ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare
Act II, Scene ii
Brief synopsis up to this point.
Juliet Capulet is a thirteen year old girl, whose family is engaged in a bitter feud with the Montague family. She has met a young man at a party her family hosted, and it was mutual love at first sight. Before he leaves she finds out that he is Romeo Montague, of the Montague clan, sworn enemies of the Capulets. He is dragged off by his friends and later she is on the balcony overlooking the garden before she goes to bed. Unknown to her, Romeo is watching her from below. In this monologue she proclaims her love for him, not knowing of course that he is watching her.
Juliet
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;--
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title:--Romeo, doff thy name;
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.
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