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Informationen zum Autor William Shakespeare, Edited by J.A. Bryant, Jr. Klappentext The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's timeless story of star-crossed lovers. One of the Bard's most popular plays, this is both the quintessential story of young love and a cautionary tale of the tragedy that can occur when the forces of passion and familial pride are at odds. This title in the Signet Classics Shakespeare series includes: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, J.A. Bryant, Jr. • The source from which Shakespeare derived Romeo and Juliet, Arthur Brooke's The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet • Dramatic criticism from Samuel Johnson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Michael Goldman, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions of Romeo and Juliet • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable format • Recommended readings Act One SCENE ONE Verona. A Public Place. Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords and bucklers sampson. Gregory, o’ my word, we ’ll not carry coals. gregory. No, for then we should be colliers. sampson. I mean, an we be in choler, we ’ll draw. gregory. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o’ the collar. sampson. I strike quickly, being moved. 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; therefore, if thou art moved, thou runnest away. sampson. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s. gregory. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. sampson. ’Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. gregory. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. sampson. ’Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads. gregory. The heads of the maids? sampson. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maiden-heads; take it in what sense thou wilt. gregory. They must take it in sense that feel it. sampson. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. gregory. ’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues. Enter Abraham and Balthasar sampson. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee. gregory. How! turn thy back and run? sampson. Fear me not. gregory. No, marry; I fear thee! sampson. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. gregory. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list. sampson. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir. abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? sampson. (Aside to Gregory) Is the law of our side if I say ay? gregory. (Aside to Sampson) No. sampson. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. gregory. Do you quarrel, sir? abraham. Quarrel, sir! no, sir. sampson. If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you. abraham. No better. sampson. Well, sir. gregory. (Aside to Sampson) Say “better”; here comes one of my master’s kinsmen. sampson. Yes, better, sir. abraham. You lie. sampson. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. They fight
