"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is a quote by William Shakespeare from his play Romeo and Juliet meant to say that the names of things do not matter, only what things are.[1] It is a similar phrase to Gertrude Stein's sentence Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.
In the play Romeo and Juliet, the line is said by Juliet in reference to Romeo's house, Montague which would imply that he was bad and they should not be together.
Juliet:
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.Romeo:
[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
Juliet:
'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!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.Romeo:
I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
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