The ability of Shakespeare to use dramatic circumstances and setting to allow the action of the drama and characters to move along seamlessly is evident in this act of 'Love's Labour's Lost'.
The action starts with the Princess hunting in the wood which is both appropriate functionally and metaphorically. Costard enters and gives a letter to her which he thinks is from Berowne to Rosaline. Letters and their arrival, non-arrival and the mixing up of them becomes a crucial dramatic and narrative device in many of Shakespeare's plays (probably as revolutionary to plays in his time as mobile phones are as narrative devices in 21st Century films). The Princess and her man, Boyet, realise that this letter is a love letter from Don Armado to Jaquenetta. Costard has delivered the wrong letter but important details have been revealed to the audience.
In a scene that could be subtitled "... an extemporal epitaph on the death of a deer...", Sir Nathaniel, Holofernes and the Constable Dull discuss whether the Princess has just killed an old or a young deer. Sexual inferences ooze out of the cracks in their prose. Costard enters and again the wrong letter is read out. It is the love letter from Berowne to Rosaline which Costard is promptly ordered to take to the King.
Meanwhile, Berowne is composing a love poem for Rosaline when he hears someone coming and hides. The King enters and reads from a love poem he has secretly written for the Primcess. He hears a noise and hides as well. Longaville enters reading his love poem for Maria when he hears a noise and hides as well. Dumaine reads a love ode he has written for Kate. After the lyrical procession of love poems and melancholic mangling of vitriolic verse, all reveal themselves and accusations fly. Berowne specifically accuses the others and stepping "... forth to whip hypocrisy..."
But even Berowne has spoken too soon, because Jacquenetta and Costard arrive with the love letter which Berowne wrote to Rosaline. Berowne tears up the letter, but with his name clearly written on the letter, he admits that he too is in love. Acknowledging that they are "all forsworn" to love, the King declares that they have kept their true faith and oath which is the faith and oath of love. Berowne reinforces this with a beautiful long speech about how studies can lead people away from the truest of studies, love and beauty. Berowne's argument and rhetoric convinces everyone including the King, that they must pursue their loves for wisdom's sake, love's sake, men's sake and "... women's sake by whom we men are men..." They then "resolve to win" and "woo" the women they love.
The action starts with the Princess hunting in the wood which is both appropriate functionally and metaphorically. Costard enters and gives a letter to her which he thinks is from Berowne to Rosaline. Letters and their arrival, non-arrival and the mixing up of them becomes a crucial dramatic and narrative device in many of Shakespeare's plays (probably as revolutionary to plays in his time as mobile phones are as narrative devices in 21st Century films). The Princess and her man, Boyet, realise that this letter is a love letter from Don Armado to Jaquenetta. Costard has delivered the wrong letter but important details have been revealed to the audience.
In a scene that could be subtitled "... an extemporal epitaph on the death of a deer...", Sir Nathaniel, Holofernes and the Constable Dull discuss whether the Princess has just killed an old or a young deer. Sexual inferences ooze out of the cracks in their prose. Costard enters and again the wrong letter is read out. It is the love letter from Berowne to Rosaline which Costard is promptly ordered to take to the King.
Meanwhile, Berowne is composing a love poem for Rosaline when he hears someone coming and hides. The King enters and reads from a love poem he has secretly written for the Primcess. He hears a noise and hides as well. Longaville enters reading his love poem for Maria when he hears a noise and hides as well. Dumaine reads a love ode he has written for Kate. After the lyrical procession of love poems and melancholic mangling of vitriolic verse, all reveal themselves and accusations fly. Berowne specifically accuses the others and stepping "... forth to whip hypocrisy..."
But even Berowne has spoken too soon, because Jacquenetta and Costard arrive with the love letter which Berowne wrote to Rosaline. Berowne tears up the letter, but with his name clearly written on the letter, he admits that he too is in love. Acknowledging that they are "all forsworn" to love, the King declares that they have kept their true faith and oath which is the faith and oath of love. Berowne reinforces this with a beautiful long speech about how studies can lead people away from the truest of studies, love and beauty. Berowne's argument and rhetoric convinces everyone including the King, that they must pursue their loves for wisdom's sake, love's sake, men's sake and "... women's sake by whom we men are men..." They then "resolve to win" and "woo" the women they love.
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