October, Thuesday 11th

Today, we learnt about Romeo and Juliet the famous play of William Shakespeare. We talked about the Prologue of the play :

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.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of strar-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 nought 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. 

Definition of a prologue : A prologue is the introduction yo a story. Here it is part of the play and it is very short.

What can you find in a prologue ?

- The place where the story takes place : Verona, Italy.

- The time when it takes place : in the Middle Ages.

- The main characters : - 2 lovers

                                  - 2 households (the Capulets and the Montaigue)

- The context : The two families are ennemies. Their quarrels are extremely violent.  Yet their children fall in love but their parents' hatred will cause their death. This death will bring peace. 

You can show a short video about the story of Romeo and Juliet :