Why did the Montagues and Capulets hate each other exactly?

[smahala1991]

Was it like a political thing? If you don't know the Montagues and Capulets are the families in Romeo and Juliet.

[BCA6010]

They were based on typical Italian noble families, which were most likely business rivals in the same vein as the Medici and Pazzi families a few decades before Shakespeare was around. Italy was not an even remotely united country at the time, so such families vied with each other for power and influence constantly.

[NathanDavis]

they could just not agree on... whether or not... a quesadilla has to have cheese, or not

it's literally in the name!! CHEESEadilla!!!

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Shakespeare never specifies why. They specifically talk about how it’s a feud that’s gone on for so long no one remembers why it started, just that they’ve never liked each other and they have their history of personal slights and pranks and fights and murders in recent years to justify it.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Sorry... This got me confused!!!

[msc545]

No idea...