to believe that he was facing a young man who was hungry for advice, teachings and instructions.

Glumova shows Mamaev a caricature of Kurchaev. Mamaev leaves. Manefa comes, "a woman engaged in divination and divination." Glumov accepts it with reverence, gives fifteen rubles, sends it out for tea and coffee, writes in the diary the expenses for Manef and three rubles for Mamaev’s servant. Kurchaev suddenly returns, to whom Mamaev, who met on the road, did not order to be seen. Kurchaev suspects Glumov of intrigue and tells him about it. They are arguing. Kurchaev leaves. “Uncle drove him away. The first step has been taken. ” With these words, Glumov ends the first act of comedy.

In Mamaev’s house, the landlord and Krutitsky - “an old man, a very important gentleman” complain about the perniciousness of reforms and changes and their inability to own a pen and a “modern syllable”. Krutitsky’s work is ready, written in a style “close to the style of the great Lomonosov,” and Mamaev suggests giving it to Glumov for processing. Both are leaving. Mamaev and Glumova appear. Glumova complains about the lack of funds. Mamaeva encourages her, promising her protection to Glumova. To the entering Mamaev, Glumova is painted by the admiration of his son by his mind. Mamaev, leaving, promises Glumova to give "not money, but better money: advice on how to manage the budget." Mamaeva Glumova begins to talk about how in love with her Glumov. Glumova leaves. Mamaev flirts with the incoming Glumov.

Gorodulin arrives, "an important young gentleman." Mamaev asks Glumov for a place, “of course, good”, calls Glumov and leaves him with Gorodulin. Glumov declares himself a liberal and demonstrates the cunning that delights Gorodulin, who immediately asks to help him prepare a speech. Glumov is ready to write.

Gorodulina is replaced by Mamaev, who begins to teach Glumov to care for his wife. Glumov stays with Mamaeva, declares her love and leaves.

At the dacha of Turusina, “a rich widow, a lady of merchants”, surrounded by engrafters, fortunetellers, wanderers, Turusina, who had just left for the city but ordered to turn the crew because of a bad omen, reprimands her companion, niece Mashenka, for “freethinking” and sympathy for Kurchaev. In addition, she received two anonymous letters warning against meeting Kurchaev. Mashenka replies that she is a “Moscow young lady” and will not argue, but then let her aunt find her groom herself. Mashenka is leaving. Krutitsky, who lives next door, comes to visit. Turusina shares with Krutitsky concerns: how to find Mashenka a good groom. Krutitsky recommends Glumov and leaves. Gorodulin arrives. Like Krutitsky, he ridicules Turusina’s addiction to wanderers and rooters and reports: one of such acquaintances Turusina was convicted of fraud and poisoning a wealthy merchant. With Gorodulin, the same conversation is repeated with the same result. Gorodulin strongly recommends Turusina Glumova. And finally, Manefa appears instead of Gorodulin. She is a welcome guest here. She is received with honor and speeches she is listened with trepidation. She broadcasts, the coilers assent. All in chorus foreshadow Glumov as something already almost supernatural. The appearance of Glumov with Mamaev and Turusina’s promise to love him as her own son, the action ends.

Glumov brings Krutitsky “A Treatise on the Harm of Reforms in General” - a treatment of Krutitsky’s thoughts. Krutitsky is satisfied. "Treatise" - a sharp parody of retrograde. Glumov asks Krutitsky to be planted as his father at the wedding and sorted out a little in servility, which Krutitsky notes on his departure.

Cleopatra Lvovna Mamaev comes to additionally put in a word for Glumov. Cheered up after the departure of Glumov, the old man brings down archaic quotes from her favorite tragedies from her youth, seeing almost the same age as the aging Mamaeva. But much more unpleasant for her is the news dropped by Krutitsky about Glumov's matchmaking for Mashenka for love. “What pricked her. Come here with the women. Worse than commanding a division, ”Krutitsky wonders, looking after her.

At home, Glumov writes down expenses and impressions in a diary and teaches his mother, leaving to Turusina, how to appease and seduce her engrafters. Suddenly Mamaev appears. This is unusual, and Glumov is wary. A subsequent conversation with her either confirms or calms Glumov’s fears. He begins to explain to Mamaeva in his feelings, somewhat abusing eloquence, but she interrupts him with the question: “Are you getting married?” Glumov goes astray, engages in explanations and, as it seems to him, more or less reassures Mamaev. The doorbell rings. Glumov leaves.

Golutvin came. Glumov, hiding Mamaev in the next room, takes him. It turns out that, in modern terms, he collected material on Glumov and blackmails him: if Glumov does not pay, Golutvin will print a libel. Refusing Golutvin with a decisive tone, Glumov actually hesitates, not wanting trouble in view of his advantageous marriage to Mashenka. Golutvin climbs into the next room, inquiring about who is there. Glumov barely escorts him, but then decides to catch up and still pay. Mamaeva enters the room, notices the diary, reads something about herself that enrages her, and takes her away.

At first, it seems to Glumov that he “settled everything”. But making sure that the diary is taken, he becomes desperate, scolding himself: “Stupid anger consoled. So he presented the public with “Notes of a scoundrel” written by him. ”

In the country house, where the whole society gathered, Kurchaev, talking with Mashenka about the unprecedented virtues and successes of Glumov, said: “I would argue with someone else, but I never did this before a virtuous person.” Between virtuous conversations with his future wife and mother-in-law, Glumov agrees with Gorodulin to "finish off" Krutitsky's treatise (that is, Glumov) under the signature of Gorodulin and convinces Mamaev that he will marry as calculated. A servant brings a package passed by someone. It contains a printed article "How People Get Out" with a portrait of Glumov and a missing diary. Mamaev reads the notes out loud, inquiries about the costs of the healers “because they saw me in a dream,” the sharp characteristics of Krutitsky, Manefa, Turusina (Turusina immediately says “I will drive everyone away” and gives Mashenka complete freedom of choice; apparently, her choice - Kurchaev). Glumov appears. They give him a diary and offer to "retire unnoticed." But Glumov already has nothing to lose. “Why, imperceptibly,” he replies and begins to expose those present verbally. The essence of exposures: in a printed article there is nothing new for them. Krutitsky and Mamaev are not really so stupid that they really do not feel falsehood in Glumov’s servility: it’s just convenient and pleasant for them. The same is with Mamaeva, and with Gorodulin. But both of them unexpectedly stop Glum’s eloquence, immediately beginning to agree with him. Glumov leaves. After a pause, everyone agrees that, after a while, we must again “caress” him. “And I take it upon myself” - the final replica of Mamaeva.