CHORUS:
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.
(5) From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,
Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents̓ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love
(10) And the continuance of their parents̓ rage,
Which but their children’s end, naught could remove,
Is now the two-hours̓ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
One sentence Summary:
Prologue Questions:
1. According to the prologue, what is the setting of the play?
2. Look at line 3 and the word grudge. What is the connotative meaning of this word (literal meaning)?
What is the denotative meaning of this word (implied meaning)?
3. Look again at line 3. What breaks from the ancient grudge? What does that mean?
4. What is the point of view of the prologue? What lets you know that is the point of view?
5. What buries the strife between the two families?
6. Who is the intended audience of the prologue? What line provides this answer?
7. Look closely at line 4. What do you think this line means? Explain.
8. According to the chorus, how long should the play take to watch? What line provides this information?
9. The prologue describe the lovers having a “death-mark’d love.” What do you think that means? Can
you think of another book/movie/TV show where a couple had a “death-mark’d” love?
10. What is the tone of this opening prologue? What words and phrases support your answer?