What is a prologue?

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 Objectives:
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Define the prologue.
 Identify and recognise the purpose of the
prologue and its key features.
Compare between the prologue and the
preface.
Apply in learner’s book page 7.
 A story beginning
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Story beginnings need to grab the
reader’s attention, introduce the setting
and the characters.
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 The word origin
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 The word prologue comes from an ancient Greek
word ,prologos, which is made from the prefix
pro(before)and the suffix logos (word).
 In Greek tragedy, the prologue is the opening section
of a drama .
 What is a prologue?
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The ancient Greeks developed the concept of
a prologue.

The prologue was often performed by the

chorus and had a strong foreshadowing
quality hinting specially at bad things or
tragedy to come.
 What is a prologue?
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 A prologue may introduce the setting, preview the characters,
or establish a theme or moral for the work. Examples of this
can be found in Greek and Elizabethan drama.
 A prologue is a piece of writing found at the beginning of a
literary work, before the first chapter and separate from the
main story. The definition of prologue introduce important
information—such as background details, or characters—that
have some connection to the main story, but whose relevance
is not immediately obvious.
 • In a play, a prologue often takes the form of a character’s
monologue or dialogue.
 Key features of a
prologue
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 Foreshadowing events to come
 Providing background information or backstory on
the central conflict
 Establishing a point of view (either the main
character’s, or that of another character who is privy
to the tale)
 Setting the tone for the rest of the novel or play
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 A preface is written from the point of view of the
author, not a character or narrator. It explains the
origins, development, legacy, or aims of the book,
and often acknowledges others who contributed.
Prefaces are employed mainly in nonfiction books,
but may be used in fiction as well.
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