In
Act 1, Scene 1, it is more than evident that the men from the houses of Capulet and Montague are
fighting for the honor of not only their respective houses but also for themselves. The men
trade insults, which eventually culminates in a sword fight. Both parties believe that they are
defending the integrity of their particular houses; their actions are honorable, for they do it
out of love and loyalty at the risk of suffering either injury or death. This particular
perspective is best encapsulated bywhen he tells his enemies:
Draw, if you be men.
The obvious implication is,
of course, that if they refuse to fight they are cowards and therefore devoid of honor. This is
a challenge that the opposition cannot resist.
The arrival of the Lords
Capulet and Montague adds fuel to the fire, and the brawl becomes such a disruptive affair that
the citizens of Verona fear for their lives. One of the upset citizens curses the feuding
parties for endangering them and disturbing the peace.
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