what is the role of humor in as you like it?

Touchstone is initially the fool to Duke Frederick. Ironically, any fool to someone important had better be damn smart. Touchstone is brilliant. Through humour, he is able to spin out the truth without offending anybody that could do him harm. That's pretty much what a good fool needed to do to keep his job and stay alive. Touchstone uses his wit, especially with words, to get to the heart of the matter. Like his namesake (touchstone- used to detect precious metals) usually has a message of substance behind his humour. At times his humour is bawdy and observant at the same time.