Prologue

A prologue is the start of a story.

It gives you facts from before. This helps you understand the main tale.

In old plays, an actor spoke the prologue. He often wore plain black clothes.

This was different from the bright costumes.

He might hold a book or a scroll. He would bow to the crowd. Then he would talk to the people.

Some prologues explain the plot. Others might thank the audience. It helps move you into the play's world.

Authors also use them in books. They help set the scene for readers.

A prologue is the opening to a story.

It gives background facts. This helps people understand the main tale. The word comes from Ancient Greek. It means "speech before."

In old plays, an actor spoke the prologue. He often wore plain black clothes. This was a big change from the bright costumes in the play. He might not wear makeup. He might hold a book or a scroll. Three trumpet calls would signal his entry. He would bow three times to the crowd.

This helped move the audience into the world of the play. Some prologues explained the plot. Others might thank the audience. In the past, some prologues even gave thanks or curses. Authors also use them in books. Geoffrey Chaucer used them in his tales. One writer, Macedonio Fernandez, even wrote over 50 prologues for one book! They can be funny or serious. They help set the scene for every reader.

A prologue is a special opening to a story.

It helps set the scene for what is coming next. This part gives background details to the readers or listeners. It might tell an earlier story that connects to the main one. It can also share other useful facts. People use prologues to help everyone understand the context. This makes the main story feel more complete.

In old plays, the prologue worked in a very specific way. An actor would stand before the audience to speak. He often wore plain black clothes. This looked very different from the bright costumes used in the play. He might not wear any makeup at all. He might also hold a book, a scroll, or a sign with the title. Three trumpet calls would signal his entry onto the stage. He would then take a spot downstage and bow three times.

The history of the prologue goes back to Ancient Greece. The word comes from the Greek words "pro" and "logos." This means "speech before." In Greek drama, these openings were very important. Sometimes they almost felt like a separate story. Later, Latin writers like Plautus made them even more detailed. He often had characters speak the prologue who never appeared in the play. This tradition helped shape how later writers told their stories.

Different kinds of prologues served many different jobs. In the classical style, there were four main types. One type, called sustatikos, would recommend the poet or the play. Another type, called epitimetikos, might give thanks to the audience. A third type, called dramatikos, explained the plot. The last type, mixtos, combined many of these ideas. In the Middle Ages, prologues also showed ideas about being modest or moral. They even mentioned the money paid to the actors and the audience.

Today, we still see prologues used in many books. Famous writers like Geoffrey Chaucer used them for his Canterbury Tales. He often gave a prologue to many different tales. Some authors use them in very unique ways. For example, Macedonio Fernandez wrote over 50 prologues for his book. These could be funny, serious, or even about the art of writing. Whether in a play or a book, a prologue helps us step into a new world.

A prologue is a specialized opening used in storytelling to establish context.

It provides essential background details that prepare the audience for the main narrative. This might include an earlier story that connects to the primary plot. It can also offer miscellaneous information to help viewers or readers understand the setting. By providing this foundation, a prologue ensures the main story feels complete and grounded. In many traditions, the prologue serves as a bridge between the real world and the imaginary world of the story.

In the tradition of Elizabethan drama, the prologue functioned through a very specific mechanical process.

The performance began with three short trumpet calls to signal the actor's entry. This actor would enter and take a position downstage, which is the part of the stage closest to the audience. To create a clear distinction from the play, the actor often wore plain black clothing. This offered a stark contrast to the elaborate, colorful costumes used by the characters in the actual play. The actor would typically remove his hat and wear no makeup. He might also carry a book, a scroll, or a placard displaying the title of the play. After entering, he would perform three bows in the fashion of the court before addressing the audience.

Classical traditions categorized prologues into four distinct subgenres based on their specific purpose. The first type is the sustatikos, which serves to recommend either the specific play or the poet. The second type is the epitimetikos, where a speaker might give thanks to the audience or issue a curse against a rival. The third type is the dramatikos, which is used to explain the actual plot of the play to the listeners. Finally, the mixtos type is a combination that contains elements of all these different functions. These categories allowed playwrights to choose exactly how they wanted to transition the audience into the story.

The history of the prologue stretches back to Ancient Greece. The term comes from the Greek words "pro," meaning before, and "logos," meaning speech. In Greek drama, the prologue held immense significance and sometimes functioned like a separate romance. This importance grew in Latin theater as well. The Roman writer Plautus created very elaborate prologues that were carefully composed. He sometimes used characters to deliver these speeches who never actually appeared in the play itself. These ancient traditions directly influenced later eras, including the mystery plays of the Middle Ages and the modern drama of the Elizabethan era.

During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the prologue took on new layers of meaning. Medieval traditions often included expressions of morality and modesty within these openings. There was also a sense of meta-theatrical self-consciousness. This means the performance showed an awareness of itself as a performance. This included an unabashed awareness of the financial contract between the paying audience and the professional actors. In the Elizabethan era, writers like Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, used similar tools. He prepared a prologue in the form of a "dumb show" for his 1562 work, Gorboduc. He also wrote an "Induction," which functions much like a prologue, for a collection of romantic epics.

In non-dramatic fiction, prologues have been used for centuries to guide readers. Geoffrey Chaucer utilized prologues in his famous work, the Canterbury Tales. Rather than one single opening for the entire book, Chaucer provided prologues to many of the individual tales. Modern authors have pushed the boundaries of this form even further. For instance, the Argentine writer Macedonio Fernandez included over 50 prologues in his work, The Museum of Eterna. These varied greatly in style, ranging from the psychological to the humorous. Some of his prologues even focused on discussions regarding the art of the novel itself.

Ultimately, the prologue acts as a tool for transition and clarification. It allows a playwright or author to manage the relationship between the performers and the audience. By addressing the crowd directly, the actor can appeal for their attention and sympathy. This helps to guide the audience toward the specific themes the creator intends to explore. Whether it is used to provide historical context or to offer a disclaimer, the prologue remains a vital part of how stories are shared. It creates a necessary boundary between the audience's reality and the world of the text.