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Romeo and Juliet​: Act III Scene 5 Dramatic Irony
Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in this scene to demonstrate the distant relationship between Juliet and her mother.
Much of the confusion in the scene stems from the fact that Lady Capulet does not understand what Juliet is actually saying.
See if you can figure out what Lady Capulet believes Juliet is saying and what Juliet ​actually​ means.
What Juliet says...
What Lady Capulet thinks she means...
“Madam, I am not well” (70).
“I am still upset about Tybalt’s death.”
“God pardon him! I do, with all my heart;
and yet no man like he doth grieve my
heart” (87-88).
“I forgive Romeo, but he has caused me
grief by killing Tybalt.”
“Would none but I might venge my
cousin’s death” (91).
“Indeed, I shall never be satisfied with
Romeo till I behold him -- dead -- is my
poor heart, so for a kinsman vexed”
(98-100)
What Juliet ​actually​ means…
“I wouldn’t want anyone else to try and
get revenge for Tybalt -- because I could
never kill Romeo.”
What Juliet says...
“If you could find out but a man to bear a
poison, I would temper it, that Romeo
should, upon receipt therof, soon sleep in
quiet” (101-104).
“O, how my heart abhors to hear him
nam’d and cannot come to him to wreak
the love I bore my cousin upon his body”
(104-107).
“Now, by Saint Peter’s church...he shall
not make me there a joyful bride!”
(121-122).
“Well, thou hast comforted me marvelous
much” (243).
What Lady Capulet thinks she means...
“I want to poison Romeo myself, so he
sleeps and never wakes up!”
What Juliet ​actually​ means…