WHEREBY HANGS A TAIL?

Comic Relief in Othello

COMIC RELIEF

Comic relief - a humorous scene, incident, or remark occurring in the midst of a serious or tragic literary selection and deliberately designed to relieve emotional intensity and simultaneously to heighten, increase, and highlight the seriousness or tragedy of the action.

EXAMPLES

FOOLS

A recurring character type in Shakespeare, a fool often accompanies a character of higher social status and makes humorous comments on the situation.

Fools are often the wisest characters of all!

In many of Shakespeare’s plays, fools have their own names and are present from beginning to end.

CLOWNS & MUSICIANS

In Othello, the “fools” are the Clowns & Musicians in the beginning of Act III.

In Shakespeare’s time, clowns and musicians were traveling artists (many like Shakespeare’s own actors) who were known for being unconventional and often looked down upon in society.

RIDDLES

Iago’s riddles are intended to bring bawdy comic relief to the audience.

• She never yet was foolish that was fair, for even her folly helped her to an heir.

• There’s none so foul and foolish thereunto, but does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.

• Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk: you rise to play, and go to bed to work!

But do these riddles tell us anything important about his character?

IRONY

Irony is the discrepancy between:• What is said and what is meant• What is said and what is done• What is expected and what happens• What is meant and what others actually understand

Is irony funny?