Dramatic Irony In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Many factors contribute to the tragic end to one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to detail the plotline of the story to the audience, as well as the indiscretion of Romeo’s decision to kill himself due to his oblivion that Juliet was actually alive in the tomb. Shakespeare also uses the literary device of chance versus choice to portray the reckless decisions made by both Romeo and Juliet when they are faced with situations that they could not control, or “chance”. Finally, Shakespeare employs multiple antagonists in the play to influence their decisions to both run away and kill themselves because they knew their love will never be accepted in Verona. Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses various literary
Shakespeare writes many examples of chance throughout the play, and those instances influences the choice that both Romeo and Juliet made to end their lives. For example, it was chance that Balthazar told Romeo that Juliet’s body “sleeps in Capels' monument, and her immortal part with angels lives.” (5.1.18-19) Juliet was not actually dead, it was just coincidental that Balthazar was present for her “funeral”. Because of his belief that Juliet was dead, he goes to her in the tomb and makes the choice to kill himself. His sudden choice to end his life is an example of his youthful foolishness because he should have had some belief that Friar Lawrence had a plan, and that Juliet would not end her life so quickly, because she so desperately wanted to be with him just as much as he did. It was complete chance that Juliet wakes up to find out her “husband in thy bosom there lies dead.” (5.3.167) Because she could not imagine a life without her true love, and did not want to be placed in a sisterhood of holy nuns, she makes the choice to kill herself to be with Romeo in heaven. Both Romeo and Juliet make the conscious decision to kill themselves, but choice greatly influences their decision to do