To show a liquid crystal composition containing a polymerizable compound, to exhibit excellent persistence characteristics and display unevenness characteristics, a liquid crystal display device including such a composition, and an optical device. To show a liquid crystal composition containing the polymerizable compound and satisfying at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, small viscosity, suitable optical anisotropy, large negative dielectric anisotropy and large specific resistance; and an AM device having characteristics such as a small persistence ratio, a short response time, a low threshold voltage, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio and a long service life. The liquid crystal composition contains as a first component a polymerizable monomer that has a capability of a hydrogen bond donor and can form a hydrogen bond with an alignment film surface, or an oligomer, a prepolymer or a polymer of the monomer.