Set in the late 19th century, Peter Sidenius hails from a devout christian family from western Denmark, who travels to Copenhagen to study engineering much against the wishes of his father. Peter comes in contact with a wealthy and influential Jewish family and seduces the elder daughter, Jakobe. Per, as he calls himself conceives a pan to build his large-scale engineering project of building a series of canals at his native Jutland until his pride comes in the way of achieving his dreams.