'Fräulein Else' Summary

Else, a young woman from a respected Viennese family, is forced to confront a devastating situation when her father's financial misdeeds threaten to bring ruin upon them. While vacationing in Italy, she receives a desperate plea from her mother, demanding she secure a loan from the wealthy art dealer, Dorsday. Else, a woman of principle and virtue, reluctantly seeks Dorsday out, but his offer comes with a morally repugnant condition. As Else grapples with her desperation, the seductive yet manipulative nature of Dorsday’s proposal throws her into a whirlpool of fear, guilt, and self-doubt. Facing immense social pressure and the prospect of her family's downfall, Else finds herself trapped in a heartbreaking struggle to maintain her dignity while navigating the treacherous waters of a morally compromised world.