Romeo and Juliet: Props for Understanding the Prologue Mrs. Biggs & Mrs. Garcia Sheltered ESL

Two households, both alike in dignity VS. VS. dignity = la dignidad

Alike in Dignity… SOCIAL CLASS: equal FAME: equal FORTUNE: comparable Emilio Azcarraga Jean Owner of Club America (Soccer Team) Successful Mexican First Division team 10 championships Never been bumped to 2nd division CEO of Grupo Televisa since age of 29 On Forbes list of richest Latin Americans - $1.6 billion Jorge Vergara Madrigal Owner of Club Deportivo Guadalajara, CD Chivas USA, and Deportivo Saprissa in Costa Rica (Soccer Teams) Successful Mexican First Division team 11 championships Never been bumped to 2nd division Entrepreneur, founder of Omnilife dietary supplements One of the top 250 companies in Mexico $1.5 million per year profit Movie Producer Paid $120 million to buy Club Deportivo Guadalajara in 2002 SOCIAL CLASS: equal FAME: equal FORTUNE: comparable SUCCESS: comparable COMPETITIVENESS: equal

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, mutiny = rebellion

Possible star-crossed lovers

Examples of star-crossed lovers

Aztec Mythology: The Star-crossed Lovers The Legend of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl

In the Náhuatl language Popocatépetl means “Smoking Mountain” The name Iztaccíhuatl in the indigenous Nahuatl language means “White Woman” Many see her silhouette as resembling that of a sleeping woman, complete with head, chest, knees and feet.

In Aztec mythology, the volcanoes were once humans who were deeply in love. This legend features two star-crossed lovers, the young brave warrior Popocatépetl and the beautiful princess Iztaccíhuatl. The father of Iztaccíhuatl, a mighty ruler, placed a demanding condition upon Popocatépetl before he could take Iztaccíhuatl as his bride. His mandate required that Popocatépetl first engage in battle against the tribe’s enemy and return victorious. Variations of the legend include the added stipulation that Popocatépetl needed to return with the vanquished enemy’s head as proof of his success.

The story continues with Popocatépetl setting off for battle with Iztaccíhuatl waiting for her beloved’s return. Treacherously, a rival of Popocatépetl’s sends a false message back to the ruler that the warrior has been slain when in fact, Popocatépetl has won the battle and is ready to return to his Iztaccíhuatl. However, the princess upon hearing the false news, falls ill and succumbs to her deep sorrow, dying of a broken heart. When Popocatépetl returns triumphant to his people only to encounter his beloved’s death, his heartbreak is inconsolable.

He carries Iztaccíhuatl's body to the mountains whereupon he has a funeral pyre built for both himself and his princess. Grief-stricken beyond measure, Popocatépetl dies next to his beloved. The Gods, touched by the lover’s plight, turn the humans into mountains, so that they may finally be together. They remain so to this day with Popocatépetl residing over his princess Iztaccíhuatl, while she lay asleep. On occasion, Popo will spew ash, reminding those watching that he is always in attendance, that he will never leave the side of his beloved Izta.

Paraphrase Sample Two households, both alike in dignity In the beautiful city of Verona, where our story takes place, a long-standing hatred between two families erupts into new violence, and citizens stain their hands with the blood of their fellow citizens. Two unlucky children of these enemy families become lovers and commit suicide. Their unfortunate deaths put an end to their parents' feud. For the next two hours, we will watch the story of their doomed love and their parents' anger, which nothing but the children’s deaths could stop. If you listen to us patiently, we’ll make up for everything we’ve left out in this prologue onstage. Two households, both alike in dignity In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage— The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. -From: “No Fear Shakespeare”