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Helen, the orphan daughter of a famous physician, is the ward of the Countess of Rossillion and hopelessly in love with her son, Count Bertram, who has been sent to the court of the King of France. Despite her beauty and worth, Helen has no hope of attracting Bertram, since she is of low birth, while he is a nobleman. However, when word comes that the King is ill, she goes to Paris and, using her father’s arts, cures the illness. In return, she is given the hand of any man in the realm, and she chooses Bertram. But her new husband is appalled at the match, and shortly after their marriage he flees France. Accompanied only by a scoundrel named Parolles, he goes off to fight in the army of the Duke of Florence.
Helen is sent home to the Countess. There she receives a letter from Bertram informing her that he will never be her true spouse unless she can get his family ring from his finger and become pregnant with his child—neither of which, he declares, will ever come to pass. The Countess, who loves Helen and approves of the match, tries to comfort her, but the distraught young woman departs Rossillion, planning to make a religious pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, in Florence, Bertram has become a general in the Duke’s army. Helen comes to the city and discovers that her husband is trying to seduce the virginal daughter of a kindly Widow. With the involvement of the daughter, named Diana, Helen contrives to trick Bertram. First, he gives Diana his ring as a token of his love. Then, when he comes to her room at night, Helen is in the bed, and they make love without him realizing that it is her. At the same time, two lords in the army expose Parolles as a coward and a villain, and he falls out of Bertram’s favor. Meanwhile, false messengers have come to the camp bearing word that Helen is dead, and with the war drawing to a close, Bertram decides to return to France. Unbeknownst to him, Helen follows, accompanied by Diana and the Widow.
In Rossillion, everyone is mourning Helen’s death. The King is visiting and consents to Bertram marrying the daughter of an old and faithful lord named Lafew. However, he notices a ring on Bertram’s finger that formerly belonged to Helen—it was a gift from the King after she saved his life. (Helen gave the ring to Diana in Florence, and she in turn gave it to her would-be lover.) Bertram is at a loss to explain where it came from. But Diana and her mother appear just then to explain matter. They are followed by Helen, who informs her husband that both his conditions have been fulfilled. Chastened, Bertram consents to be a good husband to her, and there is general rejoicing.
