Dramatic Irony In Romeo And Juliet Essay

“All the world’s a stage/And all the men and women merely players/They have their exits and their entrances.” -William Shakespeare As You Like It

Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare is a tragic love story that foretells the story of two star-crossed lovers whose love was forbidden by their feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues. As a result of love at first sight, Romeo and Juliet decided to marry. Due to a series unfortunate events such as Juliet’s arranged marriage by her parents, Friar Lawrence’s plan, the two lovers’ suicide,and many more, Romeo and Juliet’s marriage was short-lived. Shakespeare utilizes dramatic irony in key lines of Romeo, Mercutio, and Juliet that foreshadow subsequent deaths in the Montague and Capulet households.

Contemplation can be the key to foreseeing the future. During Act 1, Romeo foreshadows his sudden death while contemplating his decision of attending his family’s mortal

After speaking to the nurse and her mother in Act 4, Juliet stated that she does not know when she will see them again because of the possible morbid outcomes of taking the vial. Juliet stated,“Farewell!—God knows when we shall meet again.” (4.3.14) Basically, Juliet is thinking that she is going to create the illusion of her death but in actuality, she eventually dies of grief of the loss of her beloved Romeo. In this context, Juliet was speaking in earthly terms and not heavenly terms. For example, if the plan would have worked, she would have run off to Mantua with Romeo which would have been a type of death to her family because they might have disowned her. On the other hand, if her doubts about the Friar’s plan came to fruition, she would have been physically dead. Juliet’s line of valediction was a portend of her future love bound suicide. In short, Juliet’s dream of running away with Romeo to Mantua eventually becomes the nightmare for both the Capulet and Montague