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What does the following mean? "In fair Verona where we lay our scene."

"In fair Verona, where we lay our scene," is the second line of the prologue to William Shakespeare's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet. The prologue is intended to give the audience (or reader) a little introduction to the play they are about to see. This line is essentially telling the audience that the play is taking place in Verona, Italy. The prologue goes on to describe that the play will involve feuding families and two young lovers who will die. Sometimes, the setting of a play does not need to be said explicitly. For Romeo and Juliet, the setting in Italy provides a great backdrop for the main conflict of the play. There were not really noble feuds in England- where this play was first put on- to the same degree that they occurred in Italy. In order for the "fighting families" thing to really work, Shakespeare chose Italy for the setting. Presumably, Shakespeare's first audience would know a little about these feuding nobles of Italy, or at least be more willing to accept that feuding occurred there than if they play had been set in their very own England. 

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