Alfred Allmers and his young wife Rita live in a nice, bourgeois country house on an island off the coast of Norway with their only son Eyolf, who, due to an unfortunate accident, is now crippled and walks with crutches.

For some time now, underlying tensions have been stirring between Alfred and his wife. At the beginning of the story, Alfred is trekking in one of Norway's most incredible natural places: the Jostedal Glacier.

Here, we discover that he's actually trying to find some meaning in his life. The very same day, Eyolf falls into the sea and drowns, his body never to be recovered.