The play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet portrays two families that are extraordinarily similar. One family, however, is much more respectable than the other. One item that makes this family nobler is the things that other people say or do to them. Something else that this family does to increase their respectability is the things that they do or say. The final thing that separates the families is the things that they do for the town of Verona. The Montague family is superior to the Capulets.
The superiority of the Montagues can be shown easily by looking simply at the ideas of the people in the town. The things said to the Montagues are few in number, but the things that are said have serious importance. One such important statement is made by Juliet. "Take him and cut him out in little stars, / That all the world will be in love with the night" (III, ii, 22, 24). In these lines she is saying that if Romeo were the stars, everyone would love the night. "O calm, dishonorable, vile submission!" (III, i, 72). In this short line Mercutio, a kinsman to the prince is describing Tybalt whom Mercutio thinks to be an appalling person. Tybalt is a Capulet. At Capulet's party, Romeo is described as being a pleasing person. "Verona brags of him / To be a virtuous and well-governed youth." (I, v, 68-69). "Thou villain Capulet!" (I, i, 78). This line shows what Montague thinks of Capulet. The statements that the people of Verona make are evidence enough that the integrity of the Montague family is greater than that of the Capulets.
More evidence of the Capulet family's sub-Montague level actions can be shown by the things that the family says to other members of the family. "Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither." (III, v, 156). In the preceding quote a hurdle is the sled that prisoners were taken to their executions on. Capulet said it to his daughter about going to her preordained marriage.
