Love's Labor's Lost Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 485-711

264.

almost finished! almost finished! almost finisheddddddd! only one section left after this! i have to say, i am dying to see how this all turns out, because i can't see how this can wrap up in the short section that's left. it's nuts! i thought so much more would 'happen' in this section, but as you will see shortly, not much did. check it out.


act 5, scene 2, part 4
Costard enters and asks if they can begin the play. the King is nervous that the play will make them look even more foolish, but the play goes on anyway because the Princess desires it. Costard performs his part as Pompey, flubbing a little and getting a lot of flack for it. (see quote below.) Nathaniel and Holofernes enter to perform their parts and get even worse heckling. Holofernes in particular is very upset with the way he is treated. finally, Armado enters to perform and gets the worst verbal beating of all. poor guy. we then learn that Jaquenetta is pregnant and unmarried! doomed! and supposedly it's Armado's? Armado and Costard are about to duel, but Armado wimps out last minute.


so... IS Jaquenetta's baby Armado's? or is it Costard's? i need to know!

holy guacamole. this play is so crazy. i feel like the plot zooms along for a few pages, then stops dead in its tracks, then zooms, then stops. just when i feel i've got a handle on it, some weird thing happens. like a play-within-a-play for instance. say whaaat? we have things to wrap up here, mr. Shakespeare! i need to know what is going down with Rosaline and Berowne!

this play reminds me of high school. there's cliques. in this play, there's the King and his Lords, the Princess and her Ladies, and Nathaniel and Holofernes. there's Armado and Costard too, but they're like the nerdy kids who just want to be friends with everyone, but they all hate them. and basically the cliques are filled with people that may seem charming and fun, but can be so extremely mean and awful. so much of this play is one group complaining about or being rude to or making fun of another group. it's insane. this is one of those plays that should be adapted into a teen movie, a la 10 Things I Hate About You or She's the Man. speaking of which... what a good excuse to watch those movies when i read the plays they are based on. sweeet.

quote of the day:
Costard: 'tis not so much worth; but i hope i was perfect. i made a little fault in "Great."
Berowne: my hat to a halfpenny Pompey proves the best Worthy.

for tomorrow: the rest of the play

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 310-484

265.

okay Shakespeare! the play picked up some today! thank goodness. it feels like all of the plot is happening in this scene. i will try to keep it succinct, but so much happened! let's get to it.


act 5, scene 2 Part 3
the King and Lords enter looking for the Princess and Ladies. Boyet gives them sass, but he goes to get them. when they enter, the men try so hard to be nice, but the girls just aren't having it. no matter what they say, the girls twist their words around and around. the King tells them that they are there to take them back to court, but the Princess responds that she doesn't want to make perjurers of them. the King apologizes that they were left all alone out there, and the Princess replies that they weren't alone. they were visited by a bunch of Russians. they girls jerk the guys around a little more before they ask the men which mask they were wearing. the King finally figures out that they've been caught, so he and the Lords decide to be honest. the girls make fun of them some more (see quote below). Berowne asks them to cut it out before they stop seeking their attention. they don't let it go of course, and Berowne gives up trying to talk to them. the Princess says that if they broke a promise once (their original oath to the King), they could break their promise to her and her Ladies. the men swear they would never, but the Ladies reveal that they had disguised themselves earlier, so the men whispered their promises to the wrong person. so technically, the men already lied to them. Berowne is extremely frustrated with the Ladies and seriously ticked off at Boyet for taking their side.


okay. what the heck is going on? what are the Princess and Ladies trying to accomplish? do they want to push the King and Lords so far that they give up on them? because that's what it's looking like. i've been assuming that all kinds of happily ever after would be occurring at the end of this play, but now i'm not completely sure. if i were those guys, i would ditch them for sure! they are playing games. HARD CORE. do the girls really think they're jerks, or are they just jaded and defensive? hm...

quote of the day:
'help, hold his brows! he'll swoon! why look you pale?
seasick, i think, coming from Muscovy.'
   -Rosaline

for tomorrow: through line 711

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 176-310

266.

well, i didn't get as much read today as i wanted because the dance concert opened tonight so things were a little busy! i also got the chance to read Veronica's Room, which i will be assistant directing this summer with the wonderful Julia Listengarten. it's going to be tons of fun! AND i turned in my first directing reel. EEP! anyway, i didn't get as much read as i wanted, but i did read a decent amount, so i'm not going to beat myself up about it. right? right!


act 5, scene 3 part 2
Rosaline, pretending to be the Princess, asks Boyet to ask the 'strangers' (aka the King and Lords) what they are doing there. they answer that they have good intentions and have travelled a long way to visit them, to which Rosaline responds with wit and quips right and left. music plays, and they try to get the Princess and Ladies to dance, but they refuse. she offers her hand, he thinks to dance, but she says it is so they may part as friends. the King finally convinces Rosaline, disguised as the Princess, to step aside and talk to him. Berowne does the same to the Princess, disguised as Rosaline, and so on for the next 2 couples. as soon as they are all privately talking, Rosaline calls the ladies off and tells the men to leave. they do, and the women unmask themselves. they pick fun at the men until Boyet informs them that the men are on their way back out of their disguises. Rosaline suggests that they continue to play a game with them (see quote below), and the men re-enter.


