by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation possibly by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853)
Two households, both alike in dignity
Language: English
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.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Romeo and Juliet, the prologue [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation possibly by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853); composed by Boris Blacher.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo)
- GER German (Deutsch) (August Wilhelm Schlegel) , no title
- ROM Romanian (Română) (Ștefan Octavian Iosif)
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo) , no title
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-11-22
Line count: 14
Word count: 106
Zwei hohe Häuser, gleich an Würdigkeit
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English
Zwei hohe Häuser, gleich an Würdigkeit im prächtigen Verona hier erhitzen ein altes Grollen neu zu wildem Streit, wo Bürgerhände Bürgerblut verspritzen. Verhängnis wollte, daß aus beider Lenden ein tragisch Paar von Liebenden entrsprang und nichts vermag der Eltern Haß zu wenden als ihre armen Kinder Untergang. Wie diese Liebesleute mit Gefahr sich liebten und dem düsteren Tod verfielen, weil ihrer Eltern Wut unlöschbar war, das wollen wir euch in einer Stunde spielen. Hört uns geneigt. Mit Fleiß und eurer Gunst bekämpfen wir die Mängel uns'rer Kunst.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- possibly by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Romeo and Juliet, the prologue
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Boris Blacher (1903 - 1975), "Zwei hohe Häuser, gleich an Würdigkeit", published 1963 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Chansons aus Shakespeares Romeo und Juliet, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2024-02-06
Line count: 14
Word count: 87