The painter Tannhäuser is charmed and makes profane love with the goddess Venus. He casts out her spell and goes to a contest in an art gallery with other painters. However he is banished by the other painters and only the virgin Elisabeth that loves him defends Tannhäuser. He is forced to join a group of pilgrims to Rome to find atonement and follow the path to salvation. Later when the pilgrims return from Rome, the sinner Tannhäuser tells to Wolfram von Eschenbach that he was not blessed with grace and absolution despite his journey of sacrifice through Italy. The sinner Tannhäuser summons Venus and her realm of love back. However Elisabeth plea to God is listened and Tannhäuser is blessed and his soul gains the grace of heaven.