Shakespearean Translator
Rewrite modern text in Shakespeare's dramatic style — a creative tool that labels itself on every draft. Not Old English, not historical translation.
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Before you use it
What this is — and what it isn't
Creative style
Dramatic Early Modern flavour for fiction, games, wedding vows and jokes. Real grammar rules, theatrical intent.
Shows its work
Every draft lists the changes it made (“you → thou (informal singular)”), so you can judge or undo any of them.
Not a historical language
This is not Old English or Middle English and never claims to be one — those are the other tools on this site.
From the stage itself
The real thing, to test against
To be, or not to be: that is the question.
Modern gloss (editorial): “Should I go on living, or not — that is what I am asking.”
The moving parts
How the style actually works
thou / thee / thy / thine
Informal singular “you”. Thou is the subject (thou goest), thee the object (I meet thee), thy/thine the possessive — thine before a vowel (thine eyes).
-est / -eth
Verb endings that agree with thou and he/she: thou walkest, he walketh. Real Early Modern grammar — not “-eth” sprinkled everywhere.
whither / whence / hence
The lost direction words: whither = where to, whence = from where, hence = from here. “Where are you going?” is properly “Whither goest thou?”
ere / anon / 'tis / prithee
ere = before, anon = soon, 'tis = it is, prithee = I pray thee (please). Small words that carry the stage flavour.
After the older languages instead?
Old English (Anglo-Saxon)
The actual language of Beowulf, c. 450–1150 — the translator on the homepage.
Middle English
Chaucer's English, c. 1150–1500 — read it in Modern English with false-friend warnings.
All three compared with real examples in the comparison guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is this real Shakespearean English?
It is a creative rewrite in Early Modern style — and every draft says so, with a list of the changes made. It is not a historical translation and not scholarship; it exists for writers, games, parties and fun.
Is Shakespearean the same as Old English?
No — Shakespearean is Early Modern English (c. 1500–1700), roughly five centuries after Old English and a century after Middle English. This site translates actual Old English on the homepage; the comparison guide sorts all three with real examples.
Can I read real Shakespeare with it?
Yes — flip the direction to Shakespearean → Modern and paste a passage (up to 500 characters) for a modern paraphrase with notes. For close reading of a play, an annotated edition is still the right tool.
Why does the draft list its own changes?
Because a style rewrite should show its work: you see exactly which words became thou/whither/-eth and can undo any of them. That is also what keeps this tool honest about being creative rather than historical.