在这部清作之妻片中,故事发生在日俄战争时期的农村。清作是村里的模范青年，人们对他抱有期待，觉得将来大概会成为村里的领袖人物。一个到外面干活的女人（浦辺粂子）回到村里，她在外面做人家的妾，因此村里人觉得她是个品行不端的女人。清作对她没有偏见地交往，被她视作依靠，进而演变成爱情，并结婚。村里人认为这是模范青年被品行不端的女人诱惑，对两人施以白眼。这样的状态下，征兵令来了，清作参加日俄战争。孤身一人的清作之妻无依无靠，孤苦难耐。清作负伤归国，但伤愈后还必须去战场。清作之妻为了不让清作回战场，在奔赴战场的前夜，用簪子戳瞎了他的眼睛。她被捕入狱，数年后出狱，从心里觉得对不起清作，投河自尽。成为盲人的清作起初恨妻子，现在理解了妻子的哀伤，也投河追随而去。
When a young wife cannot stop or tolerate her husband's return to being a soldier and going to war she instead blinds the man. After being freed from prison she returns home to beg her husband's forgiveness following which she commits suicide by drowning herself. Her husband not only forgives her, but soon afterwards jumps into the water after her as well.
