Prologue Of Romeo And Juliet Summary

The Prologue of Romeo and Juliet: A Summary and Analysis

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet opens not with a scene of action, but with a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter, that serves as a prologue. This prologue, spoken by the Chorus, sets the stage for the entire play, providing essential context and foreshadowing the tragic events to come. Understanding this prologue is crucial to grasping the themes and intricacies of the play itself. This article will delve deeply into the prologue's summary, its literary devices, and its significance in understanding the play’s overarching narrative.

A Summary of the Prologue

The prologue succinctly summarizes the central conflict and tragic outcome of the play:

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.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

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

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,

And the continuance of their parents' rage,

Which, but their children's end, naught 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.

In essence, the prologue tells us:

• The Setting: The play takes place in Verona, a city marked by its beauty ("fair Verona").
• The Central Conflict: Two noble families, equally respected ("both alike in dignity"), are locked in a bitter, long-standing feud ("ancient grudge"). This feud erupts into violence ("break to new mutiny"), resulting in bloodshed ("civil blood makes civil hands unclean").
• The Tragic Lovers: From these warring families emerge two lovers ("A pair of star-cross'd lovers"), whose fates are tragically intertwined. Their love is doomed from the start ("star-cross'd").
• The Outcome: The lovers' deaths ultimately end the feud between their families ("Do with their death bury their parents' strife"). Their deaths are the central event of the play.
• The Play's Duration: The play's events will unfold within two hours ("two hours' traffic of our stage").
• The Chorus's Promise: The Chorus promises to fill in any details that might be missed during the performance ("What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend").

Analyzing the Literary Devices Employed

The prologue is a masterclass in concise storytelling, employing several key literary devices:

Iambic Pentameter:

The entire prologue is written in iambic pentameter, a rhythm scheme where each line consists of ten syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed syllables. This rhythmic pattern creates a sense of formality and elegance, befitting the dramatic nature of the story being introduced. It also mirrors the formal structure of the society depicted in the play, a society bound by tradition and social hierarchy.

Personification:

The use of "star-cross'd lovers" personifies fate or destiny. The stars, representing celestial forces, are presented as actively influencing the lovers' tragic fate. This immediately establishes the theme of fate versus free will, a central tension in the play.

Antithesis:

The contrast between "two households, both alike in dignity" and their destructive feud highlights the irony of the situation. Two families of equal standing are consumed by hatred, leading to their own downfall. This sets the stage for the play's exploration of themes of conflict and reconciliation.

Foreshadowing:

The prologue directly foreshadows the tragic ending. By explicitly stating that the lovers "take their life," the audience is prepared for the devastating climax of the play. This foreshadowing creates suspense and heightens the dramatic tension throughout the performance.

Summary and Compression:

The sonnet form forces Shakespeare to be extremely concise. Every word is carefully chosen, contributing to the overall effect of the prologue. This compactness mirrors the rapid unfolding of events in the play itself, highlighting the inevitability of the tragic conclusion.

The Significance of the Prologue

The prologue’s significance extends beyond merely summarizing the plot. It serves several crucial functions:

Setting the Tone:

The prologue immediately establishes the play’s tragic tone. The use of words like "fatal," "piteous," "death-mark'd," and "fearful" prefigures the sorrowful events to come. This sets the emotional framework for the audience, allowing them to approach the play with a sense of impending doom.

Introducing Key Themes:

The prologue introduces several key themes that will be explored throughout the play: fate versus free will, the destructive nature of hatred and prejudice, the power of love, and the cyclical nature of violence. By outlining these themes upfront, Shakespeare provides a roadmap for the audience to follow as the narrative unfolds.

Establishing Audience Expectations:

By stating that the play will last only two hours, Shakespeare manages audience expectations. The audience knows that the narrative will be compressed, focusing on the central conflict and its tragic resolution. This allows them to appreciate the speed and intensity of the action.

Engaging the Audience:

The prologue's poetic language and dramatic summary captivate the audience’s attention from the outset. The use of vivid imagery and concise storytelling creates an immediate connection between the audience and the play's central conflict. This immediate engagement ensures that the audience is invested in the unfolding drama.

The Prologue in the Context of Elizabethan Theatre

The prologue's function in Shakespeare's time is also important to consider. Elizabethan theatre lacked the elaborate stage directions and visual effects of modern productions. The prologue provided crucial information about the play's setting, characters, and plot, setting the scene effectively for the audience. It also helped to manage expectations, ensuring that the audience understood the play's scope and structure. The use of the Chorus, a common device in Elizabethan drama, further emphasized this informational and framing function.

Conclusion: A Powerful Opening

The prologue of Romeo and Juliet is far more than a simple summary. It's a carefully crafted piece of dramatic poetry that establishes the play's tone, themes, and central conflict. By employing a range of literary devices and effectively managing audience expectations, Shakespeare creates a powerful opening that sets the stage for one of the most enduring and beloved tragedies in the English language. Understanding this prologue is key to fully appreciating the nuances and complexities of the entire play, making it a vital starting point for any analysis of Romeo and Juliet. Its concise yet impactful nature continues to resonate with audiences centuries later, highlighting Shakespeare's masterful command of language and dramatic structure. The prologue’s enduring power lies in its ability to both prepare and intrigue the audience, setting the scene for a tale of passionate love and devastating loss.