"Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?":

Besides being one of the Bard's most famous lines, this is perhaps the most misunderstood line in all of Shakespeare. Except for the other 60,000 or so. The word "wherefore" always means "why." Juliet is NOT looking for the guy. Instead, she is asking "why" he had to be "Romeo." Obviously, she does not like his name. She asks that he "deny thy father, and refuse thy name." She also offers to change her own, perhaps to "Beulah," or "Grizelda." Imagine the possibilities. Would a play called "Romeo and Bertha" have sold as well?


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