Pavel Protasov’s scientific experiments leave him oblivious to his surroundings, namely his wife Yelena’s needs and the widow Melania’s adoration. Liza’s physical frailty and emotional sensitivity prevent her from embracing the love of Chepurnoy, the local veterinarian. Yelena’s sense of neglect in her marriage leaves her open to attention from the artist Dimitri Sergeyevich. Set on the cusp of a cholera epidemic, Gorky’s darkly comedic tale explores a family grappling with a disappointing present and conflicting ideas of the future.