Katerina, a young woman lives, at first glance, a happy life. But her mother-in-law Kabanikha constantly finds fault and does not allow to breathe calmly. Her weak-willed husband, Tikhon, although he loves her, all the time takes the side of his domineering mother. And when she unexpectedly falls in love with a younger man, Boris - a relative of the mayor's, she discovers that he also has tender feelings for her.