Question

What does this excerpt from act 1 of Romeo and Juliet reveal about the Montague-Capulet feud?

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: 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: 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.

Answer 1

Both sides hate each other and are trying to pick a fight. Because fighting between the families is against the law, they are boy attempting to get the other side to start the fight, so that they themselves will not get in trouble once the fight is started. They hate each other so much that they're using each other to start fights, as well as attempting to avoid blame, should it get out of hand, or should they get caught.