1. Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet

15. 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 . The Montagues & Capulets Both very wealthy & powerful families. Italian city The old feud between the families. No one knows the reason why they fell out. The feud continues with new generations of Montagues & Capulets Suggesting that many civilians are guilty for killing others.

16. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life ; Whole misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife . Loins are your privates! What they do with their loins results in their death. enemies Their meeting was destined to happen through fate. suicide It was an adventure that went wrong But one good thing came from it in that it stopped all the hate & bloodshed

17. 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 , The time they had together was very dangerous Suggests they died at the hands of fate. Rage at the other families. Their parents never knew of the romance until they were dead. Only the death of their own children would make them stop hating the other family & make them call a truce.

18. 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 . The play lasts for two hours You need to listen & be patient If you don’t quite understand what I’ve just said in this prologue... I’ll work hard to help you understand in the action that’s about to happen!