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.
– William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2. The first line is one of the most recognizable and famous in the play. In the balcony scene Juliet asks why Romeo is Romeo, a member of the Montagues who are the greatest enemies of the Capulets. She asks him to deny his family for the sake of their love, and if he does not she will give up her family name. She is on her bedroom balcony as she speaks these words, unaware that Romeo is standing below in the garden listening. This is an example of dramatic irony, since the audience knows that Romeo is there and she does not.