Prologue
English Lit: AQA GCSE Romeo & Juliet, topic 2.1.1
Prologue
The prologue introduces the play and the aggression between the Montagues and Capulets. The prologue summarises the events and gives the audience the key details of the play. The prologue also reminds the audience about aggression and fate.
'Grudge'
- The prologue tells the audience that these two families have had a 'grudge' that is 'ancient'.
- This implies that no one really knows the reasons behind it anymore.
Fate and destiny
- The audience also learns that fate and destiny are key ideas throughout Romeo and Juliet.
- In the prologue, we learn that a child from the Capulets and a child from the Montagues are destined to fall in love - but that their love is doomed to fail: 'star-crossed lovers'.
- Immediately, the audience recognises that Romeo and Juliet are not the only ones who decide that they should fall in love. Their destined love was written in the stars before they were born.
Suicide
- We are told that Romeo and Juliet commit suicide in the play.
- The prologue suggests they have no other choice – their deaths are the only thing that will stop the Montague and Capulet families from fighting and killing each other.
Translation and Analysis of the Prologue
Here's a line-by-line analysis of the prologue:
Lines 1-4
Lines 5-8
Lines 9-12
Lines 13-14
Test yourself on Prologue
What information are we told in the prologue?
What does the prologue suggest about Romeo and Juliet's suicides?
What piece of information is not given to us in the prologue?
Prologue - Lines 1-8
Prologue - Lines 9-14