Lecture 13: Homework

Poetry: Translate the Prologue into Modern English (14 Lines)

Homework
Typed or Handwritten
14 Line Poem / Sonnet Rhyme Scheme / 10 Syllables per Line

Please write your own 14 line modern translation of the Prologue from Romeo and Juliet. We have already done
a close reading of each line and made our basic translations. Now, your job is to make it fit the form of a sonnet!
These sonnets should…

1) Be true to the meaning of the Prologue—but of course change meaning in the process of translation.
2) Meet all the conventions of a sonnet—14 Lines, Proper Rhyme Scheme, 10 Syllables Per Line
3) Include a short analysis that explains the sonnet’s Problem, Extended Problem, Turn, and Resolution.

To make it a bit easier, I will include an example translation from No Fear Shakespeare below.

ORIGINAL PROLOGUE TRANSLATED PROLOGUE

Two households, both alike in dignity In the beautiful city of Verona, where our story takes
(In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), place, a long-standing hatred between two families
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, erupts into new violence, and citizens stain their
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. hands with the blood of their fellow citizens.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes Two unlucky children of these enemy families
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, become lovers and commit suicide. Their unfortunate
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows deaths put an end to their parents' feud.
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-marked love For the next two hours, we will watch the story of
And the continuance of their parents' rage, their doomed love and their parents' anger, which
Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, nothing but the children’s deaths could stop.
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage—

The which, if you with patient ears attend, If you listen to us patiently, we’ll make up for
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. everything we’ve left out in this prologue onstage.

ALSO, HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO

STRUCTURE A SONNET

Express
1. O, bagLane (A Love
my heart, Sonnet
you checkinout
a Supermarket)
lady fair, A Rhyme (fair) 10 syllables
2. With soft and supple hands of pure delight, B Rhyme (delight) 10 syllables
3. And bring it home with m' other grocery fare— A Rhyme (fare) 10 syllables
4. A rose, champagne, and wicks for candlelight. B Rhyme (candlelight) 10 syllables

5. With them, I bring a secret to confess— C Rhyme (confess) 10 syllables

6. Or will my love remain unspoken? D Rhyme (unspoken) 10 syllables
7. Would you reject with "ten items or less" C Rhyme (less) 10 syllables
8. My unending gift of love's sweet tokens? D Rhyme (tokens) 10 syllables

9. Please hold so firm and tight my fruit! My gourd! E Rhyme (gourd) 10 syllables
10. O, scan my can of beans! O, check its price! F Rhyme (price) 10 syllables
11. But most of all, direct your scanner towards E Rhyme (towards) 10 syllables
12. This twinkling barcode fixed within my eyes. F Rhyme (eyes) 10 syllables
13. Alas—for love, express lanes were not meant. G Rhyme (meant) 10 syllables
14. For sooth, self-checkout is more convenient. G Rhyme (convenient) 10 syllables

Problem: A man is in love with the checkout lady at the grocery store, but she does not know it. He brings her
romantic items to give her a hint, but it has never been enough (Quatrain 1).

Extended Problem: The man is too shy to speak out loud what he is thinking. He is too afraid of rejection to
take a real risk (Quatrain 2).

The Turn: The action of sonnet comes during the turn, when a possible solution to the problem arises. In this
case, the man starts to think more recklessly as she scans his food items. It is unclear whether he brings to yell
these thoughts out loud or if his thoughts are still all in his head (Quatrain 3).

Resolution: The man decides that “express lanes” where he would “express” his feelings are too much work
and decides to use the self-checkout instead. The sonnet ends on a defeated note (Quatrain 4