Original: Mad world! mad kings! mad composition!
Modern: What a crazy world! Insane kings! This peace treaty is nuts!

Original: John, to stop Arthur’s title in the whole,
Modern: King John, to prevent Arthur from claiming the entire throne,

Original: Hath willingly departed with a part,
Modern: Has willingly given up part of his kingdom,

Original: And France, whose armour conscience buckled on,
Modern: And France, who armed himself with righteousness,

Original: Whom zeal and charity brought to the field
Modern: Who came to battle driven by religious passion and noble purpose

Original: As God’s own soldier, rounded in the ear
Modern: As if he were God’s own warrior, was whispered to

Original: With that same purpose-changer, that sly devil,
Modern: By that same thing that changes people’s intentions, that sneaky devil,

Original: That broker, that still breaks the pate of faith,
Modern: That dealmaker that always smashes trust to pieces,

Original: That daily break-vow, he that wins of all,
Modern: That promise-breaker every day, the one who corrupts everyone,

Original: Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids,
Modern: Kings, beggars, old men, young men, young women,

Original: Who, having no external thing to lose
Modern: Who, having nothing material to give up

Original: But the word ‘maid,’ cheats the poor maid of that,
Modern: Except her reputation as a virgin, gets cheated out of even that,

Original: That smooth-faced gentleman, tickling Commodity,
Modern: That charming, well-dressed tempter called Self-Interest,

Original: Commodity, the bias of the world,
Modern: Self-Interest, the thing that tilts the world off balance,

Original: The world, who of itself is peised well,
Modern: The world, which by itself is perfectly balanced,

Original: Made to run even upon even ground,
Modern: Designed to roll straight on level ground,

Original: Till this advantage, this vile-drawing bias,
Modern: Until this corrupting influence, this evil magnetic pull,

Original: This sway of motion, this Commodity,
Modern: This force that controls movement, this Self-Interest,

Original: Makes it take head from all indifferency,
Modern: Makes it rush away from all neutrality,

Original: From all direction, purpose, course, intent:
Modern: From all sense of direction, purpose, path, or goal:

Original: And this same bias, this Commodity,
Modern: And this same corrupting force, this Self-Interest,

Original: This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word,
Modern: This pimp, this dealmaker, this word that changes everything,

Original: Clapp’d on the outward eye of fickle France,
Modern: Slapped right in front of unreliable France’s face,

Original: Hath drawn him from his own determined aid,
Modern: Has pulled him away from his firm commitment to help,

Original: From a resolved and honourable war,
Modern: From a determined and honorable war,

Original: To a most base and vile-concluded peace.
Modern: To a disgraceful and shamefully negotiated peace.

Original: And why rail I on this Commodity?
Modern: And why am I ranting against this Self-Interest?

Original: But for because he hath not woo’d me yet:
Modern: Only because it hasn’t tried to seduce me yet:

Original: Not that I have the power to clutch my hand,
Modern: It’s not that I have the strength to close my fist,

Original: When his fair angels would salute my palm;
Modern: When his beautiful gold coins would greet my palm;

Original: But for my hand, as unattempted yet,
Modern: But because my hand hasn’t been tempted yet,

Original: Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich.
Modern: Like a poor beggar, I curse the wealthy.

Original: Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail
Modern: Well, while I’m still poor, I’ll keep complaining

Original: And say there is no sin but to be rich;
Modern: And say that being rich is the only sin;

Original: And being rich, my virtue then shall be
Modern: And when I become rich, my good deed will be

Original: To say there is no vice but beggary.
Modern: To say that being poor is the only vice.

Original: Since kings break faith upon commodity,
Modern: Since kings break their promises for profit,

Original: Gain, be my lord, for I will worship thee.
Modern: Profit, be my master, because I will worship you.

In Act II, Scene 1 of “King John,” the action takes place before the walls of Angiers, where the forces of King John of England and King Philip of France confront each other, both claiming sovereignty over the French territories. The citizens of Angiers refuse to open their gates to either king until they can determine who is the rightful ruler. Both monarchs present their cases, with Philip supporting the claim of Arthur, Duke of Brittany (John’s nephew and the son of John’s deceased older brother Geoffrey), while John asserts his own right to the throne. The scene features heated exchanges between the two kings and their supporters, including Queen Eleanor (John’s mother), Constance (Arthur’s mother), and the Bastard Philip Faulconbridge. A battle ensues offstage, after which both sides claim victory, yet the citizens of Angiers remain unmoved and continue to refuse entry to either army.

The political deadlock is resolved through a proposal by the Bastard, who cynically suggests that both armies unite to destroy Angiers for its neutrality, which prompts the citizens to offer their own solution. A citizen of Angiers proposes a marriage alliance between Lewis the Dauphin (Philip’s son) and Blanche of Spain (John’s niece), suggesting this union could bring peace and satisfy both parties’ claims. The kings agree to this arrangement, with John offering substantial English territories as Blanche’s dowry. The scene concludes with preparations for the wedding, though Constance is left distraught and furious at this turn of events, as the peace agreement effectively abandons her son Arthur’s claim to the English throne. The Bastard delivers a soliloquy reflecting on the political maneuvering and self-interest that has shaped these events.

King John opens with King Philip of France supporting Arthur, the young son of John’s deceased brother Geoffrey, as the rightful heir to the English throne. John’s mother, Queen Eleanor, and the French court engage in heated disputes over legitimacy. Meanwhile, the Bastard (Philip Faulconbridge), illegitimate son of Richard the Lionheart, joins John’s cause after being legitimized. War breaks out between England and France, with the strategic town of Angiers caught between the two armies.

The conflict temporarily resolves when John’s niece Blanche marries the French Dauphin Lewis, uniting the two kingdoms. However, Cardinal Pandulph arrives from Rome and excommunicates John for refusing to accept Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury. The Cardinal persuades France to break the peace and resume war against the excommunicated English king. In the ensuing battle, Arthur is captured by John’s forces.

John orders Hubert to kill the young Arthur, but Hubert cannot bring himself to murder the child and instead hides him. When Arthur later dies attempting to escape from his prison tower, the English nobles believe John has murdered him and defect to join the invading French forces led by the Dauphin. As John faces rebellion from within and invasion from without, he submits to the Pope’s authority to regain legitimacy. However, he falls ill and is poisoned by a monk at Swinstead Abbey.

The Bastard rallies the remaining English forces and discovers that the French nobles plan to kill their English allies after victory. This intelligence helps reconcile the English lords to their king. John dies, and his young son Henry is crowned King Henry III. The Dauphin withdraws his forces, and Cardinal Pandulph negotiates peace. The play concludes with the Bastard delivering a patriotic speech about England’s strength when united against foreign threats.