The Plot

Alfred Allmers, an aspiring author, marries his wealthy landowner wife, Rita, in the expectation that she will provide him with the financial freedom he needs to devote himself to his writing. The couple have a son, Eyolf, together. But he is neglected by the possessive Rita, who demands that her husband focus all his attention on her. A moment of uncontrolled passion between the couple results in an accident that leaves the child disabled. Alfred’s half-sister, Asta, visits them frequently and takes care of little Eyolf. Secretly in love with Alfred, she is unable to confess her desire for him. At the urging of the jealous Rita, she accepts a proposal of marriage from the engineer Borghejm. Meanwhile, little Eyolf, abandoned by his parents, grows up alone with his grandmother (in Larsson's adaptation). One of her tales about a medieval rat-woman who charms rodents into the sea with her flute will lead to a tragic event that triggers the ultimate conflict between the main characters.