Why is it that the Capulets and Montagues fight so unstoppably?

[Luke]

Capulet says, "But Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike, and 'tis not hard, I think, for men so old as we to keep the peace." (1.2 1-3)

Why is it that, despite the fact that their lives are at stake, do Capulet and Montague continue to fight? What ancient motive do you think drives them?

[Joelle]

I'm also very curious as to what was the cause of the feud between the Capulets and Montagues. I think they fight because they have different views on things, and since the two houses can't accept their differences and live with each other, they constantly fight with each other. If I were them, I'd definitely stop fighting if my life was at stake, but I think since the feud is so deep, the Capulets and Montagues keep provoking each other; like Sampson and Gregory provoking Abram in Act 1, Scene 1. They like to annoy each other, and this causes fights to break out between them, even when they're threatened with death.

[Guy]

I think that the reason they fight is because they don't know any better. At the beginning of the book, the reader is told that they don't even remember how the fight started. This leads me to believe that they fight because that's what the previous generations did.

[Courtneylp]

I agree with both Joelle and Guy about the fighting betweent he capulets and montagues. Since they don't even remember why they are fighting, it was probably something that happened with their ancestors and they feel its right to support their own family.

[Joelle]

As far as I'm concerned, they never truly give you the reason for such a huge feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. However, the way I see it is that the two families are both so alike on so many levels. As a result, they probably feel the need to compete with one another. I guess there is simply not enough room for two of the same kind, and therefore want to rise above the other, in social class, or whatever else. Just so long as they are no longer equal, because I think equality is what drives them mad.

[Hannah]

I agree with Courtney and Joelle. The ancestors of the Capulets and the Montagues have been probably fighting for so long that it has become a tradition. The hatred has been passed down from one family to the next. One is always in competition with the other because they want to prove to themselves and everyone arounf them that they are better. Rivalries like this still happen to this day.

[John]

the two families have been fighting for so long that no one can even recall what the orginal argument was that started this all.

the fight could have been something as simple as not respecting one another when they where freinds. whic has lead to the story and all this rucis, which is causing the town to fray!

[Andrew]

This family feud has been occurring for decades. They are all clueless about why they dislike each other, but their family raised them that's way, so even smelling a small whiff of the other family will cause an entire mayhem. Some people at such a low level of class in the family even fight each other. For instance, when Tybalt said to Benvolio, "As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee,"(1.1.72) even though Tybalt and Benvolio barely know each other, besides the fact that they're families are enemies.