Question

read the excerpt from act iv, scene v of romeo and juliet
first musician: faith, we may put up our pipes, 105
and be gone.
nurse: honest good fellows, all put up, put up, 110
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
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

Explanation:

In the excerpt, the situation is a pitiful one (related to a death/mourning), yet Peter is focused on his own desire for music ("Heart's ease") and is unaware of the grief around him. The other options: describing unlikely instruments isn't the focus, explaining cost of musicians isn't present, and mocking popular music isn't done here. So the comic relief comes from Peter's unawareness of others' grief.

Answer:

B. by showing how unaware Peter is to others’ grief