According to one embodiment, a display device includes an illumination unit, a polarizing element which transmits a specific polarized component of light entering from the illumination unit, a display panel which transmits the polarized light entering from the polarizing element while maintaining or converting a polarized state, an optical element comprising a transmission axis which transmits first linearly polarized light, which transmits or reflects the light entering from the display panel and a reflective element which retro-reflects the light reflected by the optical element, and the display panel and the reflective element face one surface of the optical element.