RALPH: Curfew derives from the French, couvre feu, which translates to “cover the fire.”

SARAH: In the Middle Ages, when even domestic cooking fires were a serious danger, most towns required that all fires had to be extinguished by a certain time.

RALPH: The residents were reminded to carry out this safety measure by the ringing of the town bell.

SARAH: Later, when these strict anti-fire ordinances were no longer necessary, many cities maintained the practice, and this bell ringing was still referred to as the curfew-bell.

RALPH: The curfew-bell was often rung at several specific times during the night; in the Verona of our play, one of those times is 3 o’clock in the morning.

SARAH: It’s only in modern times that the word curfew has come to mean any restrictions which come into effect at night.