What’s so significant about a name, anyway. Or an arm or a face, or any other part of a man’s body. What is Montague?! It isn’t a hand or a foot Or if you won’t do that, tell me you love me and I’ll no longer be called Capulet. Doff: remove Modern Translationĭiscard your parents and disown your name. She is a member of the Capulet family, Romeo is a Montague. Wherefore: why Wilt: will Capulet: Juliet’s surname. Romeo, doff thy name,Īnd for that name, which is no part of thee, Retain that dear perfection which he owes So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, What’s in a name? That which we call a rose Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my loveīelonging to a man. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? It’s safe to say there’s kinda a lot going on for her at this moment. This first meeting with Romeo has really revolutionised her world-view. She has never known love, and has publicly expressed her lack of interest in marriage to her parents. It’s also worth noting that Juliet is 13 years old. It’s a wonderful moment of dramatic irony where the audience knows of Romeo’s eavesdropping but Juliet doesn’t. He’s actually listening to this speech, he’s hidden in the garden below Juliet’s balcony where this soliloquy (and scene) takes place. It’s also worth noting that Romeo DEFINITELY feels the same way.

She is lamenting Romeo’s parentage and the cruelty of fate. Juliet’s speech we’re looking at takes place on the same night, after the party. Within the space of 15 minutes, they have kissed and subsequently have learned who the other truly is – a sword enemy. These two see each other and instantly fall in love.

The plan is for the Montague boys to go to the party to have a few laughs and hopefully remind Romeo that there are other fish in the sea (he’s in love with this gal called Roseline) but instead what happens is the cosmic collision of Romeo and Juliet. One night, there’s a party at the Capulet mansion, Romeo and his mates gatecrash. They both live in Verona, and those two families have been at war for as long as anyone can remember. Juliet is a member of the Capulet family. ContextĪs always, you’ve got to read the play, but in case you’ve missed the story of Romeo and Juliet, here’s what you need to know. Let’s dig into this essential monologue of Juliet’s from Act 2, Scene 2, and see what we can discover. Yet, for so simple a line, it is so frequently misunderstood and misrepresented in performance. Next to ‘To be or not to be’, this line has got to be Shakespeare’s most famous line in all his plays.

Romeo and juliet full play script