Sampson says A dog of that house shall move me to stand I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montagues?

Answer 1

This is an excellent question and not easy to answer, because there are several similar phrases or ideas going on in the conversation between Sampson and Gregory. Likely what he means by taking the wall is that he will prepare for battle by putting his back to the wall, because it is easy to defend yourself when nobody can come at you from behind (consider the expression "I've got your back"). This makes sense when considered with his later line "I will push Montague's men from the wall" thus depriving them of the better defensive position. But Gregory in his riposte refers to the expression "the weakest ever go to the wall", which is of uncertain origin. Possibly it comes from the idea that if a bunch of toughs walk down the middle of the street, the weaker people must make way for them by flattening themselves against the wall. Or some people think it comes from the practice of having infirm people in churches sit on benches along the side instead of standing in the middle. Either way, it is clearly a different expression from the one Sampson uses. A further complication is added because he talks about taking the wall of any "man or maid". The military explanation works for the men, but what about the maids? His later line "I will thrust the maids to the wall" and later "I will cut off their heads . . . their maidenheads." suggest that he is here referring to the rough-and-tumble sexual position in which the woman stands with her back to a wall for support. The conversation is full of sexual innuendo, so the double entendre is certainly meant.

Answer 2

If he saw a Montague, he would kill him or her. Q7

Answer 3

It means he will yield the wall to a lady to spare her from the filth of the the gutter, but if a man says he'll take the wall from another man he is, in a way, calling himself a woman.