Read the excerpt from Act IV, scene iii of Romeo and Juliet.
First Musician: Faith, we may put up our pipes, and be gone.
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Nurse: Honest good fellows, ah! put up, put up, for, well you know, this is a pitiful case. [Exit.]
First Musician: Ay, by my troth, the case may be amended.
[Enter PETER.]
Peter: Musicians! O! musicians, 'Heart's ease, Heart's ease:' O! an ye will have me live, play 'Heart's ease.'
First Musician: Why 'Heart's ease?'
Peter: O! musicians, because my heart itself plays 'My heart is full of woe;' O! play me some merry dump, to comfort me.
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Second Musician: Not a dump we; 'tis no time to play now.
Peter: You will not then?
Musicians: No.
Peter: I will then give it you soundly.
First Musician: What will you give us?
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Peter: No money, on my faith! but the gleek: I will give you the minstrel.
How does this excerpt offer comic relief?
by describing the unlikely instruments at the wedding
by showing how unaware Peter is to others’ grief
by explaining the cost of wedding musicians
by mocking the popular music of Shakespeare’s day
Answer: by showing how unaware Peter is to others’ grief
Explanation:
After the Nurse and everyone else find Juliet (seemingly) dead, the Nurse agrees with the First Musician to stop the music and have them leave with their instruments. However, while the musicians prepare to leave, Peter gets in and commands they play a song for him, disregarding the tone of the situation, and creating a comic relief.
