Comedies • c. 1594
The Comedy of Errors: Modern English Translation & Study Guide
Two sets of identical twins separated at birth arrive in Ephesus, sparking chaotic misunderstandings.
Read The Comedy of Errors 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. A hall in DUKE SOLINUS'S palace.
- Act 1, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. The Mart.
- Act 2, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. The house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.
- Act 2, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. A public place.
- Act 3, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. Before the house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.
- Act 3, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. The same.
- Act 4, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. A public place.
- Act 4, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. The house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.
- Act 4, Scene 3 line-by-line translation — SCENE III. A public place.
- Act 4, Scene 4 line-by-line translation — SCENE IV. A street.
- Act 5, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. A street before a Priory.
The Comedy of Errors 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.