Love's Labor's Lost Act 4, Scene 2

271.

oh boy oh boy oh boy. this scene. i don't even want to say anything. i'm just going to give you the synopsis. here we go.


act 4, scene 2
Dull, Holofernes (a teacher), and Nathaniel (a cleric) enter Navarre's park. they fight over whether the deer that was killed was an old doe, a buck in its first year, or a buck in its second year. Dull is confused by the language, and Nathaniel explains that he didn't have the luxury of education. (see quote below.) they tell riddles and continue to argue about the deer. then there's a big section i don't understand at all. (lines 52-79) Jaquenetta and Costard enter. she asks Holofernes to read the letter given to her by Costard from Armado. some talk happens in between with a lot of dropping of other languages. Nathaniel reads the letter, which is a love poem to Rosaline from Berowne. it takes a lot of talking to work it out, but they realize that the letters were mixed up and that Berowne has majorly broken some rules by writing it. they give Jaquenetta the letter to take to the king in order to snitch on Berowne. Costard, of course, goes with her, and Nathaniel and Holofernes continue to argue about... i'm not sure what.


in case you didn't catch it, i wasn't a big fan of this scene. it's not until about 2/3 into the scene that something finally happened that i could fully understand. (Jaquenetta's entrance.) i feel like there's NO WAY this scene can be performed without being cut. please prove me wrong if you can! there's so much in this scene that is in another language or based on outdated references. it was almost un-followable for me. and i had the footnotes. i can't imagine the average person would have any clue. even with great actors. if it were me, i'd just do the section with Jaquenetta. it's act 4! 2 new characters?!?!? that don't make any sense?!? that aren't even relevant to the story! i can't deal. i'm not trying to be negative, i'm just being honest with how i feel. if anyone wants to shed some light on this scene, by all means...

this play is like Shrek for me. i don't like that movie. (i know. i'm the only one.) i feel like the humor in Shrek is really of our time. (Shrek 1 is even starting to feel slightly outdated to me.) in 25 years, that humor will feel so dated. that's how i feel about this play. it is SO of it's time that it's hard to enjoy now. i'm more of a Toy Story/Much Ado About Nothing fan. funny forever.

i also feel it might have something to do with the fact that Shakespeare was still so young at this time. he was trying to imitate others' writing styles. and he just isn't him yet. right?

quote of the day:
'sir, he hath never fed of the dainties that are bred in a book,
he hath not eat paper, as it were; he hath not drunk
ink. his intellect is not replenished. he is only an animal, only sensible in the duller parts;
and such barren plants are set before us that we thankful should be--
which we of taste and feeling are-- for those parts that do fructify in us more than he.'
   -Nathaniel; act 4, scene 2

for tomorrow: act 4, scene 3- it's long, so i will get as far as i can!

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 4, Scene 1

272.

hello there Shakespeare readers! i finally met Sean's step brother! we went to Old Town and spent some time with him and it was pretty great. i wasn't able to post the whole blog before we went, so here is the continuation!


act 4, scene 1
the princess, her Ladies, Boyet, and a forester are out in a park outside of Navarre. the hunt is on! the princess feels certain that her father's name will be cleared in a couple of days, and she will return to France. she is getting ready to hunt a deer when Costard enters. (see quote below.) Costard tells her he has a letter for Rosaline from Berowne, but gives her the one to Jaquenetta from Armado. the princess gives it to Boyet to read aloud, and they proceed to make fun of it and Armado. a really funny exchange happens between the princess and Costard, and the princess finally leaves, telling Rosaline not to be too upset that she didn't get her letter. then Boyet starts hitting on Rosaline, saying that if she marries Berowne she will surely make a cuckold of him. she shuts him down and leaves. then he starts hitting on Maria! and telling her she's loose! after they leave, Costard proclaims his need to deliver Armado's letter to Jaquenetta, which of course is actually Berowne's letter to Rosaline.

i was pleasantly surprised by this scene. i giggled a few times and genuinely enjoyed it. thank goodness! i think it was easier to follow and something actually happened so... that probably had a lot to do with it.

i feel like the princess is Regina George from Mean Girls or something. having them open the letter even though it's not for them? reading it aloud? making fun of it? GEEZ. and Boyet is super rude and pushy. he's pretty much a mean girl too.

i read this in the footnotes and found it interesting... Boyet calls Armado a 'Monarcho', which means 'an eccentric Italian at the Elizabethan court who fancied himself the emperor of the world.' fun and random. of course, i would never ever know that if i didn't have the footnotes in front of me. but i loved that little joke.

i wish i had more to say and more questions to pose, but this play hasn't really brought up a lot for me. i can't force it!

quote of the day:
Costard: 'God-i-good-e'en all! pray you, which is the head lady?'
Princess: 'thou shalt know her, fellow, by the rest that have no heads.'

hahaha i know that's silly. but it's hilarious!

