Aroeiras is a fictional city in the northeastern interior of Brazil where Genésio lives. Old, widowed, retired and childless, he fills his loneliness drinking and dreaming of the nostalgic heroism of cangaceiros (northeastern outlaws) and the love of Rosália. His friend Baltazar, a peasant leader, does not believe in myths of the past. He believes that organized political struggle is the only possible way to change things and he is looking for new ways to fight the powerful.