Comedies • c. 1604
Measure for Measure: Modern English Translation & Study Guide
The Duke of Vienna departs, leaving the puritanical Angelo in charge, who imposes severe moral statutes.
Read Measure for Measure Side by Side
Every scene pairs the public-domain original with a line-matched, original modern-English paraphrase. Choose a scene below to begin reading.
- Act 1, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. An apartment in the DUKE'S palace.
- Act 1, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. A Street.
- Act 1, Scene 3 line-by-line translation — SCENE III. A monastery.
- Act 1, Scene 4 line-by-line translation — SCENE IV. A nunnery.
- Act 2, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. A hall In ANGELO's house.
- Act 2, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. Another room in the same.
- Act 2, Scene 3 line-by-line translation — SCENE III. A room in a prison.
- Act 2, Scene 4 line-by-line translation — SCENE IV. A room in ANGELO's house.
- Act 3, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. A room in the prison.
- Act 3, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. The street before the prison.
- Act 4, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. The moated grange at ST. LUKE's.
- Act 4, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. A room in the prison.
- Act 4, Scene 3 line-by-line translation — SCENE III. Another room in the same.
- Act 4, Scene 4 line-by-line translation — SCENE IV. A room in ANGELO's house.
- Act 5, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. The city gate.
Measure for Measure study pathways
Original text source: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, MIT HTML edition. MIT states that its HTML versions of the plays are placed in the public domain.