In the 19th century, 17-year-old Effi Briest marries the older Baron von Instetten and moves into a house in a small, isolated Baltic town where she believes there is a ghost. She has a daughter, Annie, and hires Roswitha, a lapsed Catholic, to take care of her. Effi is lonely when her husband is away on business and spends time riding and walking along the shore with Major Crampas. Instetten gets promoted to Ministerial Councillor and the family moves to Berlin, where Effi enjoys the social life. Six years later, Instetten receives letters from Crampas to Effi, which leads him to believe they had an affair. He feels compelled to challenge Crampas to a duel and banishes Effi from the house.