Prologue facts for kids

A prologue is the opening part of a story, play, or book. It helps set the scene and gives you important background information. Think of it as a sneak peek or a quick history lesson before the main story begins. The word comes from Ancient Greek, where "pro" means "before" and "logos" means "word." So, it's literally "words before." In ancient Greek plays, prologues were very important. They sometimes told a whole mini-story that led up to the play itself.

Prologues in Ancient Times

Prologues were a big deal in ancient Greek and Roman plays. They helped the audience understand what was happening, especially if the play was based on a well-known myth or event.

Roman Plays

In ancient Rome, playwrights like Plautus made their prologues very special. They were often spoken by characters who weren't even in the main play. These prologues could be quite clever and entertaining, sometimes even telling a romantic story to get the audience excited. Later, famous French playwrights like Molière and Racine also used prologues in their plays, following this ancient tradition.

Early English Plays

When plays started becoming popular in England during the Middle Ages and the time of Queen Elizabeth I, prologues came along too. They were inspired by the ancient Greek and Roman ways. Early English plays, like the mystery plays, often began with a short speech to explain things.

Prologues in Elizabethan Theater

During the time of William Shakespeare (the Elizabethan era), prologues had a special job. They helped the audience get ready for the play and understand what they were about to see.

What a Prologue Did

A prologue was usually a direct speech given by one actor. This actor would talk straight to the audience. Their job was to:

• Grab the audience's attention.
• Help them feel connected to the play.
• Give historical details or background information.
• Explain the main ideas or themes of the play.
• Sometimes, they even gave a little warning or explanation about the play's content.

The Prologue Actor

The actor who spoke the prologue looked different from the other actors. They would wear simple black clothes, unlike the fancy costumes used in the play. They didn't wear makeup and took off their hat. They might even carry a book or a scroll showing the play's title. Before they spoke, three short trumpet calls would announce their entrance. They would then bow to the audience and begin their speech.

Blending Traditions

Elizabethan prologues mixed ideas from both ancient Greek/Roman traditions and medieval traditions. From the classical world, they might praise the play or the writer, explain the plot, or even thank the audience. From medieval times, they often included messages about right and wrong, or even joked about the actors being paid and the audience paying to watch.

Prologues in Books

Prologues aren't just for plays! They have been used in books and stories for a very long time.

Famous Examples

One of the most famous examples is in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. In this book, many of the individual stories have their own prologues, introducing the characters or the tale itself. Some modern books also use prologues to set the mood, introduce a character, or give a hint about what's to come before the main story even starts. For example, the Argentine writer Macedonio Fernandez wrote a book with over 50 prologues, each one different and unique!

Images for kids

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  Artwork by Gustave Doré.

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  Title page of a 1616 printing of Every Man in His Humour, a play by Ben Jonson.

See also

In Spanish: Prólogo para niños

• Epigraph (a short quote at the beginning of a book or chapter)
• Epilogue (the ending part of a story)
• Foreword (an introduction to a book, usually written by someone other than the author)
• Introduction (the very beginning of a text)
• Preface (an introduction written by the author)