Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Prologue

Romeo and Juliet Act I, Prologue

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Shakespeare
for Scholars: Shakespeare
for Everyone Else:

THE CHORUS:
Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

The best thing about the opening scene of this play is that it is brief. This, at least, gives the audience some hope for the rest of the play. A character referred to as "Chorus" walks out onto the stage, and addresses the audience.

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

In line two, The Chorus explains that the play is set in "fair Verona." "Fair" means "beautiful," and Verona is the name of a town in Italy.
The Chorus describes two
families feuding, over an
ancient grudge.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;

So, what else does this Chorus guy say? Look carefully at line six. You can find it -- it's the line right after line five. "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life." Hmmmm... the Chorus just gave away the ending.

Whole misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

Don't you just hate it when the guy who sits behind you in the movies tells you what is going to happen next?

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 Chorus tells us, that if it were not for the events which happen here, nothing could remove the "feud" which has been raging. Also, note the reference to the play as "traffic" on a stage.The Chorus also tells us that the play will last about two hours (making him the first person in the play to tell a lie).

The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Finally, notice that this entire Prologue is actually a sonnet. A sonnet is a type of poem which is exactly fourteen lines long. It has a very exact rhyme. It has a very exact "rhythm," or "beat." In other words, it is sort of like rap music, without the dirty words.

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	You can listen to some music as you read. Click on the icon above. (You can also shut if off, if you find it annoying.)

Shakespeare for Scholars:	Shakespeare for Everyone Else:
THE CHORUS: Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,	The best thing about the opening scene of this play is that it is brief. This, at least, gives the audience some hope for the rest of the play. A character referred to as "Chorus" walks out onto the stage, and addresses the audience.
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.	In line two, The Chorus explains that the play is set in "fair Verona." "Fair" means "beautiful," and Verona is the name of a town in Italy. The Chorus describes two families feuding, over an ancient grudge.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;	So, what else does this Chorus guy say? Look carefully at line six. You can find it -- it's the line right after line five. "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life." Hmmmm... the Chorus just gave away the ending.
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife.	Don't you just hate it when the guy who sits behind you in the movies tells you what is going to happen next?
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 Chorus tells us, that if it were not for the events which happen here, nothing could remove the "feud" which has been raging. Also, note the reference to the play as "traffic" on a stage.The Chorus also tells us that the play will last about two hours (making him the first person in the play to tell a lie).
The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.	Finally, notice that this entire Prologue is actually a sonnet. A sonnet is a type of poem which is exactly fourteen lines long. It has a very exact rhyme. It has a very exact "rhythm," or "beat." In other words, it is sort of like rap music, without the dirty words.