[1][2] Ignas Jurkūnas was born on 2 April 1889 to a family of Lithuanian peasants in the village of Šeiniūnai [lt], from which he would eventually create his pen name.

During this time, he met with some notable Lithuanian writers, such as Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas and Jurgis Baltrušaitis, among others, who encouraged the young Šeinius to write.

[1][3][2] The December 1926 coup saw a change of political leadership, enabling Antanas Smetona and Augustinas Voldemaras to form a new government.

Conflict with Voldemaras, who was the new chief of foreign affairs, arose, and Šeinius was forced to resign from his work in diplomacy in 1927, as the nationalist party in Lithuania closed embassies in the Nordic states.

Olesis, also known as Kuprelis, has been hunchbacked since childhood, and is also poor, but is gifted with artistic talents and a sensitive heart.

Realizing his sad fate, and wanting to become closer to God and to art, he decides to become a church organist.

He falls in love with Kunigunda (Gundė), but she deceives him and leaves him for someone who holds possession of stolen money and is more attractive.

Kuprelis not only tells the events consistently but also stops at the most important places, reflects on them, and comments on them from the perspective of time.

The novel takes place during the time of the Lithuanian press ban, so the theme of Lithuania, the struggle for national consciousness is developed in parallel with the love line of the young people.