Daughter of a white man (an ex-supervisor of the farm) named Miguel and of a black slave that the young girl never knew, Isaura doesn’t have the chance to know the cruelty of the slavery while she was just a little girl.
Her mistress brought her up like she was her own daughter, giving her every kind of exquisite treatment that a white and rich child would have.
But when the mistress dies, the farm and the slaves become property of her son Leoncio and Isaura’s life turns upside down.
Leoncio is madly in love with her but in a sic and authoritarian way.
The story assumes tones of primitive sensuality that blend in with the reports of slaves' punishments ordered by Leoncio that was frustrated because he couldn’t have Isaura to him self.
Leoncio is married to Malvina that cares for Isaura the same way her mother-in-law did.
Malvina is beautiful, elegant, polite and charitable but her qualities fade before Isaura’s qualities…
Leoncio’s sic passion by Isaura aggravates and he demands her possession.The girl wants to keep safe her virginity.
Malvina finds her husband’s intention and returns to The Court (the city of Rio de Janeiro).
Abandoned to her own faith Isaura needs to escape.
With the help of her father, Isaura escapes to Recife. At that time the story becomes electrifying. Leoncio goes out in a chase.
Without knowing that Leoncio is chasing her, Isaura gets to Recife.
There she met Alvaro a good looking young man, wealthy, ex-law student, generous and most important of all, republican and liberal.
Alvaro has no prejudice about Isaura being born in captivity and he totally loathes slavery. They fall in love.
After a long journey Leoncio finds Isaura in Recife. He subjugates Miguel and makes them return to the ranch. Isaura feels miserable.
Two months pass by and Alvaro doesn’t know what else to do to regain his honour back.
After a whole bunch of manoeuvres he manages to buy all Leoncio’s goods, lands and estates.
Alvaro breaks in into the ranch to free Isaura and to marry her.
Desperate, Leoncio commits suicide.
The feeling of freedom rules over tyranny.