Broken Country

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, child death, animal death, addiction, substance use, and sexual content.

The Prologue opens with a farmer dead from a gunshot wound to the heart, and the narrator (later revealed to be Beth Johnson) is being questioned about whether it was an accident or murder. Two people are waiting for her to speak, but she hesitates, reflecting on her past with the man she once loved.

The man who was with her when the farmer died seems to be silently urging her to say something specific—something they had rehearsed. Before she speaks, Beth looks at his face one final time, knowing that everything is about to change.

In 1968, Beth learns during breakfast that Gabriel Wolfe has returned to live at Meadowlands, his family estate, following his divorce. Gabriel, now a literary celebrity, and his young son have come from the United States, where Gabriel has lived for many years. Beth’s husband, Frank Johnson, expresses disdain for Gabriel, declaring that they’ll have nothing to do with him, while Beth is surprised that Gabriel would return to a place he once hated.

Frank and his younger brother, Jimmy, go out to work on their farm while Beth stays behind.