Set in a remote Armenian mountain village during the 1920s, a time of early Soviet reforms, the story follows the lives of the widow Gyulbahar, the village priest Ter Maruk, and the local community. Against the backdrop of changing social norms and long-standing traditions, it explores morality, public judgment, authority, and the place of women in rural society. The narrative offers a vivid portrayal of village life through the relationships and attitudes of its inhabitants.