Does comedy serve merely to relieve the tension of the tragedy, or do the comic scenes serve a more serious thematic purpose as well.

That all depends on the way the audience is preserving the literature. It also depends on HOW the author intends their audience read it. Comedic scenes can be used to relive tensions, but the author could also use comedy as a way to make the novel more intriguing. Comedic scenes may have symbolism, in which you will be able to figure out whether or not the intent was serious or playful.

You know i’m not sure sorry