1. Sonnet
~ Analysis & Practice ~

2. Romeo & Juliet Prologue
by William Shakespeare
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; Whose 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.

3. Romeo & Juliet Prologue - Questions
1. What city is used as the setting of the story?
Verona, Italy
2. What is the role of the chorus?
summarizes the plot; tells how the play will end
3. Which two families have been feuding, and why?
Montagues & Capulets because of an “ancient grudge”
4. Which word best describes the TONE of the Prologue?
forboding, sad, mysterious, leading
5. What is the major theme in this sonnet?
how true love ultimately triumphs over hate; death ends the feud between their families.

4. Romeo & Juliet Prologue - Terms
____ rank, or title
____ unlucky
____ deserves compassion
____ doomed from the outset; fated.
10. ____  the usual duration of a play d
a. piteous
b. two hours’ traffic
c. misadventur'd
d. dignity
e. death-mark'd c a e b

5. Romeo & Juliet Prologue - Syllables
Use the organizer to breakdown the syllables in each line of the sonnet below:
Two
house
holds
both a
like in
dig ni ty In
fair ve ro na
where we
lay
our
scene
 From an
cient
grudge
 break
to 
new 
mu 
tin  y 
 Where
civ
il 
 blood
makes
 civ
hands 
un 
 clean
CONTINUE FILLING IN EACH
SYLLABLE OF THIS 14-LINE SONNET!

6. Romeo & Juliet Prologue - Metering
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \

7. ~ Sonnet Practice ~

8. Try it for yourself!
Using your notes and examples of Shakespeare’s poems, try to write your own sonnet about:
a lost love
a beautiful day
a season of the year
or ANYthing that you are interested in
View this video of students trying:

9. Sonnet Example Topic: friend On a bright sun ny day I met friend re
call
the
like It
was to
knew we
would be
friends un
til
end
miss
you
lot
since
went
way

10. _____________________________
sonnet title
___________________________________________ (A)
___________________________________________ (B)
___________________________________________ (C)
___________________________________________ (D)
___________________________________________ (E)
___________________________________________ (F)
_______________________________________ (G)