<p>An object of the invention is to provide a display device having a high contrast ratio by a simple and easy method. Another object of the invention is to manufacture such a high-performance display device at low cost. In a display device having a display element between a pair of light-transmissive substrates, polarizing plates each having an extinction coefficient of an absorption axis which is different from that of an absorption axis of another polarizing plate are stacked to be provided. At that time, the stacked polarizing plates are arranged so as to be in a parallel nicol state. A wave plate and a retardation film may be provided between the stacked polarizing plates and the substrates.</p>