Vassily, who we meet midway into the novel, is the 62 year-old father of Bazarov. He is described as strongly resembling his son, though he is in the habit of constantly shifting about. Like his son, he is a doctor; he is a retired army surgeon. He manages a small estate, where he lives with his wife, Arina Bazarov. The couple is kind, good-natured, and extremely proud of their young son. Vassily has abandoned the feudal system and allows his serfs to maintain the land themselves, collecting a portion of their proceeds as rent. He is a good man, who suffers losses out of his generosity to his peasants. Though he has given up the medical practice, he treats the local peasants if an emergency arises.
Like the other older characters in the novel, Vassily feels out of touch with the younger generation. He is bewildered and hurt by his son’s nihilistic ideals, as he is a staunch traditionalist. The generational gap between Bazarov and his parents seems irreconcilable, and Arkady’s relationship with his father is loving and traditional in comparison. Vassily feels that his isolation in the countryside has left him outside of the ripping currents of modernity. Bazarov sees his father’s medical ideas as outdated and worthless, and he rejects the medical authorities that his father reveres. Vassily is left devastated by his son’s premature death, and he is frequently seen weeping over Bazarov’s grave with his wife. Through his son’s nihilistic and dark attitudes, Vassily sees a lovable and innocent spirit worthy of love.