Love’s Labour’s Lost

William Shakespeare


The King of Navarre and his three lords, Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine, swear an oath to scholarship, which includes fasting and avoiding contact with women for three years. They receive a letter from Don Armado, a Spaniard visiting the King's court, telling them that he has caught Costard, a fool, and Jaquenetta, a country wench, consorting in the park. The King announces Costard's sentence, and he and the lords go off to begin their oath.

Don Armado confesses to Moth, his page, that he has fallen in love with Jaquenetta. He writes her a letter that he asks Costard to deliver.
Meanwhile, the Princess of France has arrived to visit the King. Because of his oath, however, the King cannot receive the Princess and her party at his court; he and his lords must visit them at their camp outside the castle. The three lords fall in love with the three ladies, as does the King with the Princess. Berowne gives Costard a letter to deliver to Rosaline, but Costard accidentally switches it with the letter from Don Armado to Jaquenetta. When he gives Berowne's letter to Jaquenetta, she brings it to the learned Holofernes and Sir Nathaniel to read for her. They tell her that the letter was meant for someone else and to deliver it to the King.
Berowne watches the King from a hiding spot as he reads about his love for the Princess. Longaville enters, and the King hides as well; he and Berowne observe Longaville reading of his love for Maria. Dumaine enters, Longaville hides, and all three see Dumaine reading an ode he has written to Katherine. Longaville advances and tells Dumaine that he is not alone in love. The King then advances and scolds the two men for breaking their oath. Berowne advances and reveals that the King is in love as well. Jaquenetta arrives and gives Berowne the letter, which he rips up. However, Dumaine picks up a piece of the letter with Berowne's name on it, and Berowne confesses that he is in love as well. The four men decide to court their women.
The King and his lords arrive at the Princess's pavilion dressed as Muscovites. The women heed Boyet's prior warnings and decide to switch favors, so that the men will mistake them for each other. After the men leave and reappear as themselves, the women reveal their prank. They all watch a show of the Nine Worthies, performed by Don Armado, Sir Nathaniel, and Holofernes. A messenger arrives to tell the Princess that her father has died, and she prepares to return to France. The women tell their suitors to seek them again in a year, and the play ends with their departure.


TEXT/MOVIE CHECK

1. Give the correct order in which the King calls each fellow scholar to sign their oath.
A. Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine B. Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville
2. Being asked to subscribe to their deep oath, he strongly replied “I am resolved.”
A. Longaville B. Dumaine
3. The King told Berowne “sit you out. Go home, Berowne. Adieu.” Berowne simply __________.
A. left the the king and fellow scholars B. stayed as sworn
4. ____________is the elderly lord attending to the princess of France.
A. Boyet B. Amado
5. She told the princess she know Longaville, met her during the marriage feast of Lord Perigort and heir of Falconbridge.
A. Maria B. Rosaline
6. He welcomed the visitors by saying “ Fair Princess, welcome to the court of Navarre.”
A. King Ferdinand B. Berowne
7. She was asked by Berowne “ Did I not dance with you in Brabant once?”
A. Katharine B. Rosaline
8. The “fantastical Spaniard." He caught Costard and Jaquenetta in the forest and fell in love with Jaquenetta.
A. Boyet B. Don Amado
9. Dull, a constable, informed Amado that “ the duke’s pleasure is that he keep Costard safe and must suffer him to take no delight nor no_____________.”
A. penance B. food
10. Berowne gives Costard a letter to deliver to Rosaline, but Costard accidentally switches it with the letter from Don Armado to Jaquenetta.
A. True B. False
11. Berowne said” By the Lord, this love is as mad as Ajax. It kills sheep, it kills_____.”
A. me B. him
12. He sang “I’ve got a Crush on You”, with the “you” referring to Katharine.
A. Dumaine B. Longaville
13. He said “ you three fools lacked me fool to mess.. and you, my liege, and I are pick-purses of love, and we deserve to die.
A. Berowne B. King Ferdinand
14. As Jaquenetta and Costard gave the letter to the King, Berowne grabbed it, ___________.
A. crampled it, and threw it. B. tore it, and ate it.
15. Complete the lines “ Have at you then, affection’s men-at-arms. Consider what you first did swear unto. To fast, to study and_________________.”
A. To see no woman B. to entertain no woman.
16. Asked by the princess what was given to Katharine by Dumaine, she answered “Madam, this ____”.
A. pearls B. glove
17. The messeger, Marcade, broke in to the merriment to inform the Princess that her father, the King, is terribly illed.
A. True B. False
18. When Longaville said “What says Maria?”, Maria replied “ At the twelve months end, I’ll _________ for a faithful friend.
A. change my black gown B. give my heart
19. When war began, the newpaper’s headline was “Fall of France.”
A. True B. False
20. Berowne was portrayed by _________________________.
A. Kenneth Branagh B. Allesandro Nivola