De afwezige

Summary

Romantic drama about a widower who upsets his family by remarrying.

Dries, a farmer and a widower, lives with his mother-in-law Grietje and his son Peter. He falls in love with Minna, a widow, and marries her despite the opposition of his family and friends. In anger his son Peter leaves home to enlist, while Grietje takes up her residence in another cottage.

Six years pass, during which Grietje becomes acquainted with Minna's daughter Dina and starts to mediate between the families. Peter falls ill in Sumatra, but after seeing Dina's picture he recovers and is drafted home again to Holland. He meets Dina and the two find that they truly love one another. Minna now sets herself to bring about general reunion, and this she eventually succeeds in doing.