How did Euripides use prologues at the beginning of his plays?

In the plays of Euripides, the prologue served as a vital structural device to establish the context of the drama. Almost all of his plays begin with a monologue that functions as a bare chronicle, providing the audience with necessary background information regarding the situation and the characters at the start of the action.1

This approach was part of a broader tradition in ancient Greek theater where the prologos effectively replaced an explanatory first act. By using these monologues, Euripides could efficiently set the stage for his narrative, often utilizing characters—including deities—to convey details that could not otherwise be made available to the audience. This technique allowed him to focus the subsequent dramatic action on the psychological realism and tragic crises for which his work is known.21