Lesson 5.1D: Setting the Stage
 The last lesson in this section will introduce the play's prologue. You will have an opportunity to read and listen to this prologue to better understand Elizabethan English. This prologue will also introduce you to key themes and images that Shakespeare develops through the course of the play.
The idea here is that you'll be well prepared for the exciting play, Romeo and Juliet.
Why a Prologue?
Shakespeare begins his play with a prologue, spoken by a chorus; this is a dramatic device used in plays performed in ancient Greece. A prologue is an introductory passage before the main action of a play. Its purpose is to provide information or commentary in the action to follow. Think of its function being like a narrator in a story, commenting on what is about to happen.
In the prologue to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare gives an overview of the basic plot. This may seem strange, as he pretty much gives away what happens in the play, but the prologue gives the audience a place to start. The playwright provides exposition or background information to help readers know about the long-standing feud between the families, and introduces the tragic consequence that will ensue as a result to this grudge. What's important for Shakespeare is not what happens in this tragedy, but rather how it happens.
Now let’s take a few moments to actually read this prologue. Go to The Prologue to Romeo and Juliet and listen to the prologue a few times to really get a handle on the content.
Journal Entry 5.1C: Decoding Shakespeare
You might find reading the prologue a little difficult at first. The English language changes and adapts to the times, so reading language from Shakespeare's time is understandably difficult. Also, this prologue is written in sonnet form! Count the number of lines -14. So, you are reading complex poetry in an older version of English! A little decoding is needed here.
In the journal section of the assignment template, make a list of five to eight words in the prologue that are unfamiliar to you. Next, read the word in the context of the sentence and make an educated guess as to its meaning. Then, either look up the word in the dictionary, or see if a definition is provided on page 8 of your text.
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Shakespeare’s Bread and Butter - Imagery
One purpose of the prologue is to introduce the audience to key themes and images that will be developed through the course of the play.
Shakespeare, aside from wanting to entertain his audience, wanted to explore ideas and have his audience think about these ideas. Shakespeare wanted us to learn something about life or about how we are as people. In writing, this is called theme.
One way Shakespeare did this was through imagery - word pictures that appeal to our senses. He needed to use rich and vivid language, powerful imagery, to get his audience to enter into the play. This imagery helps to illustrate or develop the themes Shakespeare thought were important.
Let's go back to the prologue. One the words that stands out is “star-cross'd.” Once you get into the play, you'll notice many references to stars, and many vivid images that use stars. Why is this? One answer is that Shakespeare needed to have his audience understand the role that fate has in this play. Fate is basically the idea that those things that happen to us are out of our control, that what happens to us is governed by something or someone else. Shakespeare often used references and images of stars to indicate this. Some synonyms of fate are destiny, fortune, luck, chance, doom, and predestination. A question you will grapple with at the end of the play is, were Romeo and Juliet's death beyond the characters' control? A theme statement for this play will derive, in part, from your answer. Shakespeare repeated star images many times to make sure we understand, remember, and reflect on the role of fate in the play.
Summary
Completing this lesson has helped you to:
- understand the purpose, structure, and content of the prologue
- make informed judgments based on what you've read
Section Summary
You have now completed Section 5.1. As part of this section you learned about the biography of William Shakespeare, life in Elizabethan England, and learned a short history of the Globe Theatre. You were also introduced to the play Romeo and Juliet, learning about the play's structure, characters, and setting. Finally, you read the play's Prologue.
Review the following list to ensure you have completed all assignments for this section.
- Section Assignment 5.1A: Will’s World - Truth Finder
- Section Assignment 5.1B: Keeping It Together
- Section Assignment 5.1C: Prologue Tragic Strip
- Section Assignment 5.1D: Journal Entries
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