Irony in Romeo and Juliet

Capulet reflects on his own youth when he would have been able to wear a mask and charm a young lady. This statement becomes ironic as this is exactly what will happen to his own daughter at this party. This reminiscing also comes across as haunting after the Prologue to this play. While Capulet can reflect on his youth because he has grown old, Romeo and Juliet will never be able to do so; in dying for their love and their parent's strife, they will forever be preserved in their dancing days.

Romeo states that sorrow cannot destroy his happiness, though this statement comes across as unintentionally ironic. The audience knows that sorrow will in fact destroy his happiness before the play has ended.

Here, Romeo extends his love for Juliet to her family. He proposes the very feeling that the Friar had hoped would resolve the hatred between the two families; however, ironically it is this compassion that causes the coming tragedy.

It is ironic that Mercutio tells Benvolio that he is a hot-head when Mercutio has been the most outspoken and offensive character in the play so far. Mercutio describes himself more in his anecdote about the tavern brawler than Benvolio.

This is another instance of foreshadowing that refers to the tragedy promised in the Prologue. Moments like this remind the audience that they are watching a tragedy so that they understand the irony in these exchanges, which would otherwise be seen as comedic.

Lady Capulet intends this statement as a an insult that points to Juliet's selfish grief. However, her statement is ironically apt: Juliet is married to Romeo, and her love for him ends up leading her to her grave. Metaphorically, Juliet is actually married to her grave.

Capulet's joy is ironic here because the audience knows that Juliet has planned to fake her death in order to get out of the marriage. While this scene could function as a comedic relief of the play's dramatic tension, the audience knows both that Juliet fabricates the comedy and that the play will end in tragedy.

Like Romeo who called the poison "cordial", Juliet sees death as a restorative, or medication. Now that Romeo is dead, Juliet's only relief will come with death. Ironically, the poison is the only "medicine" that can save her.

This is a moment of dramatic irony. The audience knows that Juliet's cheeks and lips are not pale because she is not actually dead. However, Romeo believes that this is a sign of her everlasting beauty: even in death Juliet is beautiful.