1. Objective: To analyze the prologue to Romeo and Juliet
English 9 Day 35
Objective: To analyze the prologue to Romeo and Juliet

2. Romeo and Juliet: Prologue
We will finish paraphrasing the prologue to Romeo and Juliet.
First, look over what you completed before break.
Now, let’s move on.

3. Paraphrase examples Two families both similar in class
In beautiful Verona, where the story takes place
From an old argument evolves new violence
Where citizens’ killings result in citizens’ guilt.
From the deadly two enemies
Two ill-fated people in love kill themselves
Whose pitiful mistakes
Do, with their death, end their parents’ struggle.
Two families both similar in class
In beautiful Verona, where the story takes place
From an old argument evolves new violence
Where citizens’ killings result in citizens’ guilt.
From the deadly two enemies
A couple destined to end their lives
Whose misjudgment and pitiful mistakes
Does end the conflict with their deaths.

4. 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;

5. The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

6. Complete the questions to analyze the prologue.
Prologue Analysis
Complete the questions to analyze the prologue.

7. Thinking about all of the information the prologue gives and your general impression, what would you expect the prologue to look like in a production?
What would be shown?
Who would speak it?
Would there be music? If so, what kind?
What would the tone be? The mood?

8. As we watch two different productions of the prologue, keep notes of your impressions and what each director includes.
Now, on the back of your notes, answer the following question in a paragraph with a strong topic sentence:
Which version of the prologue was the best interpretation? Why?