- Establish the play's genre and tone. Prologues were often used to provide a brief overview of the play's action and characters, as well as to set the mood for the performance. For example, the prologue to Christopher Marlowe's "Tamburlaine" begins with the line, "From jigging veins of rhyming mother wits," immediately signaling to the audience that they were in for a serious and high-minded tragedy.
- Introduce the play's major themes. Prologues were also often used to introduce the play's major themes. For example, the prologue to William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" begins with the lines, "So foul and fair a day I have not seen," hinting at the play's themes of ambiguity and deception.
- Provide exposition. Prologues could also be used to provide important information about the play's backstory or setting. For example, the prologue to Thomas Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy" begins with a lengthy explanation of the play's setting and the political situation in Spain.
- Give the audience instructions on how to watch the play. Prologues were sometimes used to give the audience instructions on how to watch the play, such as when to applaud or when to remain silent. For example, the prologue to Ben Jonson's "The Alchemist" begins with the lines, "For your own sakes, I bid you then beware / Of credulous people, that build their faith / Upon weak prophecies, and strange reports."
- Appeal to the audience for their support. Finally, prologues were often used to appeal to the audience for their support. This might involve asking the audience to be patient with the actors or to forgive any mistakes that they might make. For example, the prologue to Robert Greene's "Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay" begins with the lines, "Pardon, sweet gentlemen, your kind applause, / That gives so gentle welcome to our muse!"