Kulokhu Isikhathi esididayo nesesabekayo kangangokuba sikhathaza abantu baseYurophu, ngenkinga yezomnotho, yezepolitiki neyesikhungo eye yakhunjulwa kusukela ngeMpi Yezwe Yesibili, ngivuma ukuncoma, noma nini lapho ngibuzwa, ukufundwa ngentshiseko Umama kaMáximo Gorki.
UGorky ukhombisa kulo msebenzi ukuthi ukuvuswa kwabasebenzi, elwela labo amalungelo ezitholakala kumuntu nokuthi, ngaleso sikhathi, zazikhona unyathelwe yiTsarism (Uhulumeni, isonto, ezobulungiswa, amaphoyisa namasosha).
UGorky utshela indaba ye I-Pelagia, waziwa ngo "Umamae ”, uhlamvu olufanekisela i- ukuvusa isibalo sabasebenzi baseRussia kwiqiniso lobusoshiyali, uthe ukuvuka kwaholela empini eyayizothatha impilo yabanye babalingisi.
Ngemuva kokushona komyeni kaPelagia, owambulala, ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo, kwaze kwaba umzuzu wokufa kwakhe, indodana yakhe, Pavel, uthola ukugcinwa ngaphezulu. Ngokushesha uPelagia uzobona, ngemuva komhlangano ekhaya lakhe, ukuthi izizathu zalesi simo zikuye Ukuncika kwezepolitiki, umholi weSocialist ekusebenzeni kwemboni. Imihlangano ibiya ngokuya yenzeka ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lapho bekudingidwa khona izihloko, okudingidwa ngazo namuhla, futhi okuthe, kancane kancane, benza umama aphume kulokho kwesaba okugqugquzelwe yiTsarism ukuba abe, kulandela ukuboshwa kwendodana yakhe ngezizathu zepolitiki, kusishoshovu, ethatha amapheshana ayisa embonini yendodana yakhe, ehambisa amaphephandaba angekho emthethweni ezindaweni zasemakhaya noma ehambisa imibono yezenhlalo kubasebenzi.
Ekugcineni, uPavel nalabo asebenzisana nabo bagwetshwa ejele laseSiberia ecaleni elalizobizwa ngokuthi i-pantomime. Ngokushesha ngemuva kwalokho, futhi lapho umama esezothutha futhi amaphepha ezepolitiki angekho emthethweni, uyabona ukuthi ulandelwe yimpimpi ye-tsarist, eboshwa futhi ishaywe kanzima.