I do protest, I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet, – which name I tender
As dearly as my own, – be satisfied.
– William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1. Romeo’s response to Tybalt shows dramatic irony and the themes of family and love. Tybalt has just insulted Romeo by calling him a "villain" and challenged to draw his sword. But Romeo refuses to accept the insult and take up the challenge. He declares that he loves Tybalt and the Capulet name more than Tybalt can realize. Here Romeo is alluding to his secret wedding to Tybalt’s cousin Juliet, which makes the two men part of the same family by marriage. Of course Tybalt knows nothing of this and will not back down.