Translating Shakespeare to Modern English (AI Use Case) - Pickaxe Blog

Reading Shakespeare Today

The Bard

William Shakespeare is widely believed to be the most read author in history. That's saying a lot for a writer born nearly 500 years ago. But as we near that 500 year mark, many modern audiences find his language dated. Elizabethan English can be difficult to understand for first-time readers. Despite that barrier to entry, audiences who engage with the Bard usually discover a lifelong love for the material.

That’s why we created the automatic Shakespeare Translator tool which intelligently and instantly paraphrases old English into modern English. It’s a helpful tool for understanding Shakespeare’s text better.

Is it bad to translate Shakespeare English into modern English?

No! If translating Shakespeare into modern english helps you understand the text, it helps you enjoy the original material more. Importantly, paraphrasing Shakespeare is not intended as a substitute for reading Shakespeare's works. Indeed if you just paraphrase Shakespeare, you lose all the joy of it. However, if you use the tool as a way to make Shakespeare more approachable, you will find yourself enjoying the material more than ever.

How Does the "Shakespeare Translator" Work?

The tool converts elizabethan english into common, modern english. In other words, it paraphrases old english into modern English. The tool is powered by an AI large language that has been instructed through clever prompt design to effectively comprehend and paraphrase William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. For any piece of text you submit, the AI model reads the passage and then explains the meaning in simple English with a special attention to the metaphors.

The tool is simple to use. Just type or paste in an excerpt and hit "submit". The tool will generate a translation in seconds.

Enough talk. Let's look at some examples!

Examples of Translated Texts

"Julius Caesar"

Let’s look at Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Casca’s Colossus speech is a personal favorite and a great place to start. It’s also the source of the famous line “The fault lies not in our stars.” Here's Casca talking to Brutus about Julius Caesar.

The Original

Why man he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty man walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves. Men at some times are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.

Simplified Version

The world is small compared to the power of a great individual, and we ordinary people are insignificant beneath their might. Despite this, we have the ability to control our own destinies; the fault for us being subservient does not lie in fate, but in ourselves.

"Hamlet"

Let’s swerve into Hamlet. We've all heard it a thousand times, but what exactly does Hamlet mean he utters those famous six words to be or not to be?

Shakespeare’s original

To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.

Simplified Version

The question to consider is whether it's better to accept life's hardships and struggles or whether it's more noble to fight them directly.

"Romeo and Juliet"

Let's look at some steamier stuff. How exactly does Romeo convince Juliet for their first kiss? Here's the opening of that famous sonnet.

Shakespeare’s Original

If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Simplified Version

Romeo flirtatiously expresses his reverence for Juliet by proclaiming that if his touching her cheek is unacceptable, his lips are ready to amend his mistake with a tender kiss.

"Richard III"

Now let's see how well we can translate the histories. We can try the famous opening from Richard III.

Original

Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York; And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house in the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Simplified Version

Our unhappiness has now turned into joy due to the presence of the ruler from York; and all of our worries and troubles are now in the past, having been swept away and forgotten.

"Macbeth"

And what of Macbeth’s dangerous, vaulting ambition?

Original

I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself, and falls on th'other.

Simplified Version

I have no motivation to follow through with my plan, only my ambition which causes me to take risks and fail.

"Antony and Cleopatra"

We got the essence of Romeo's cooing for Juliet, but can it capture the inexpressible love of Antony and Cleopatra?

Original

Cleopatra: "If it be love indeed, tell me how much."

Antony: "There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd."

Simplified Version

Cleopatra asked Antony how much he loved her, and Antony replied that if a love can be measured it is a low quality love.

The Sonnets

We all know that Shakespeare wrote beautifully about love. He also wrote savagely about aging. He really didn't pull any punches when he talked about getting gray. Let's take a look at one of the sonnets.

Original

When forty winters shall besiege thy brow

And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field,

Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now,

Will be a tattered weed, of small worth held.

Simplified

When forty years have passed, the youthful beauty you now have will be gone and no longer held in high esteem. The wrinkles that time has placed on your forehead will have dug deep furrows in your once beautiful face.

"Doctor Faustus"

And what if we cheat and depart from Shakespeare? The tool can translate any old english writing. Here’s a famous line from Christopher Marlowe’s "Dr. Faustus".

Original

Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight, And burned is Apollo’s laurel bough, that sometime grew within this learned man.

Simplified

The potential of a great person is expired, and the glory that once belonged to them has been extinguished.

Use the Shakespeare Translator tool!

Simple summarization of dense text is one of the best use cases of AI and large language models. The Shakespeare Translator tool is a wonderful example of this use case as it can instantly translate old English into simple, modern English. By using this AI-powered Shakespeare translator you can translate Hamlet or Macbeth into modern english.This tool is a wonderful way to overcome language barriers. By making Shakespeare more readily comprehensible to a bigger total audience of readers, this tool broadens the reach of classic literature. By giving the meaning and sentiment of the text, it drives readers back to the original to re-absorb the language with a better understanding.

Struggling with some Elizabethan language? Want to double check your understanding? Try out our Shakespeare Translator tool! The tool is embedded below for your enjoyment.

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