At the heart of this Parisian tale is the passionate Mimi, a woman caught between several men: Marcel, a writer; Rodolphe, a painter; the wealthy Count Paul; and Schaunard, a somewhat older composer. With the exception of the Count, these three artists belong to the Parisian bohemian circle—men whose idealism is generally as vast as their incomes are meager. United by their financial hardship, they share (almost) everything—save for the affections of Mimi, for whom they compete.