AcT 1 ScEnE 1 Verona. A public place.


Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY armed with swords and bucklers.1


SaMpSoN Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals.2


GrEgOrY No, for then we should be colliers.3 SaMpSoN I mean, an we be in choler,4 we’ll draw.5


GrEgOrY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar.6


SaMpSoN


I strike quickly, being moved.7 GrEgOrY


But thou art not quickly moved to strike.


SaMpSoN A dog of the house of Montague moves me.


GrEgOrY To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand:8 therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn’st away.


10


SaMpSoN A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take


the wall9 GrEgOrY


That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest goes to the wall.10


SaMpSoN ’Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker


vessels,11 are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push


Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall.12


11 of any man or maid of Montague’s. 10


the weakest…wall: the weakest are pushed aside


the weaker vessels: the weaker sex


12


thrust…the wall: push the women against the wall, i.e. be sexually aggressive


11 8


stand: stand your ground/stand to fight


7 being moved: when angered 1 bucklers: small round shields 2 3 colliers: coal-miners


AcT 1, ScEnE 1


we’ll not carry coals: 1. we won’t tolerate insults 2. we won’t do menial work


4 choler: angry 5 we’ll draw: we’ll draw our swords


6


collar: hangman’s noose/rope for hanging people


9 take the wall: avoid the gutter


K


E


Y


S


C


E


N


E


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