The first half of the XIX century. Public garden on the high bank of the Volga. The local self-taught mechanic Kuligin talks with young people - Kudryash, the clerk of the wealthy merchant Dikogo, and the tradesman Shapkin - about the rude tricks and tyranny of the Wild. Then comes Boris, the nephew of Dikogo, who, in response to Kuligin’s interrogations, says that his parents lived in Moscow, educated him at the Commercial Academy and both died during the epidemic. He came to Diky, leaving his sister with his mother’s relatives to receive part of his grandmother’s inheritance, which Dikoy should give him according to his will, if Boris was respectful to him. Everyone assures him: under such conditions, Wild will never give him money. Boris complains to Kuligin that he cannot get used to life in the Wild House, Kuligin talks about Kalinov and concludes his speech with the words: “Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel!”

Kalinovites disagree. Together with another woman, the wanderer Feklusha appears, praising the city for "bla-a-lepie", and the Kabanovs' house for its special generosity to wanderers. "Boars?" - Boris asks again: “A hypocrite, sir, he gives the beggars, but completely ate the pets,” Kuligin explains. Kabanov leaves, accompanied by the daughter of Barbara and son Tikhon with his wife Katerina. She grumbles at them, but finally leaves, allowing the children to walk along the boulevard. Varvara lets Tikhon secretly away from her mother to have a drink at a party and, left alone with Katerina, talks with her about family relationships, about Tikhon. Katerina talks about a happy childhood in her parents' house, about her fervent prayers, about what she experiences in the temple, imagining angels in a sunbeam falling from the dome, dreams of spreading her arms and flying, and finally admits that “something was wrong with her something". Barbara realizes that Katerina fell in love with someone, and promises to arrange a meeting upon Tikhon's departure. This offer terrifies Katerina. A mad lady appears, threatening that “beauty leads to the pool”, and prophesies hellish torment. Katerina is terribly frightened, and then there is a “thunderstorm sets in,” she urges Barbara to pray at the images.

The second action taking place in the Kabanovs' house begins with a conversation between Feklushi and the maid Glasha. The wanderer asks about the Kabanovs' household chores and transmits fabulous stories about distant lands where people with doggies “for infidelity,” etc. Appearing Katerina and Varvara, collecting Tikhon on the road, continue talking about Katerina’s infatuation, Varvara calls Boris’s name, gives he bowed and persuaded Katerina to sleep with her in the gazebo in the garden after Tikhon's departure. Kabanikh and Tikhon come out, the mother tells her son to strictly punish his wife how to live without him, Katerina is humiliated by these formal orders. But, left alone with her husband, she begs him to take her on a trip, after his refusal, she tries to give him terrible vows of fidelity, but Tikhon does not want to listen to them: "You never mind ..." The returning Kabanikh orders Katerina to bow. husband's feet. Tikhon is leaving. Varvara, leaving for a walk, tells Katerina that they will spend the night in the garden, and gives her the key to the gate. Katerina does not want to take it, then, hesitating, hides it in her pocket.

The next action takes place on a bench at the gates of a boar house. Feklusha and Kabanikh talk about “the last times”, Feklusha says that “for our sins” “time has come to be diminished,” he talks about the railway (“the serpent of fire began to be harnessed”), about the bustle of Moscow life as a devilish obsession. Both are waiting for even worse times. Wild appears with complaints about her family, Kabanikha reproaches him for his erratic behavior, he tries to be rude to her, but she quickly stops this and takes him to the house for a drink and a bite. While Wild feasts, Boris comes sent by the Wild family to find out where the head of the family is. Having fulfilled the assignment, exclaims with longing about Katerina: “If only with one eye to look at her!” The returning Barbara tells him to come at night to the gate in the ravine behind the Kabanovsky garden.

The second scene is a night out for young people, Varvara goes out on a date to Kudryash and tells Boris to wait - "wait for something." There is a meeting of Katerina and Boris. After hesitation, thoughts of sin, Katerina is not able to resist awakened love. “No one is to blame for me,” she herself went for it. Do not regret, destroy me! Let everyone know, let everyone see what I'm doing (hugs Boris). If I haven’t been afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of the people's court? ”

All the fourth action taking place on the streets of Kalinov - in the gallery of a dilapidated building with the remains of a fresco representing fiery hell and on the boulevard - is taking place against the backdrop of a gathering and finally erupting thunderstorm. It begins to rain, and Wild and Kuligin enter the gallery, who begins to persuade Wild to give money for setting a sundial on the boulevard. In response, Wild criticizes him in every possible way and even threatens to declare him a robber. Having endured abuse, Kuligin begins to ask for money for a lightning rod. Here Wild already confidently declares that it is a sin from the thunderstorm sent as punishment “by some kind of poles and horns, God forgive me, to defend”. The scene becomes empty, then Varvara and Boris meet in the gallery. She announces the return of Tikhon, Katerina’s tears, Kabanikh’s suspicions and expresses concern that Katerina confesses to her husband treason. Boris begs to dissuade Katerina from recognition and disappears. The rest of the Kabanovs enter. Katerina is horrified to expect that she, who has not repented of sin, will be killed by lightning, a mad lady appears, threatening the hellfire, Katerina can no longer fasten herself and publicly admits her husband and mother-in-law that she was “walking” with Boris. The boar maliciously declares: “What, son! Where the will leads; <...> So I waited! ”

The last action is again on the high bank of the Volga. Tikhon complains to Kuligin of his family grief, that his mother says about Katerina: “She must be buried alive in the earth so that she will be executed!” "And I love her, I'm sorry to touch her finger." Kuligin advises to forgive Katerina, but Tikhon explains that this is not possible under Kabanikh. Not without pity he speaks of Boris, whom his uncle sends to Kyakhta. A maid Glasha enters and reports that Katerina has disappeared from the house. Tikhon is afraid that “she would not have laid hands on herself!”, And together with Glasha and Kuligin, she leaves to look for a wife.

Katerina appears, she complains about her desperate situation in the house, and most importantly - about the terrible longing for Boris. Her monologue ends with a passionate spell: “My joy! My life, my soul, I love you! Respond! ” Boris enters. She asks him to take her to Siberia with her, but she understands that Boris’s refusal was caused by a really complete inability to leave with her. She blesses him on the road, complaining of an oppressive life in the house, of disgust for her husband. Forever saying goodbye to Boris, Katerina begins to dream alone of death, of a grave with flowers and birds, which "fly to a tree, sing, and lead children." "To live again?" She exclaims in horror. Approaching the cliff, she says goodbye to Boris who left: “My friend! My joy! Goodbye!" and leaves.

The scene is filled with alarmed people in the crowd and Tikhon with his mother. Behind the scene, a cry is heard: "A woman rushed into the water!" Tikhon rushes to run to her, but his mother does not let him in with the words: “I curse you, if you go!” Tikhon falls to his knees. After some time, Kuligin introduces the body of Katerina. “Here is your Katerina. Do whatever you want with her! Her body is here, take it; but the soul is not yours now; she is now before the judge, who is more merciful than you! ”

Rushing to Katerina, Tikhon accuses her mother: “Mommy, you ruined her!” and, not paying attention to the terrible shouts of Kabanikh, falls on the corpse of his wife. “Good for you, Katya! But why did I stay to live in the world and suffer! ” - with these words Tikhon ends the play.