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What does whose misadventured piteous overthrows doth with their death bury their parents strife mean in romeo and Juliet?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
This is one of the more difficult Shakespearean sentences to unravel, mostly because of the phrase "misadventured piteous overthrows." The balance of the sentence "doth with their death bury their parents strife" clearly means the same as "buries their parents' strife with their death" if we give it a more standard word-order. But what buries the strife? "Misadventured" cannot be a noun, and neither can "piteous". It must be "overthrows". But "overthrows" must mean "more than one overthrow" (overthrow must here mean "reversal of fortune"), and "doth" means there's only one. Therefore it comes out something like "Whose unlucky and pathetic reversals of fortune buries their parents strife." which I know is bad grammar, but that is how it is written.
The first Quarto has a somewhat different line: "Whose misaduentures, piteous ouerthowes (Through the continuing of their Fathers strife, and death-markt passage of their Parents rage) is now the two howres traffique of our Stage."
The first quarto prologue isn't a nice tidy Sonnet, but it does have some interesting features. Here, just by changing "misadventur'd" into "misadventures", the subject of the sentence has changed. Now "misadventures" is the subject of the sentence. It still doesn't agree with the verb "is", but its meaning is now something like "Whose misadventures, those pathetic reversals of fortune, through the continuance of their fathers' fighting and their parents' anger, marked by deaths, is now the subject of our show."
The First Quarto is called a "Bad Quarto", mostly because it doesn't agree with the one scholars like better, but this is perhaps a case where we could prefer the First Quarto. I certainly prefer "misadventures" to "misadventur'd"
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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What are misadventures piteous overthrows in Romeo and Juliet?
This is one of the most difficult lines in the prologue. Let's review the context: From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. This text is based on Q2 text of 1599. Here, the word "overthrows" means reverses in fortune, misfortunes if you like. This is the key word, so if you leave out the words "misadventured piteous" you get "a pair of star-crossed lovers . . . whose . . . overthrows (misfortunes) do, with their death, bury their parents' strife." The sense is that it is the misfortunes of the lovers, culminating in their deaths, which end the feud between their parents. These misfortunes are described as "misadventured" (unfortunate) and "piteous" (evoking pity). The Q1 text of 1597 reads a little differently and more like the question: "Whose misadventures, piteous overthrows" If this were the correct reading, it would be misadventures, otherwise described as "piteous overthrows", which are the subject of the sentence. Unfortunately the next two lines of the Q1 prologue are badly garbled and incoherent.
What are examples of personification in the prologue of romeo and Juliet?
"Two households . . . break to new mutiny". It's not the households but the people who live there who do the breaking--the households are treated as people. "Whose misadventured piteous o'erthrows . . . bury their parents' strife." It's tough to tell, but the noun in this sentence is I believe "o'erthrows", meaning reversals of fortune, which of course cannot perform the act of burying anything.
In romeo and juliet what information about the two households is presented in the prologue?
In the opening Prologue of Romeo and Juliet, the Chorus refers to the title characters as “star-crossed lovers,” an allusion to the belief that stars and planets have the power to control events on Earth
Who in Romeo and Juliet apologizes to parents for disobedience?
Juliet does. She is less than sincere, but the parents don't catch on.
What is theme of 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare?
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. 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. 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, 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.
What are misadventures piteous overthrows in Romeo and Juliet?
This is one of the most difficult lines in the prologue. Let's review the context: From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. This text is based on Q2 text of 1599. Here, the word "overthrows" means reverses in fortune, misfortunes if you like. This is the key word, so if you leave out the words "misadventured piteous" you get "a pair of star-crossed lovers . . . whose . . . overthrows (misfortunes) do, with their death, bury their parents' strife." The sense is that it is the misfortunes of the lovers, culminating in their deaths, which end the feud between their parents. These misfortunes are described as "misadventured" (unfortunate) and "piteous" (evoking pity). The Q1 text of 1597 reads a little differently and more like the question: "Whose misadventures, piteous overthrows" If this were the correct reading, it would be misadventures, otherwise described as "piteous overthrows", which are the subject of the sentence. Unfortunately the next two lines of the Q1 prologue are badly garbled and incoherent.
Why does the play continue after the death of Juliet?
Because the story is not over. The prologue makes this clear at the very beginning. "Whose misadventured piteous overthrows do with their deaths bury their parents' strife", and "their parents' rage which but their children's end naught could remove" both tell us that the story ends when the parents reconcile.
Whose misadventures piteous overthrows?
Shakespeare's character Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet" faces tragic misadventures leading to his downfall.
What are examples of personification in the prologue of romeo and Juliet?
"Two households . . . break to new mutiny". It's not the households but the people who live there who do the breaking--the households are treated as people. "Whose misadventured piteous o'erthrows . . . bury their parents' strife." It's tough to tell, but the noun in this sentence is I believe "o'erthrows", meaning reversals of fortune, which of course cannot perform the act of burying anything.
In romeo and juliet what information about the two households is presented in the prologue?
In the opening Prologue of Romeo and Juliet, the Chorus refers to the title characters as “star-crossed lovers,” an allusion to the belief that stars and planets have the power to control events on Earth
What is an example Rhyme in romeo and Juliet?
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 From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their LIFE Whose misadventured piteous o'erthrow do with their deaths bury their parents' STRIFE You can find even more examples of rhyme even after the first eight lines of the play.
Who said from the forth fatal loins of these two foes?
The quote "from forth the fatal loins of these two foes" is from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It is spoken by the Chorus at the beginning of the play, serving as an introduction to the story of the tragic love between Romeo and Juliet.
How many acts in romeo and Juliet have a prologue?
Two households, both alike in dignity,In fair Verona where we lay our scene,From ancient grudge break to new mutinyWhere civil blood makes civil hands unclean.From forth the fatal loins of these two foesA pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,Whose misadventured piteous o'erthrowsDo with their deaths bury their parents' strife.The fearful passage of their death-marked loveAnd the continuance of their parents' rageWhich but their children's end, nought could removeIs 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.
What plans Juliet's parents make for her in scene 4?
Juliet's parents plan for her to marry Paris on Thursday.
Who in Romeo and Juliet apologizes to parents for disobedience?
Juliet does. She is less than sincere, but the parents don't catch on.
What is theme of 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare?
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. 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. 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, 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.
Where did the party in Romeo and Juliet take place?
At Juliet's parents' place.
