Asked by jo

Read the excerpt from Act III, scene v of Romeo and Juliet.

Lady Capulet: But much of grief shows still some want of wit.

Juliet: Yet let me weep for such a feeling loss. 80

Lady Capulet: So shall you feel the loss, but not the friend
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
Which you weep for.

Juliet: Feeling so the loss,
I cannot choose but ever weep the friend.

Lady Capulet: Well, girl, thou weep'st not so much for his death, 85
As that the villain lives which slaugher'd him.

Juliet: What villain, madam?

Lady Capulet: That same villain, Romeo.

Juliet: [Aside.] Villain and he be many miles asunder.
God pardon him! I do, with all my heart; 90
Why is this an example of dramatic irony?

Lady Capulet does not understand that Juliet is crying for Romeo.
Juliet is relieved to know that Romeo is safe from harm.
Juliet is a rational character who does not usually show emotion.
Lady Capulet is saying the opposite of what she means.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
"Lady Capulet does not understand that Juliet is crying for Romeo."

This is dramatic irony because the audience (and Juliet, in her aside) knows Juliet is grieving Romeo and secretly pardons him, while Lady Capulet wrongly assumes Juliet is only mourning Tybalt and hates Romeo. The characters on stage are unaware of Juliet's true feelings, but the audience is.