the repetition is no longer fun for me. earlier in the play, when the Lords were confessing their love one by one and then hiding, not knowing that the others had come before them and done the exact same thing? now that was funny. i loved it. this time, i'm just like- alright already, let's move on with it! we keep seeing the same thing over and over again. we always have to go through all four people (or couples) one by one. and they all do almost the exact same thing. was this a common device during that time period? it sure isn't now. maybe it's just what i'm used to, but i am really struggling to stay engaged.

holy Beatrice, Batman! Rosaline is SO the seed for Beatrice right now. i kind of feel like Beatrice came out of the Princess and Rosaline. it's just making me wish i was reading Much Ado About Nothing instead of this! i'm still waiting for someone to defend this play, because i would love to know what i'm missing! but so far, everyone i've talked to on the blog, facebook, and in real life feels kind of the same way i do. so if you like this one, please let me know how and why!

quote of the day:
'good madam, if by me you'll be advised,
let's mock them still, as well known as disguised.
let us complain to them what fools were here,
disguised like Muscovites in shapeless gear,
and wonder what they were, and to what end
their shallow shows and prologue vilely penned,
and their rough carriage so ridiculous,
should be presented at our tent to us.'
   -Rosaline

for tomorrow: as much as i can! i need to wrap this thing up!

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 1-175

267.

crazy days are here! i have to direct for 3 hours tonight, then there's dress rehearsal for dance concert, then i have to edit my directing reel, read for Avant-Garde class and finish this blog! ah! the next 2 weeks are going to be crazy, but then it's summertime!!! and i can push forward with my reading. let's face it, i've been going so slow this term. summer will be all kinds of Shakespeare madness! wahoo! alright, let's get to it.


act 5, scene 2 part 1
the Princess and her Ladies enter, bragging about all of the gifts they've received from the King and the Lords. the Princess received a jeweled brooch and a page crammed full of love poems. a lot of banter occurs between them, during which they poke fun at each other and the Lords. they all show what they've been given, and all have love letters too. after Maria shows the little pearl necklace and long letter she received, the Princess asks her if she wouldn't rather have a long necklace and a short letter. Boyet enters, laughing at the sights he has just seen. he witnessed the King and Lords planning to approach the girls in disguise. they've planned a masked party of sorts, and will woo the girls in their disguises. the Princess decides they should mess with the Lords. (see quote below.) she has all of the girls switch presents and wear them very obviously so the Lords will be confused about who is who. they put on their masks as the King and his whole posse enter. Mote attempts to give an introductory speech for them, but fails miserably and is sent away.


did Mote purposely screw up his speech? i'm not sure.

this is feeling mighty Much Ado About Nothing to me! masked ball? mistaken identities? tomfoolery? it looks like we're headed in that direction!

um i kinda love the Princess. she is super sassy and unruly. love it! i feel like she's kind of jaded too (reminds me a bit of Beatrice in Much Ado) so i i'm hoping this whole love thing works out for her! not, however, in love with Boyet. what's his deal? why is he such a jerk? is he just trying to get in good with the ladies? there's actually a lot of jerky characters in this play. Nathaniel and Holofernes are the jerkiest. Mote can be a jerk too, but i like him. Boyet needs to take a chill pill. he's never going to have any of those girls! fact. get over it, Boyet!

quote of the day:
'the effect of my intent is to cross theirs.
they do it but in mockery merriment,
and mock for mock is only my intent.
their several counsels they unbosom shall
to loves mistook, and so be mocked withal
upon the next occasion that we meet,
with visages displayed, to talk and greet.'
   -Princess; act 5, scene 2

for tomorrow: lines 176-391

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 5, Scene 1

268.

just when things were starting to look good, this scene involves the teacher and the cleric. yay. my favorites. (she said sarcastically) but this time i think i understood them a little better and was able to enjoy this scene more than their last. check it out:


act 5, scene 1
Holofernes and Nathaniel enter the park, complaining about Armado. Dull is with them, but says nothing. Holofernes and Nathaniel think that Armado is ridiculous and annoying. they make fun of his misuse and mispronunciation (as they see it anyway) of words and talk in random languages. Armado enters with Mote and Costard. Mote and Costard slyly poke fun at Nathaniel and Holofernes. (see quote below.) Armado tries to talk to N and H, but they just act rudely and try to confuse him. finally Armado tells them that the King wants to greet the Princess with some entertainment. he asks Nathaniel and Holofernes to help. they jump on board, and Holofernes suggests the Nine Worthies. they split up parts, or try to, with Holofernes claiming 3 for himself. they continue to plan as they exit, noticing for the first time that Dull hasn't spoken this whole time.


