ROMEO AND JULIET ACT I, PROLOGUE

CLOSE READING CLASS NOTES

LOIN – AREA OF THE BODY THAT HOUSES THE SEXUAL ORGANS

NOUGHT – NOTHING
TOIL – HARD WORK
MUTINY – TO OVERTHROW
STRIFE – FIGHT; ARGUMENT
PITEOUS – PATHETIC; DESERVING PITY
CIVIC - PUBLIC

The Prologue is spoken by the Chorus – A single character who, as developed in Greek drama, functions as a
narrator offering commentary on the play’s plot and themes.

1. Two households, both alike in dignity, A TWO FAMILIES, SIMILAR IN STATUS

2. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, B THE PLAY TAKES PLACE IN VERONA, ITALY
3. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, A AN OLD ARGUMENT (feud) LED TO A NEW FIGHT
4. Where civil (public) blood makes civil (public) hands unclean. B CITIZENS ARE FIGHTING, HURTING
EACH OTHER

5. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes C THE TWO ENEMY FAMILIES HAD CHILDREN
6. A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; D THE CHILDREN (destined to meet) FALL IN LOVE, BUT
COMMIT SUICIDE
7. Whose misadventured piteous overthrows C THEIR LOVE ADVENTURE WENT WRONG/ATTEMPT TO GO
AGAINST THE HATRED
8. Do with their death bury their parents' strife. D THE CHILDREN’S DEATHS ENDS THE FIGHT BETWEEN
THE PARENTS

9. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, E THE STORY OF THEIR LOVE (STAINED WITH DEATH)
10. And the continuance of their parents' rage, F AND THE CONTINUING HATE BETWEEN THE TWO
FAMILIES
11. Which, but their children's end, nought (nothing) could remove, E THE DEATH OF THEIR CHILDREN IS
THE ONLY THING TO END THE FIGHTING
12. Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; F IS WHAT WE WILL SHOW YOU IN THE NEXT TWO HOURS ON
THE STAGE (WE WIL PERFORM IT.)

13. The which if you with patient ears attend, G IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY
14. What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. G WHAT YOU MISSED IN THE PROLOGUE WE WILL
WORK HARD TO TELL YOU AGAIN AS WE ACT IT OUT ON STAGE

The prologue is a sonnet

 14 line poem
 ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme
 written in iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line, unstressed – stressed syllable pattern
 a poem about love conflict

The structure of the prologue has symbolic significance because this is a play about love in conflict.