Comedy lightens the mood, advances the plot, and provides a needed respite from the suspense of the play. Comic relief plays a vital role in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. In order to maintain the audience's interest, an author inserts puns and other comic vices to enhance his work. Shakespeare constantly introduces characters to relieve the pressure placed on the audience by past events in the plot. This comic relief usually contains a hidden meaning or message that increases the plot. In the play Hamlet, Osric, Polonius and the Gravedigger are used as vectors of humor. The character of Osric relieves much of the tension created by the ongoing acts. His intervention in this tragedy culminates with the fight sequences of Hamlet and Laertes. Hamlet manipulates this character by exploiting his obedience to royalty when he states, “Make good use of your bonnet, it is for the head” (V.ii.101). Osric responds: “I thank your lordship, it is very warm” (V.ii.102). Hamlet then replies: “No, believe me, it is very cold; the wind is from the north / from the north” (V.ii.103). Hamlet persists with this ruse, constantly pressuring Osric to take off and put on his hat. This scene alleviates the stress of the fight in the cemetery and leads to Hamlet and Laertes' duel. Shakespeare further uses Osric to express his personal opinion on the class structure of today's 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 an aside to Horatio: "Let a beast be lord of beasts, and his manger / Shall stand to the king's men" (V.ii.95-96). Hamlet implies that any fool with money can come into contact with the Gravedigger. Although this character has a relatively small role, he has a huge impact on the flow of the play. Comic relief plays an essential role in any tragedy or suspense play: it stands in 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 progresses with the comic relief inserted into the play. Shakespeare brilliantly develops his characters in a comic way that continues the plot and brings relief to his audiences. If the writers chose not to offset the tragedy with comedy, the story would simply be too depressing to entertain the broad audience. Therefore, it is fair to assume that without comic relief, Hamlet may not have been the iconic story that it became..