The beginning of Romeo and Juliet opens with a fight between Sampson and Gregory, two servants of the house of Capulet, and several of the members of the Montague house. On the surface, the fight takes place because Sampson and Gregory bit their thumbs (a derogatory gesture) in defiance of the others. The larger issue at play is the underlying feud that makes members of the two houses hate each other on site. Prior to...
The beginning of Romeo and Juliet opens with a fight between Sampson and Gregory, two servants of the house of Capulet, and several of the members of the Montague house. On the surface, the fight takes place because Sampson and Gregory bit their thumbs (a derogatory gesture) in defiance of the others. The larger issue at play is the underlying feud that makes members of the two houses hate each other on site. Prior to the fight, Sampson and Gregory are heard insulting both members of the Montague clan and their maidens.
Those who are familiar with Shakespearean play staging will also note that the Globe Theater featured groundlings, people who paid for cheap seats within the theater. Unfortunately for Shakespeare, groundling seating was located directly in front of the stage. In order to keep the largely drunk groundlings entertained from the start of the play, Shakespeare often began plays with something dramatic -- like a fight -- that would get the groundlings' attention. The fight that Sampson and Gregory start serves this aim as well.
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