1. Monday, 12 November 2018Monday, 12 November 2018
The Prologue
To become familiar with Shakespearean tragedy and the concept of a Tragic Hero
To understand the purpose of the prologue

2. Five Acts of Tragedy Act 1 – The Exposition Act 2 – The Development
Introduction of characters, setting, and plan
Act 2 – The Development
A plan is developing, affecting all characters
Act 3 – The Climax
A big event happens that changes everything
Act 4 – Further Development
Events happen because of the change
Act 5 – Final Crisis
A final big event happens that ends the story

3. Shakespearean Tragedy
A play with an unhappy ending, usually involving the downfall of the main character, also known as the Tragic Hero.
Exposition & Rising Action
Falling Action & Resolution
Acts 4 & 5
Climax
Acts 1 & 2
Act 3
The story starts in an ordered society, with the Hero being a respected member of society.
The Hero comes into a direct and final conflict, usually resulting in his death.
At the very end, a new hope is presented for the future.
Extreme and often violent events take place, usually resulting in a character's death.
The characters’ personalities and relationships are changed.

4. The Tragic Hero
Begins as a respectable, well-liked member of society often of a higher class
The Hero has a Tragic Flaw – a characteristic that at first may seem harmless, but will lead to the Hero’s downfall
The Hero has an encounter with a character that changes their priorities, attitudes, and overall behaviour
The Hero is consumed by the encounter, and starts committing questionable acts
The Hero commits an unforgivable action which changes the lives of the Hero and everyone around them
The Hero loses control over their thoughts and actions, becoming a despicable member of society, almost a villain
In their final confrontation with their opposing forces, the Hero gives in to their Tragic Flaw, faces his mistakes, and dies

5. Romeo’s Downfall Turn from hero to villain Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Act 4

6. Prologue
In a play, a prologue is a speech that is delivered to the audience before the main action begins on the stage.
'Prologue' comes from the Greek word prólogos. Pro means 'before,' and logos means 'word‘, meaning it is the word before the action. It is meant to give background information and establish the setting for the plot that is about to unfold onstage.
Shakespeare borrowed the idea of a prologue from Greek theatre, 2,0000 years before his time. In Greek drama, a prologue gives background information that is essential for the audience to understand the play as it unfolds. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare gives some background information in his prologue, but generally uses it to give the audience an overview of what is going to happen, which allows them to watch as the events lead up to the anticipated end.
The sole character in the prologue is the chorus. In Greek drama, it consists of a group of people who serve to narrate throughout the play; they provide more details of what the characters are thinking or feeling, and they often sing and dance. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare designates a single person as the chorus. The individual only appears before the first and second acts to tell the audience how the play is going to end. In similar fashion to the singing Greek chorus, Shakespeare's chorus speaks in a poetic sonnet.

7. The Prologue
    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-cross'd lovers take their life;     Whole misadventured piteous overthrows     Do with their death bury their parents' strife.     The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,     And the continuance of their parents' rage,     Which, but their children's end, nought 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.
Alike in dignity = same social status
New mutiny = new hatred
Civil = civilised
Fatal loins = destructive bodies
Star-cross’d = fated, destined
Misadventured = unlucky
Strife = conflict, fight
But = except for
Traffic = topic, subject
Miss = not include
Toil shall strive to mend = work will compensate for

8. Quick Questions What is revealed about the two families?
What is revealed about the fate of the two lovers?
What is revealed about the families at the end of the play?
What is the structure of the prologue? Why has Shakespeare chosen it?

9. Modern Day Prologue
Translate your group’s allocated lines into modern English. Group 1 → Lines 1 – 3 Group 2 → Lines 4 – 6 Group 3 → Lines 7 – 9 Group 4 → Lines 10 – 12 Group 5→ Lines 13 – 14

10. The Modern Prologue
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-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought 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.

11. Reread the prologue and make a list of the positive and negative words.

12. Analysis of the Prologue
What is noticeable about the amount of positive and negative words used?
How does the language used set the tone for the rest of the play?
Why does Shakespeare use opposites?

13. Storyboard the Prologue
You were asked to film a new version of the play’s prologue.
Similarly to the 1996 film, design a storyboard matching the lines.
Think of:
Where does your version take place
Italy
England
Space
Middle East
When does your version take place
Elizabethan times
Medieval times
Future
Modern day