so it's not that i like Nathaniel and Holofernes, it's that i think i understand them a little better. here's what i think: they are these two really stuck-up guys who think they're really super awesome. they are kind of mean and rude. they love to show off by speaking in other languages and pretending that they know a lot. it's interesting because to me it seems like Armado is the same way, but he's not mean. because of that, Armado is likable to me. and Nathaniel and Holofernes make fun of Armado to make themselves look cool, but really they make themselves look like jerks. Armado look like the victim. i don't know if that was the intention, but that's how it's coming across to me. what do you think?

help from the footnotes: the Nine Worthies would have been totally familiar to Shakespeare's audience from 'poems, pageants, and tapestries'. they included such figures as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, David, Arthur, and Charlemagne. apparently using Hercules and Pompey was unusual. did he use them to show how foolish these guys really are? i'm not sure. what do you think?

quote of the day:
Mote: They have been at a great feast of languages and stolen the scraps.
Costard: O, they have lived long on the alms basket of words. I marvel they master hath not eaten thee for a word, for thou art not so long by the head as honorificabilitudinitatibus. Thou art easier swallowed than a flapdragon.

HAHAHAHA

for tomorrow: act 5, scene 2 AKA the longest scene of all time lines 1-175

-rebecca may

Love's Labor's Lost Act 4, Scene 3 Part 2

269.

well well well. i got through this whole scene and pretty much understood everything. no passages filled with outdated references or plays on words so intricate i couldn't follow. it was awesome. and the play moved forward. it was a nice breath after being so frustrated for the past week! good times. let's go!


act 4, scene 3 part 2
Dumaine was just saying that he wished the other Lords and King were in love too so he wouldn't be alone when Longaville reveals himself to condemn Dumaine. the King reveals HIMself to say that Longaville is full of it and he is condemning them both. and then, of course, Berowne reveals himself to come down on all of them. he's really rubbing it in when Jaquenetta and Costard enter with Berowne's letter. Berowne tries to rip it up, but to no avail. Dumaine gathers the pieces, and the full truth is finally revealed. Berowne's excuse is: who wouldn't love Rosaline? and then they fight over whether she's the most wonderful or not. the King asks Berowne what they should do and he basically tells them that the study of love is the best there is and they should go for it. they resolve to follow their hearts and win the girls!


my main question is: why does the King ask Berowne? isn't he the King?

i am dying to see this scene played out when Berowne calls out the King and then gets called out himself! ahahaha! stellar!

i have 2 rehearsals tonight so i have to wrap this up! im really hoping the last act was as much fun as this one!

quote of the day:
'never durst poet touch a pen to writ
until his ink were tempered with Love's sighs.'
-Berowne; act 4, scene 3

for tomorrow: act 5, scene 1

-rebecca

Love's Labor's Lost Act 4, Scene 3 Part 1

270.

now here's a scene i can at least sort of get behind! i mean, it's a little predictable, but there can be a lot of fun and humor in that. at least i could understand what was going on! so here it is:


act 4, scene 3 part 1
Berowne is in the park with a paper in his hand. he is completely love sick, wandering about aimlessly, feeling mad with love. (see quote below.) he sees the King entering, and hides from him. the King reveals that he too is lovesick, and reads a love poem he has for... (i assume the Princess?) he wonders how he can reveal his love to her when he sees Longaville entering, and hides from him. Longaville comes in moaning about his love for Maria. he feels shame and grief, and rips up the poem he is working on. he proceeds to take out and read another poem he has written for her, but then sees Dumaine entering and hides from him. Dumaine enters proclaiming Kate's beauty and wishing he could forget her. the other men agree from their hiding places. Dumaine reads his own poem, and decides to send it to Kate. if only the King and the others could be in love too! 'for none offend where all alike do dote!'


i can totally see this scene being hiLARious, with all of them in different hiding places about the stage. the predictability of the last character entering almost makes it more funny.

were Shakespeare's poems that he wrote for plays ever published elsewhere too? like was there a book of Shakespeare's poems from plays? did he put them into the plays because he was more seriously interested in being a sonneteer than a playwright? was he trying to show off his poetry skills, and used the play as a vehicle? and what came first, the play or the poems? now that i've seen how much poetry is in this, it all makes a little more sense to me. he's still pretty new to playwriting, his focus is on poetry... makes sense.

for the record, people kept telling me how awful Titus Andronicus is, but i'd pick that play over this one any day! in fact, of the 7 i've read so far, Titus would be pretty high up there. my favorite so far? Richard III. hands down! SO GOOD. then Henry 6-3, Titus, Henry 6-2, Henry 6-1, Comedy of Errors, Love's Labor's.

quote of the day:
'by heaven, i do love, and it hath taught me to rhyme and to be melancholy.'
   -Berowne; act 4, scene 3

for tomorrow: the rest of this scene!

-rebecca may