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No Fear Shakespheare

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

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Act 2, Scene 2, Page 3

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55

 ROMEO
     By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am.
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself
Because it is an enemy to thee.
Had I it written, I would tear the word.
 ROMEO
I don’t know how to tell you who I am by telling you a name. I hate my name, dear saint, because my name is your enemy. If I had it written down, I would tear up the paper.



60		 JULIET
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words
Of that tongue’s uttering, yet I know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?
 JULIET
I haven’t heard you say a hundred words yet, but I recognize the sound of your voice. Aren’t you Romeo? And aren’t you a Montague?

ROMEO
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.
 ROMEO
I am neither of those things if you dislike them.




65		 JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
 JULIET
Tell me, how did you get in here? And why did you come? The orchard walls are high, and it’s hard to climb over them. If any of my relatives find you here they’ll kill you because of who you are.




ROMEO
With love’s light wings did I o'erperch these walls,
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do, that dares love attempt.
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.
 ROMEO
I flew over these walls with the light wings of love. Stone walls can’t keep love out. Whatever a man in love can possibly do, his love will make him try to do it. Therefore your relatives are no obstacle.

70		 JULIET
If they do see thee they will murder thee.
 JULIET
If they see you, they’ll murder you.



ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.
 ROMEO
Alas, one angry look from you would be worse than twenty of your relatives with swords. Just look at me kindly, and I’m invincible against their hatred.

JULIET
I would not for the world they saw thee here.
 JULIET
I’d give anything to keep them from seeing you here.

75


 ROMEO
I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes,
And but thou love me, let them find me here.
My life were better ended by their hate
Than death proroguèd, wanting of thy love.
 ROMEO
The darkness will hide me from them. And if you don’t love me, let them find me here. I’d rather they killed me than have to live without your love.
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