Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Why do Sampson and Gregory fight with Montague's men?

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the first line of the play, spoken by the chorus, establishes the situation Sampson and Gregory demonstrate in the opening scene you ask about.  The play begins:



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:...



The reason Sampson and Gregory want to fight Montagues is no good reason at all--an "ancient grudge."  And recently it has flared into "new mutiny."  The two Capulets are like almost everyone else in the play:  full of blind hatred and bigotry and machismo. 


In the opening scene, Gregory teases Sampson that he is slow to strike, and Samson replies that



A dog in the house of Montague moves me [to strike].



He not only implies that he is quick to anger by the presence of a Montague, but calls them dogs in the process. 


The two then talk about not moving aside when walking by Montagues, then turn that into jokes about putting Montague maids against the wall, a sexual joke. 


The two want to fight for the sake of fighting, and particularly for the sake of fighting Montagues.  And, of course, for no good reason, that's what happens. 

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