Othello is unlike other Shakespearean dramas for two reasons; first, the scarcity of comic relief, which only appears briefly at the beginning of this short scene. Even Hamlet had Polonius and the gravedigger to lighten up certain scenes, but in Othello, there is no relief from the tragedy that is playing out. Also, there are no subplots running through Othello as there are in most Shakespearean plays as a whole. Both of these differences make Othello one of Shakespeare's most focused, intense tragedies.
The little bit of comic relief that is present here is reminiscent of Feste's wit in Twelfth Night. As in Twelfth Night, there is a man entreating a servant to fetch someone hither; but since the servant is a clown, there is a bit of frustration and word-play before anything is done. The fool-figure receives money, then goes to do his bidding; the situations are parallel, and it is a very usual set-up for comic relief. However, the clown from this play does not reappear; he has less personality than Feste, if only because he gets just a brief appearance.
Cassio seems to be one of the only "honest" ones in the play; he discloses his plans, his thoughts, and his concerns to Iago, omitting little or nothing. It is therefore ironic that he refers to Iago as "honest", since Iago is the complete opposite of everything Cassio is. By this point, the keyword "honest" has become very tainted by its over-association with Iago; it has no simple meaning anywhere in the play, and is definitely something to look out for.
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