Question

Read the prologue for act II of William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet:

CHORUS: Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,

And young affection gapes to be his heir;

That fair for which love groan'd for and would die,

With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.

Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,

Alike betwitched by the charm of looks,

But to his foe supposed he must complain,

And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks:

Being held a foe, he may not have access

To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;

And she as much in love, her means much less

To meet her new-beloved any where:

But passion lends them power, time means, to meet

Tempering extremities with extreme sweet.


In the previous act, Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love, even though their families despise one another. Based on the excerpt, what are the two main purposes of this prologue?




It foreshadows what is yet to happen to the main characters in the play.




It creates an ominous mood that hints at the conflicts of the play.




It recaps past events that happened in the play or offstage.




It describes the setting where the play takes place.




It gives instructions about the stage props and the stage layout.

Answer 1

The prologue in Act II of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' serves to foreshadow upcoming events, particularly the tragic challenges the lovers will face, and to recap prior events, emphasizing the dangers of their forbidden love.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the excerpt from the prologue of Act II of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the two main purposes of the prologue are to foreshadow future events and to recap past occurrences that have taken place either in the play or offstage. The first purpose is to set the stage for the audience's expectations about what may happen to the star-crossed lovers. The prologue suggests the difficulty of Romeo and Juliet's situation, as their new love is fraught with danger due to their feuding families, foreshadowing the tragedy that is to unfold.

The second purpose serves as a summary of previous events, allowing the audience to remember the crucial elements that have already transpired, such as the blossoming love between the two protagonists. The prologue does not explicitly describe the setting, nor does it give instructions about stage props or layout, focusing instead on the thematic elements of the unfolding drama. Moreover, the prologue establishes the tone and context for the upcoming scenes, indicating the lovers' impossible plight and the intensity of their secret passion.

Answer 2

Based on the excerpt from Act II of “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, the two main purposes of this prologue, said by chorus, are that it creates an ominous mood that hints at the conflicts of the play (“Tempering extremities with extreme sweet”) and it recaps past events that happened in the play or offstage (Romeo forgot about his previous love, Rosaline, by seeing Juliet; they fall in love).