In early 19th century Russian Empire, a bored Saint Petersburg socialite named Onegin inherits his uncle's estate in the country. There, he meets a neighbouring landowner and aspiring poet, Lensky, and a widowed mother and her two daughters. The poet is engaged to the elder daughter Olga. Her sister, Tatiana, writes Onegin a passionate love letter but is cruelly spurned by him apparently due to her lack of social experience. His flirtatious attentions towards Lensky's fiancée leads to a duel. The duel is arranged to take place in a secluded place by a local lake, and unknown to the participants, Tatiana secretly witnesses the duel from a safe distance. She sees the outcome of Lensky taking the first shot and missing his opponent, followed by Onegin taking careful aim and disposing of Lensky with a shot to his opponent's head killing him instantly.