“Romeo. Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo? “

You know something is a timeless work of art, like this line from Romeo and Juliet, when it continues to be quoted, studied, and remade nearly five centuries later. Indeed, we still look to the plays and poetry of William Shakespeare for his masterful use of language and rhetorical devices even though some words may sound strange to our modern ears.

In modern English, Juliet is asking, Why are you named Romeo? Or, more to the point, why must you be a Montague? (Her Capulet family was in a feud with the Montague family, and it would’ve been easier if he was from any other family.)

So, before you pick up another Shakespearean play or poem, it might behoove you to review the Shakespeare translator and common words below. It’ll introduce you to some of his terminology, allowing you to pick up on all the “wherefores” and “delations” with a bit more ease.

Early-modern-english meaning

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