Montague
Family: Montagues · Role: head of the Montague household · First appears: Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene I
As head of the Montague household, Montague is drawn into the street brawl between the Montague and Capulet factions in Verona. Prince Escalus ends the disturbance, threatens death for any further unrest, and summons Montague and Capulet to old Free-town for further judgment. Montague’s enemies include Tybalt and Lady Capulet, while Benvolio is his kinsman and Romeo his son; Lady Montague is his wife.
During the same time, Montague is concerned that Romeo has withdrawn from daylight and shut himself away. By Act III, Benvolio is identified as a kinsman to the Montagues, while the feud with Lady Capulet remains marked by bloodshed.
By Act V, Montague reports that Lady Montague has died from grief over Romeo’s exile: “Alas, my liege, my wife is dead tonight. Grief of my son’s exile hath stopp’d her breath.” After Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, Montague and Capulet reconcile and pledge memorials to the young lovers, with Montague promising to raise Juliet’s statue in gold.
Relationship record
Life events
- A street brawl erupts between the Capulet and Montague factions.(Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene I · 📍 Verona)
- Prince Escalus ends the brawl and threatens death for any further street disturbance.(Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene I · 📍 Verona)
- With: Prince Escalus Capulet
- “If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.”
- Prince Escalus summons Capulet and Montague to hear his further judgment.(Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene I · 📍 old Free-town)
- With: Prince Escalus Capulet
- “You, Capulet, shall go along with me, And Montague, come you this afternoon, To know our farther pleasure in this case, To old Free-town, our common judgement-place.”
- Montague reports that his wife died from grief over Romeo’s exile.(Romeo and Juliet · Act V, Scene III)
- “Alas, my liege, my wife is dead tonight. Grief of my son’s exile hath stopp’d her breath.”
- Capulet and Montague reconcile and pledge memorials to Juliet and Romeo.(Romeo and Juliet · Act V, Scene III · 📍 Verona)
- With: Capulet
- “O brother Montague, give me thy hand. This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more Can I demand. MONTAGUE. But I can give thee more, For I will raise her statue in pure gold, That whiles Verona by that name is known, There shall no figure at such rate be set As that of true and faithful Juliet. CAPULET. As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie, Poor sacrifices of our enmity.”
Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene I
- enemies with Capulet “Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets, And made Verona’s ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker’d with peace, to part your canker’d hate.”
- younger kin: Benvolio “My noble uncle, do you know the cause?”
- child: Romeo “Away from light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself, Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out And makes himself an artificial night.”
- married with Lady Montague “Enter Montague and his Lady Montague.”
- enemies with Tybalt “What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: Have at thee, coward.”
- with Prince Escalus (ruler and subject) “Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets, And made Verona’s ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker’d with peace, to part your canker’d hate.”
Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene II
- enemies with Capulet “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. PARIS. Of honourable reckoning are you both, And pity ’tis you liv’d at odds so long.”
Romeo and Juliet · Act III, Scene I
- with Benvolio (Lady Capulet identifies Benvolio as a kinsman of Montague.) “He is a kinsman to the Montague.”
- enemies with Lady Capulet (Lady Capulet demands retaliation against Montague blood, reflecting the enduring feud between the houses.) “For blood of ours shed blood of Montague.”
- enemies with Capulet (The Prince addresses the ongoing hatred and brawls between the Capulet and Montague houses.) “I have an interest in your hate’s proceeding, My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding.”
Romeo and Juliet · Act V, Scene III
- child: Romeo “Come, Montague, for thou art early up, To see thy son and heir more early down.”
- enemies with Capulet “Where be these enemies? Capulet, Montague, See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!”
⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →
Extracted from the original text of Shakespeare's Tragedies. Made with Rho MD.