Dramatic irony occurs when the readers or the audience are aware of something that a character in a literary work or drama does not know. There are three examples of dramatic irony in Act 5, Scene 3.
First, as the scene opens, Count Paris is at Juliet's tomb when Romeo arrives. Paris hides and when he sees Romeo he believes that the Montague is simply there to vandalize the tomb because of the feud. Paris knows nothing about the relationship between Romeo and Juliet. Because of this misunderstanding Paris loses his life.
Second, when Romeo goes inside the tomb he doesn't realize that Juliet is actually still alive. He hasn't gotten the Friar's message about the plan for Juliet to fake her death. Friar John, who was supposed to deliver the message, is delayed by a plague threat. Romeo even comments that Juliet is still beautiful and her complexion not yet pale. Romeo says,
Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.
Unfortunately, Romeo doesn't recognize the signs of Juliet's health and takes his life by drinking poison. When Juliet awakens and finds him, she stabs herself with a dagger.
Third, the Prince, Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Lord Montague arrive at the tomb to find the dead. They were all under the impression that Juliet was already dead and Romeo exiled to Mantua. None of them knew of the marriage of Romeo and Juliet. It finally takes the Friar, in his long monologue, lines 238-278, to explain everything the audience already knows. As with many of Shakespeare's plays, dramatic irony is one of the most important elements of the plot.
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