Comedies • c. 1592
The Taming of the Shrew: Modern English Translation & Study Guide
Petruchio seeks to marry the outspoken and fiery Katherine, turning their courtship into an intense battle of wills.
Read The Taming of the Shrew 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 0, Scene 0 line-by-line translation — Induction
- Act 0, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. Before an alehouse on a heath.
- Act 0, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. A bedchamber in the Lord's house.
- Act 1, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. Padua. A public place.
- Act 1, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. Padua. Before HORTENSIO'S house.
- Act 2, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. Padua. A room in BAPTISTA'S house.
- Act 3, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. Padua. BAPTISTA'S house.
- Act 3, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.
- Act 4, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. PETRUCHIO'S country house.
- Act 4, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.
- Act 4, Scene 3 line-by-line translation — SCENE III. A room in PETRUCHIO'S house.
- Act 4, Scene 4 line-by-line translation — SCENE IV. Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.
- Act 5, Scene 1 line-by-line translation — SCENE I. Padua. Before LUCENTIO'S house.
- Act 5, Scene 2 line-by-line translation — SCENE II. Padua. LUCENTIO'S house.
The Taming of the Shrew 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.