A fortune hunter agrees to wed a temperamental woman so his friend can court her sister.

A rich Paduan merchant named Baptista has two beautiful daughters, the unruly and vile-tempered Katharina, and the sweet and lovable Bianca. The many suitors for the hand of Bianca are greatly dismayed by Baptista's refusal of their petitions so long as the elder Katharina remains unwed. Lucentio, a young student from Pisa, is so taken by Bianca's beauty that he poses as a teacher of languages and obtains a position as a tutor in Baptista's household. As Lucentio is proceeding with his wooing, a fortune-hunting scoundrel named Petruchio arrives in Padua seeking a wealthy wife. Although he immediately falls victim to Katharina's scorn and abuse, he wards off her outraged blows until they both fall exhausted into a huge mound of sheep wool. He then calmly praises her numerous charms and announces that they will marry the following Sunday. On their wedding day, he arrives late, very drunk, and wearing indecorous clothes. But despite everyone's apprehension, the ceremony is performed, and Petruchio sets his wildly protesting bride on a broken-down horse and leads her on a muddy journey to his dilapidated country home. There, under the pretext of his great love for Katharina, he rejects all manner of comfort and luxury, maintaining they are unworthy of her. Eventually, after Lucentio has been revealed to be the son of the honored Vincentio of Padua and won permission to marry his beloved Bianca, Katharina and Petruchio are invited to the wedding feast. There Petruchio wagers that Katharina is the most devoted and obedient of wives. And to the astonishment of all, Katharina shames all the other women by giving them a lecture on the virtues of wifely obedience.