In Romeo + Juliet (1996), when asked, "Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?", the exact reply given is: "No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir!"
This iconic exchange highlights a pivotal moment of escalating tension between the Capulets and Montagues in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, famously adapted by Baz Luhrmann. The biting of the thumb was, in that era, a gesture of profound insult, akin to "flipping the bird" today, designed to provoke a fight without technically breaking the law by striking first.
The Significance of the Exchange
The scene opens with servants of the Capulet house, Sampson and Gregory, encountering Abraham and Balthasar from the Montague household. Sampson initiates the provocation by biting his thumb. When directly challenged by Abraham, his response is carefully crafted to avoid legal repercussions while maintaining the insult.
Characters Involved
The primary characters in this specific verbal duel are:
- Abra (played by Vincent Laresca in the 1996 film): A servant of the Montague family. He directly confronts Sampson about the provocative gesture.
- Sampson: A servant of the Capulet family. He performs the thumb-biting gesture and delivers the cunning reply.
- Gregory: Sampson's fellow Capulet servant, who acts as his confidant and provides a quick legal assessment.
Dialogue Breakdown
The interaction demonstrates the delicate balance between provocation and plausible deniability, a crucial element in starting a street brawl without being legally at fault.
| Character | Line | Context and Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Abra | "Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?" | This is a direct challenge, demanding clarification on whether Sampson's earlier action (biting his thumb) was intended as an insult specifically directed at them. A "yes" would provide legitimate grounds for a fight. |
| Sampson | (Internally/To Gregory): "Is the law of our side if I say aye?" | Before responding to Abra, Sampson quickly consults Gregory, seeking confirmation that admitting to directing the insult ("aye") would indeed make them legally responsible for starting the quarrel. Gregory's emphatic "NO!" advises against such an admission. |
| Sampson | "No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir!" | Sampson's artful evasion. He denies directing the insult at them specifically, but openly admits to performing the gesture. This maintains the provocation (he is biting his thumb) while legally avoiding the accusation of initiating a breach of peace, forcing the Montagues to strike first if they wish to escalate. It's a technical denial that doesn't retract the insult's intent. |
This subtle play on words is designed to maintain the honor and aggressive posture of the Capulet servants without being the explicit aggressors under the law. It sets the stage for the wider, bloody conflict between the two feuding families in Verona.
