Othello, a play written by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy that meets its tragic end, as Iago hatches a plan that ends in the deaths of five people. With Iago's manipulation set as the main plot of Othello, the Clown is barely remembered, who appears only twice in the overall play. Keeping the focus on the Clown, in this essay I would like to answer the question: "Through the use of the Clown, how does Othello conform to or deviate from the convention of Shakespearean tragedy, and to what end?" » One could consider the use of the comic element, the clown, as a deviation from the convention of the genre, Shakespearean tragedy. However, according to one study, Shakespeare's use of clown can be defined as the use of a Shakespearean fool, who appears in almost all of Shakespeare's tragedies (Winterman). Thus, Shakespeare's use of the Clown must be seen as a way of confirming the genre of Shakespearean tragedy. What is more important here is Shakespeare's intended purpose in using the Clown: the Clown plays a critical character who intensifies the overall tragedy of the play. Throughout Othello, Shakespeare specifies the Clown's major roles of providing comic relief, foreshadowing future plots, and working as an extension of Iago's plot. Readers first encounter the Clown at the beginning of Act 3, when the Clown makes fun of the musicians and talks about "instruments" (III.i.4) in a funny way. The manner of the conversations contrasts sharply with those experienced by Iago and Cassio, in act 2, scene 3. It can be observed that the Clown appears immediately after the moments of emotional peak, providing brief relief so that the audience can prepare for the next. series of events. The same thing happens in act 3, scene 4, when the clown tricks Desd...... middle of paper ......ors. In conclusion, Shakespeare's use of the clown may seem very trivial, considering the fact that the clown appears very few times compared to the other main characters. However, the use of the Clown serves specific purposes: to provide comic relief, to foreshadow future plots, and to function as an extension of Iago's plot. It is never clear to what extent Shakespeare intended the clown – a typical Shakespearean fool – to be involved in the entire play; however, it is undeniable that the Clown lubricates Othello's overall flow. Works Cited Nason, Arthur Huntington. NasonShakespeare's Use of Comedy in Tragedy, The Sewanee Review, Vol. 14, no. 1 (January 1906), pp. 28-37 Available at http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530731?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contentsShakespeare, William and Jane Coles. Othello. Cambridge, England: Cambridge UP, 1992. Print.