1. Romeo & Juliet
~ Prologue Analysis ~

3. TEXT
AUDIO

4. ORIGINAL TEXT
MODERN TEXT

5. How do we know it’s a sonnet?
Romeo & Juliet - Prologue
How do we know it’s a sonnet?
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.

6. Romeo & Juliet - Prologue (Rhyme Scheme)
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. A B C D E F G

7. Romeo & Juliet - Prologue (Syllables)
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

8. Romeo & Juliet - Prologue (Metering)
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
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….
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \
U \ U \ U \ U \ U \

9. ~ Prologue QUIZ ~

10. 1. What is the role of the Chorus?
a group of “narrators” from Greek tradition that summarizes the plot, even telling the audience how a play will end.

11. 2. What city is used as the setting of the story?
Verona, Italy

12. 3. What have two “households” been doing in Verona?
Montagues & Capulets have been feuding in an “ancient grudge”.

13. 4. Which literary device is being used in Line 5: “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes”?
alliteration (from, forth, fatal, foes)

14. 5. What does Line 8 suggest will happen in the end?
True love will ultimately triumph over hate;
the lovers’ death will end the families’ feud.

15. 6. How long would this play have lasted (Line 12)?
two hours

16. 7. Which words best describe the TONE of the Prologue?
sad, serious, forboding, ominous, tragic…