Love's Labour's Lost Review

Love's Labour's Lost is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595, around the same time that Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream were written. This play is not based off of anything real in history and is believed to not have any sources, much like Shakespeare's The Tempest. Love's Labour's Lost is widely thought of as the first work of Shakespeare's genius, and was a new departure from his established modes of writing. Although Shakespeare may have based his plot on ideas in L'Acadйmie FranÐ*oise (1577), by Pierre de la Primaudaye, about a society of scholars. He may also have drawn upon Endimion, by John Lyly (1554-1606). This play is often thought of as one of his more flamboyantly intellectual plays where sophisticated wordplay is cleverly woven together. The story takes place in Navarre, a kingdom that once resided in the region of northern Spain and southern France and probably takes place in the early 1500's, before it was annexed by Spain, and later France. The major characters in this story are Ferdinand, who is King of Navarre, three of his lords, Berowne, Longaville, Dumaine, the Princess of France, her three ladies, Rosaline, Maria, Katherine, and the clown or "village idiot", Costard. One major theme in the play is the tendency that people always want what they can't have at the moment.

The play starts off with King Ferdinand and his lords-Dumain, Longaville, and Berowne talking about the academy in which they founded. After discussing that, they decide to abandon the pleasures of the world for three years to pursue knowledge and keep company only with books in order to gain everlasting fame as scholars. The oath that they take requires little sleep, fasting, and avoidance of women. Berowne thinks that the oath is very "barren" and downright strict. However, he takes the oath anyway. Later on, Berowne is reading some texts about the oath that they had just taken. One talks about how if anyone disobeys this oath and is with a woman within the next three years, they will suffer a great public punishment. However, he points out that the King is going to break this article himself, since the daughter of the French king is about to pay a visit to their court. So Berowne figures that if the king will probably break this oath himself, then he's ok with taking it. Next, Costard the town fool enters into the court, having been caught consorting with Jaquenetta and has thereby sent him to the King for punishment. Costard tries to escape with clever wordplay, but he fails and is sentenced to a week of only bran and water. The defeat of Costard's reasoning and his punishment for courting Jaquenetta warn the King and lords to avoid duplicitous rhetoric and scheming women. Unfortunately, they choose not to heed this warning, and so become entangled in similar situations again.

In the next act, the Princess of France and her entourage arrive at Navarre. When their arrival is announced, they are surprised to find that the king would rather them not enter their court for they have taken an oath and cannot see women. However, the Princess decides to make a deal with the King and they discuss the payment of a hundred thousand crowns and the control of Aquitaine. While they are outside the castle discussing the strict edicts of the Ferdinand's court and their deal, each of the King's three men visit one of the Princess' ladies. The women also recognize some of the men and tell the Princess about them. Berowne shows interest in Rosaline while Dumaine asks about Katherine. Longaville also shows some interest for Maria. Boyet, one of the French men that traveled with the Princess and her ladies, has ulterior motives and tries to win the love of the ladies for himself. After the King and Princess have their chat, it is clear the Princess plans to engage in a battle of wits with the King.

In Act III, Costard is released by the man imprisoning him, Armado, only on the condition that Costard will go and deliver a letter for him. The letter is for Jaquenetta, the woman that he loves, and the letter professes his love for her. After Costard departs with it, he runs into Berowne, who also gives him a letter to the woman that he is in love with, Rosaline. He pays him for the favor, and Costard eagerly leaves while Berowne laments his love for Rosaline.

In Act IV, Costard finds the Princess and her party out in the woods on a hunt. He hands the Princess one of the letters, saying that it is to Rosaline from Berowne. The Princess asks Boyet to read it aloud, but when he finishes, he reads that the letter is signed from "Don Armado". Confused, everyone suggests that it is a mistake. During all of the confusion, Boyet decides to flirt with Rosaline a little bit, however to no avail. Costard insists that it is not, and goes along his way. He finds Jaquenetta and gives the letter to her and has it read aloud. Again, there is confusion when the letter is finished and is signed from Berowne. Since he is supposed to be under an oath to not see women at all, they decide to take the letter to the king. The next scene in this act opens with Berowne holding a poem that he had written for Rosaline and reads it out loud with much pride. Then he hears someone coming, so he decides to quickly hide. He sees that it is the King. Thinking that no one is around, the King walks around and loudly professes that he has fallen in love with the Princess of France. When he is finished, he also hears someone coming and ducks into hiding. The newcomer is one of his lords, Longaville. He too, thinks that he is alone and begins to speak of his love for Maria, reading out a poem that he had also written for her. He hides when he hears another approaching, and Dumaine enters, moaning longingly for Kate. He reads an ode that he has written, and laments that his friends do not share his suffering. Longaville advances to rebuke Dumaine, and, at this, the King comes forward and reveals that he has heard of Longaville's love for Maria. He scolds the two lords for breaking their oath. Finally, Berowne also decides to join in on the party chastises all three of the men. During his speech, Costard and Jaquenetta enter with Berowne's letter and show it to the King and lords. Berowne panics slightly and rips the letter to shreds, insisting that it was merely a joke and that he didn't really love anyone. However, his fellow lords catch a glimpse at the paper and see that it is his handwriting. Berowne then confesses that he is in love with Rosaline and the men all stand around and try to figure out their interesting situation, also arguing which of their women is more beautiful. Even though they all have broken their oath and scolded one another over it, they seem to enjoy that they have found company in their misery. After a while, Berowne explains