Thursday, March 31, 2011

Love's Labor's Lost Act 1, Scene 1

278.

oh boy oh boy. i am struggling already. i knew it was too good of a day. i woke up to some lovely rain, my test got postponed til Tuesday, i got to hang out with my Seany, and i had an AMAZING rehearsal with the Writes of Spring cast. and then i crack open my Shakespeare book and i'm like derrrrr... i'm getting some of it, but i'm getting lost a little too much. all the word play and whatnot? the footnotes are a mile long! maybe i'm just too tired? anyway, i was getting frustrated, so i thought the best thing was to go ahead and stop for now. i will pick it up again tomorrow, earlier in the day, with a fresh brain.


here's what i have so far:

act 1, scene 1
King Ferdinand of Navarre is talking to his 3 lords who have sworn to live with him in his court for 3 years. they can't even come close to women, have sworn to stay away from excess food, and can only sleep a few hours a night. Berowne starts complaining about it, and trying to squirm his way out of his oath. he claims he only swore to study with the King, and didn't agree to all this other stuff. they call him out on that, and launch into all this word play. he concludes by saying they are too old to study anyway. (see quote below.) the King's like: fine, go then. Berowne about-faces again and reads the oath he is to sign. according to the paper, if any woman comes within a mile of them, her tongue will be cut out. if any of them talk to a woman, they will be severely shamed. then they realize that they haven't thought of the Princess. doh. finally Berowne gives in and signs the document.

can anyone help me with lines 57 to 101? that is where i got the most confused.

i can already see Benedick in Berowne. is this the part Kenneth Branagh played in the movie? i might just have to really watch it if that's so... mmm... Kenneth Branagh...

quote of the day:
'at Christmas i no more desire a rose
than wish a snow in May's newfangled shows,
but like of each thing that in season grows.
so you to study, now it is too late,
climb o'er the house to unlock the gate.'
   Berowne; act 1, scene 1

for tomorrow: the rest of the scene and act 1, scene 2.

-rebecca may

1 comment:

  1. This is from forever ago, but yes... Branagh played Berowne. That movie is crazy... 30s musical. Also, Nathan Lane as Costard singing "There's No Business Like Show Business."

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