Course Hero Logo

Love's Labour's Lost | Study Guide

William Shakespeare

Get the eBook on Amazon to study offline.

Buy on Amazon Study Guide
Cite This Study Guide

How to Cite This Study Guide

quotation mark graphic
MLA

Bibliography

Course Hero. "Love's Labour's Lost Study Guide." Course Hero. 3 Aug. 2017. Web. 5 June 2023. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Loves-Labours-Lost/>.

In text

(Course Hero)

APA

Bibliography

Course Hero. (2017, August 3). Love's Labour's Lost Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved June 5, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Loves-Labours-Lost/

In text

(Course Hero, 2017)

Chicago

Bibliography

Course Hero. "Love's Labour's Lost Study Guide." August 3, 2017. Accessed June 5, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Loves-Labours-Lost/.

Footnote

Course Hero, "Love's Labour's Lost Study Guide," August 3, 2017, accessed June 5, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Loves-Labours-Lost/.

Love's Labour's Lost | Infographic

Share
Share Embed
Click to copy code

Check out this Infographic to learn more about William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost. Study visually with character maps, plot summaries, helpful context, and more.

loves-labours-lost-william-shakespeareBerowne, Act IV, Scene III et us once lose our oaths to find ourselves, Or else we lose ourselves to keep our oaths.Sources: Biography.com, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare on Love and Lust by Maurice CharneyCopyright © 2017 Course Hero, Inc.Verbose vs. Clear LanguageThe play celebrates languages ability to show or hide meaning.ThemesReputationWhat others think about a person is not always reality.Conventions of LoveLove poems and lovesickness are part of falling in love.As the men try to woo the women, the women respond with a lighthearted trick.Act V: RevelryWhen the princess and her ladies arrive, the men quickly break their oaths.Acts II-IV: Oath-BreakingThe men of Navarre swear off women so they can devote more time to scholarship.Act I: OathWhen the King of Navarre and his men swear to see no women for three years so they can focus on learning, they are immediately put to the test. Several love poems, three eavesdroppers, and two mixed-up love letters later, the men learn the difference between flirtation and true love.What Could Possibly Go Wrong?OVERVIEWSharp, smart object of Berownes affection; matches him in wit but makes him speak clearlyRosalineWise and perceptive object of the kings affection; clearly sees the mens immaturityPrincess of FranceAmbitious but impractical scholar; wants to make his court a center of learningKing of NavarreWitty and argumentative; lets his verbal prowess obscure real meaningBerowneMain CharactersLoves Labours Lost was written during Shakespeares early career, when his experimentation with rhyming, puns, and wordplay was at its height. In it, Shakespeare shows off his mastery of the language. Its antics reflect Renaissance Englands love of revelry, yet its somber ending defies theatrical comedic norms.WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 15641616AuthorEnglishOriginal Languagec. 1588–97Years WrittenWilliam ShakespeareAuthorLoves Labours LostComedyPlay

Want to see more infographics? View All Infographics on Course Hero!

Cite This Study Guide

information icon Have study documents to share about Love's Labour's Lost? Upload them to earn free Course Hero access!