for tomorrow: act 4, scene 2

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 3, Scene 1 Continued

273.

well, I was going to re-read act 3, scene 1 today and then read act 4, scene 1 but... just re-reading turned out to be work enough so i am just going to focus on that today. it was a lot more clear this time, but i still feel that i am struggling a bit.

here's what i got out of this scene:
Armado wants to win the love with Jaquenetta, and in talking about it with Mote, both become confused and run word circles around each other. Armado confesses that he is in love with her and out of sorts because he can't have her (see yesterday's quote), and wants Costard to deliver a message to her for him. Mote goes to get Costard and reappears 2.5 seconds later with him. Costard doesn't understand what the heck Armado is talking about, which launches Mote and Armado into another long string of wordplay. eventually, it comes out that Armado wants Costard to deliver a letter. he gives him money ("remuneration") as payment for his trouble, which Costard is very excited by. Costard thinks that that amount of money is called 'remuneration' and is talking to himself about learning this new word when Berowne enters. Berowne wants Costard to deliver a letter to Rosaline for him, and also pays him to do so. so now Costard has been paid to deliver two different messages to two different people in the same afternoon. he goes, and Berowne bemoans his present condition: that of a man plagued with love sickness.

better, right? sometimes i kinda get the hang of it.

here's the thing... i want to get the most i can out of this experience, but i don't think i am right now. i want to comprehend, enjoy, and appreciate each to play as much and as far as possible. this one has got my head spinning. i would appreciate any insight, thoughts, comments, experience, etc. that could help me or anyone else struggling with this play. when it's a little wordplay infused into the scene i am there with it, but when the play goes off on page or pages-long tangents, i am totally lost.

so... anyone...?

for tomorrow: act 4, scene 1

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 3, Scene 1

274.

i haven't slept in dayyyyssssssss. but i AM going to sleep tonight. and that is all i have to say about that.


act 3, scene 1
so i read this scene and was pretty lost. i understand that Armado is in love and Mote is jerking him around a lot but i am getting lost in all the wordplay. i am going to try to read it again tomorrow and see if it is more clear. if so, i will update here.


does ANYONE have insight to share? help me! i am struggling with this one. i wouldn't have expected that with this comedy, but it is not easy to follow! words words words. i can't seem to have fun with it.

quote of the day:
'..."by" heart you love her, because your heart cannot come by her; "in" heart you love her because your heart is in love with her; and "out" of heart you love her, being out of heart that you cannot enjoy her.'
   -Mote; act 3, scene 1

for tomorrow: re-read this scene and act 4, scene 1

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 2, Scene 1 - Part 2

275.

it's another great day in Shakespeare land! i am very proud of myself for getting this finished already on top of class, coaching, and solidifying my thesis committee! wahoo! productive day! now i just need to get through the rest of class, one more coaching session, rehearsal, and writing a paper, and it will be time for sleep! mmm... sleep...


i was able to get through the rest of the scene with little trouble. so here it is, the end of act 2, scene 1:

Berowne and Rosaline flirt. it's pretty sassy. Dumaine asks Boyet about Katharine, Longaville asks Boyet about Maria, and Berowne asks Boyet about Rosaline. Berowne is quite the joker they say. Boyet tries to put the moves on Katharine, but she of course is not having it at all. (see quote below.) then Boyet drops the bomb: he tells the princess that he believes the king is in love with her. the princess is in disbelief. Boyet continues to try to be a smooth-talker, but the ladies shut him down and leave him in the dust.


and that's basically it!

oh poor annoying Boyet. does he play as annoying as he reads? but like... enjoyably annoying? i would love to know!

it is hard for me to distinguish differences in character between the group of Lords and the group of Ladies. i feel like Berowne and Rosaline stick out because they're sassy and funny, but the others are not clear to me now. are they just like that, or is it hard to tell just from reading it? anyone care to share some insight on these Lords and Ladies?

quote of the day:
Boyet: 'and wherefore not ships?
no sheep, sweet lamb, unless we feed on your lips.'
Katharine: 'you sheep, and i pasture. shall that finish the jest?'

for tomorrow: act 3!

thanks for reading!

