The Third Wife

May, just 14 years old, enters into a challenging new life as the third wife to a middle-aged landowner. This change thrusts her into a household filled with complex dynamics, where she must quickly learn her place within the family.

As May settles into her new role, she becomes acutely aware of the family’s expectation for her to bear a male heir. The dominance of the first wife, Nhu Quynh Nguyen, looms over her, especially since the second wife has only produced daughters.

Initially met with warmth from her co-wives, May shares her painful experiences regarding intimacy. Encouraged by them, she begins to explore her own sexuality and desires, setting the stage for deeper emotional complexities.

Soon after her explorations, May conceives a second time, creating a bond with her husband. However, despite this connection, she struggles to reciprocate his affections, feeling emotionally disconnected from him.

May’s life grows more complicated when she learns that Xuan, the second wife, is romantically involved with her husband’s son from a previous marriage. This revelation adds layers of intrigue and tension to the family’s dynamics.

As her husband's affections shift back to his first wife, Mistress Ha, May is torn between hope and dread. The pregnancy of Mistress Ha intensifies May's determination to give birth to her own son to secure her place in the family.

May grapples with feelings of guilt when Mistress Ha suffers a miscarriage, fearing her prayers for a son may have contributed to the loss. This emotional conflict adds significant weight to her already complicated existence.

In a moment of emotional vulnerability, May kisses Xuan, seeking solace but only to face rejection. Xuan suggests their interaction was merely a fleeting emotion driven by pregnancy, further isolating May in her struggles.

As Mistress Ha’s son approaches marrying age, the family pressures him into an arranged marriage, despite his love for Xuan. His despair leads him to threaten his own life, illustrating the extreme emotional turmoil within the household.

Under familial pressure, Mistress Ha’s son is wed to a girl who is the same age as May. The marriage spirals into tragedy when he later distances himself from his bride, resulting in her heart-wrenching suicide.

With desperation mounting, May contemplates an unthinkable solution to her turmoil — the thought of poisoning her daughter using a toxic plant she had seen used on livestock. This dark contemplation reflects her deep-seated anguish.

In a haunting closing moment, one of Xuan's daughters, inspired by a dream of being a man with multiple wives, defiantly cuts her hair short with scissors. This act symbolizes a rebellion against the oppressive familial expectations placed upon her.