Dramatic irony

Romeo and Juliet makes frequent use of dramatic irony. This is no surprise since it is a play where the characters often keep secrets from one another. Most examples of this have to do with the forbidden love between the young lovers and their secret wedding. 

Dramatic irony refers to the case when the audience knows something which the characters do not. This may have different functions, such as creating tension, but it can also be used for comical purposes. When Juliet refuses to marry Paris in Act 3, Scene 5, her parents are horrified since the arranged marriage to the handsome Count Paris ought to be quite a prize. Unlike us, her parents do not know that Juliet has already secretly married Romeo. We understand Juliet’s reaction, but her...