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 2, Scene 1

276.

i just made my to-do list for the next 4 weeks. and i'm freaking out! 4 weeks until summer. i can do this i can dothisicandothis! in 4 weeks i will be FREE! ah! free to scout wedding locations. free to swim. free to read. free to play video games. free to travel. free to spend time with my amazing fiance and wonderful family and lovely friends! (sigh) i can do this. and somehow fit Shakespeare in there too. phew!


i couldn't even get through the whole scene! so... there goes my reading schedule, and here goes the first half of the scene:

act 2, scene 1
the Princess of France enters with her 3 Ladies (Rosaline, Maria, and Katherine), and 3 Lords (including Boyet). Boyet is swooning over the princess, and she shoots him down. (see quote below.) she sends him to talk to the king to find out what the heck is going on with this 3-year vow, and why she can't be admitted onto castle grounds. he goes happily, and the princess asks her ladies about the other men in the king's court. Maria speaks of Longaville, Katharine of Dumaine, and Rosaline of Berowne. they go on and on about them, and the princess can't believe there's so much praise being thrown around. Boyet and the king come back with his lords. the princess gives the king a letter from her father, and while he reads it, Rosaline and Berowne do a bit of flirting. the king is not too happy with the letter. apparently the King of France owed our king some money from a past war. he says he paid half of it, but our king says that that isn't true, and he therefore temporarily owns part of Aquitaine. he will be glad to give it up once the sum is paid. the princess protests that half of the money WAS paid and they will prove it. Boyet sets out to get the proof, and meanwhile the princess and her ladies are welcome to stay on the grounds outside of the castle.


i feel like i can tell you right now exactly what's going to happen. they're all going to end up with those guys they talked about, and the King of Navarre will end up with the Princess of France. bad guess? good guess? and everything in between will just be folly. tell me it's not true!

so Rosaline and Berowne have kind of a love/hate thing going? am i reading that wrong? is that what makes them similar to Beatrice and Benedick?

i'm sorry i don't have anything terribly intelligent to say today. or any good questions even. sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't!

quote of the day:
'good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,
needs not the painted flourish of your praise.
beauty is bought by judgement of the eye,
not uttered by base sale of chapmen's tongues.
i am less proud to hear you tell my worth
than you much willing to be counted wise
in spending your wit in the praise of mine.'
   -Princess; act 2, scene 1

for tomorrow: the rest of the scene!

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 1, Scene 2

277.

hey kids! here's what it is: i left home for school at 9am and i'm just getting home now at 1:23am. i did my reading in-between class and the show tonight, but i think this is as far as the blog is going to get tonight. i will get up-to-date tomorrow. because it's homework day! woot. hope you all had a great night. i will be back mañana...


okay! here we go. i managed to get through the rest of act 1, scene 1 with little hassle and read act 1, scene 2 too! here's what i got from it:

act 1, scene 1 continued
Berowne asks/complains if they will be able to have any fun for the next 3 years. the king tells him yes of course, there is a traveller from Spain named Armado who will bring them a lot of amusement. Longaville also suggests that they might gain amusement from the fool, Costard. just then, Costard enters with Dull, a constable. Costard is in big trouble with Armado because he broke the king's decree by fooling around with a young wench named Jaquenetta. there's a lot of malapropisms and wordplay flying around. the letter from Armado is very wordy and over-the-top, a fact which everyone makes fun of. Armado has Jaquenetta in his custody, and has sent Costard to the king for sentencing. Costard tries to get out of punishment through wordplay, but is eventually sentenced to fast for a week, and is sent back to Armado for safe keeping.

act 1, scene 2
Armado and Mote, his page, talk talk talk about nothing really. they tease and pick at each other. Armado eventually confesses that he is in love with Jaquenetta and doesn't know what to do about it. he thinks that only fools fall in love, and asks Mote to name one great man who loved. Mote proceeds to name Hercules and Samson. Armado describes Jaquenetta as being 'most immaculate white and red,' and Mote warns him against those colors. (see quote below.) Armado is ashamed that he loves the girl that he has punished Costard for being with, but he can't help himself. Costard, Jaquenetta, and Dull enter, and Dull explains Costard's sentence, and that Jaquenetta is to be kept there as a dairy maid for her punishment. Armado tries to talk to Jaquenetta, but he pretty much falls flat on his face. again, Costard tries to use wordplay to get out of his sentence, but it doesn't work. Mote sends him to prison to be sure that he won't cheat and eat when he is supposed to be fasting. everyone leaves except for Armado, who decides to throw caution to the wind and allow himself to love Jaquenetta without restraint.


i love Costard. he's hilarious. i just wonder how clear those jokes would be to me if i was watching the play and didn't have the footnotes to help me along. some of them are pretty obvious, and i can imagine them being played in a hilarious way, but i feel like a lot of them would just confuse me. maybe? i would love to know of other people's experience with this.

i also wonder how often and how much this text gets cut these days. i struggle a lot with certain passages, and, like i said, i have the footnotes to help. does this thing get chopped to pieces, or what? and if not, do audiences struggle with it?

Armado is so funny. i love him. he kind of reminds me of Adolpho from The Drowsy Chaperone. ha! i can't wait to see where his storyline goes.

quote of the day:
'if she be made of white and red,
her faults will ne'er be known,
for blushing cheeks by faults are bred,
and fears by pale white shown.
then if she fear, or be to blame,
by this you shall not know,
for still her cheeks possess the same
which native she doth owe.'
   -Mote; act 1, scene 2

for tomorrow: act 2, scene 1
-rebecca may