Two miniature wooden busts sharing one draped charcoal cloak on a low support

Original artwork, not a still

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

‘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!

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker says only a name stands as an enemy, since the person is themselves whether or not they carry the Montague name. A name is no hand, foot, arm, face or any part of a person. The passionate plea is for the name to be exchanged for another.

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