The newlyweds leave the camp and return to his home, the island of Stromboli. Antonio leads them to their home, a small stone house that is worn and dirty. Within the first few minutes Karin expresses her disappointment and her desire to leave. Antonio, however, asserts that she is his wife and she will stay on the island and obey him.
Ignored by the women of the town, who disrespect her because of her lack of what they define as modesty, she finds solace in working on beautifying her home. Her loneliness grows as her husband’s job as a fisherman requires him to spend some nights working. She finds some friendship in the town priest who says he has known women like her in the same position who have managed to escape from the island. This thought gives her hope and she looks forward to the day when she too can escape.
One day, Karin takes a short boat ride to the place where her husband is working in the boats to tell him that she’s pregnant. However, before she can get the words out, the men start pulling in a large tuna catch and her boat tosses violently in the water as she is sprayed by the seawater.
Some time later, Karin is in her home and suddenly the house starts to shake violently. The island’s volcano is erupting. All of the inhabitants run to the water’s edge where they board boats which take them to safety out of the ashen volcanic rain. As soon as it is safe for the townspeople to return, Karin informs Antonio that she refuses to have her baby here and will leave. Becoming violent, he nails the doors shut making her a prisoner in her own house. From her window she calls for help and a young man arrives to break open the door. She explains her difficulties and the man seems to empathize. She suggests a sexual exchange with him if he would help her get to the other side of the island where the ferries leave for the mainland. Although he sympathizes, he refuses to help her simply because "people will talk". Deciding that an escape is necessary, Karin packs a bag and sets out on foot over the mountainous terrain which is still smoldering from the volcano. Collapsing from exhaustion she begs God to help her and to give her a little bit of peace. Her desperation fades as she realizes that she must now live for her baby and vows to fight to save it.