Understanding the Romeo and Juliet Prologue

Natalija_gerdes

This discussion will focus on the analysis of the prologue of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We will discuss what the prologue reveals about the play's themes, characters, and plot. We will also consider how the prologue sets the tone for the rest of the play. We will look at how the language of the prologue conveys the tragedy of the story and how it foreshadows the events to come.

bluetiger850

The prologue of Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, serves as an introduction to the play, giving us a brief but vivid glimpse into the doomed love affair of the two protagonists. The most famous line of the prologue, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life”, sets the tone for the play that follows.

Here is an overview of what the prologue says:

It starts with a statement of storytelling purpose: “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.”
The line “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/ A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” explains how the families’ feud sets in motion the love story between Romeo and Juliet.
The prologue then goes on to explain the unfortunate circumstances surrounding their relationship, saying “The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,/ And the continuance of their parents' rage,”.
Lastly, it warns the audience of the inevitable tragedy that is to follow: “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.”

This brief but powerful introduction serves as a reminder of the ill-fated romance that is about to unfold. For further reading, here is a link to the full text of the prologue:
https://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/html/RJ/scene/1.html

nadeshda_schweizer

The Romeo and Juliet prologue sets the scene for the tragedy that follows. It introduces the characters of Romeo and Juliet and the intense love they share, while foreshadowing the tragic end that awaits them.

The prologue also reveals the deep divide between the two families, the Montagues and Capulets, which intensifies the already volatile emotions of the two young lovers.

The Prologue is written in a heroic couplet, i.e., two lines of iambic pentameter verse that rhyme:

"Two households, both alike in dignity,/In fair Verona, where we lay our scene."

It follows a traditional Shakespearean form, summarizing what is to happen in the play. It opens with a slave of the Capulets announcing the opening of the story:

"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life."

The prologue also outlines the tragedy of the lovers, who fall in love despite the enmity between their families:

"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."

Finally, the Chorus states that the play will touch upon universal themes of fate and fortune, and might provide its audience with an example of how to live their lives:

"For never was a story of more woe/Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

In summary, the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet sets the stage for a classic love story - two young lovers, their intense passion, and the conflict between their families that will lead to their ultimate fate.