The play lightens the mood, advances the plot, and provides a much-needed respite from the suspense of the play. Comic relief plays a vital role in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. To maintain the audience's interest, an author inserts puns and other comic vices to enhance their work. Shakespeare constantly introduces characters to relieve the audience's tension due to past events in the plot. This comic relief usually contains a hidden meaning or message that enriches the plot. In the play Hamlet Osric, Polonius and the Gravedigger are used as conduits of humor. The character Osric relieves much of the tension created by the previous acts. His interjection in this tragedy culminates with the fight sequences of Hamlet and Laertes. Hamlet manipulates this character by exploiting his obedience to kingship when he states, “Put thy hat to its proper use, it is for the head” (V.ii.101). Osric replies: "I thank your lordship, it is very hot" (V.ii.102). Hamlet then replies: “No, believe me, it is very cold; the wind is from the north” (V.ii.103). Hamlet persists with this ruse, constantly pressuring Osric to remove and replace his hat. This scene relieves the stress of the cemetery fight and leads to the duel between Hamlet and Laertes. Shakespeare also uses Osric to express his personal opinion on the class structure of current society. William Shakespeare criticizes the new wealthy merchant class, prevalent in the Elizabethan era, through the dialogue of Hamlet and Osric. Hamlet ridicules Osric and his social position in a digression to Horatio: "Let a beast be lord of beasts, and his cradle shall / Stand with the king's men" (V.ii.95-96). Hamlet implies that any fool with money can enter into...... middle of paper ......interactions with the Gravedigger. Although this character has a relatively small role, he has a huge impact on the course of the play. Comic relief plays a vital role in any tragedy or suspenseful work: it serves as a stark contrast to the harsh reality presented throughout the story. In William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, comedy is used to distract the audience from the dramatic course of events. The theatrical plot also proceeds with the comic relief inserted into the play. Shakespeare brilliantly develops his characters in a comical way that continues the plot and soothes his viewers. If the writers chose not to offset the tragedy with comedy, the story would simply be too depressing to entertain large audiences. Therefore, it is fair to assume that without the comic relief, Hamlet may not have been the iconic story that it became.