Love`s Labor`s LostIn Loves Labors Lost by William Shakespeare, King Ferdinand and his threeattendants; Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine, take a vow to swear off women andconcentrate on their studies. This vow only lasted long enough for each man tolay his eyes on the Princess of France, Rosaline, Maria, and Katherine. Thewomen receive love letters and gifts from the men who are trying to woo them. Although the ladies are flattered, they are disappointed by their lovesabilities to easily breaks their vows.
Throughout the play, the men try to woothe ladies with out ever really interacting with them because they are ashamedof the breaking of their vows too. The men decide that they will woo once andfor all at the masquerade that they will all be attending. The women, on theother hand, have a completely different idea of what the masquerade willdetermine. The women wear masks and plan on embarrassing the men, who aredressed as Russians, by not revealing their true identity. They can not believethe deceitful nature of the men and plan on teaching them a lesson. The princesssays, Therefore I do it, and I make no doubt/ The rest will neer comein, if he be out.
/ Theres no such sport as sport by sport oerthrown,/ Tomake theirs ours and none but our own;/ So shall we stay; mocking intendedgame,/ And they, will mockd, depart away with shame. (237; V, ii l. 151-156). The masks that the women are wearing symbolize how they have hid theiranger and frustration toward the men. They had never expressed their disgustwith them prior to the masquerade and feel it necessary to show the men howfoolish they have been for breaking their promises.
The masks also show that thewomen were afraid to let their true feeling surface. A mask is a cover;therefore they have been covering up their inner thoughts and feelings about themens actions. It is hard for them to show the men their disappointmentbecause they too are in love and feel that they truly are suitable lovers. However, they need their opinions to be expressed and appreciated.
The planworks perfectly. Each man can only recognize his loved one by the jewelry thatshe is wearing, and since the ladies switched presents in order to play theirparts, the men woo the wrong lady. The King woos Rosaline, Berowne woos thePrincess, Dumaine woos Maria, and Longaville woos Katherine. The men were tryingto be sweet to each lady, while the ladies were being rude and thoroughlyconfusing the men.
The King approaches Rosaline by saying, Blessed are theclouds, to do as such clouds do!/ Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars,to/ shine/ (Those clouds removed) upon our watery eyne. (237; V, ii l. 203-206). Rosaline, pretending to be the Princess, replies, O vainpetitioner! beg a greater matter,/ Thou now requests but moonshine in thewater.
(237; V,ii l. 207-208). Berowne, trying to impress Rosaline,approaches the Princess and says, White-handed mistress, one sweet work with/thee. (238; V,ii l.
229-230). The Princess comments, Honey, and milk, andsugar: there is three. (238;V,ii l. 231). Mistaking Maria for Katherine,Dumaine states, Fair lady – (238; V, ii l.
237). Maria remarks, Sayyou so? Fair lord-/ Take that for your fair lady. (238; V,ii l. 238-239). Themasks proved that the men did not really know the ladies at all, and in realitywere only in love with the beauty that was portrayed on the outside.
Even thoughthe four women are set on speaking their minds, they are beginning to have somedoubts about embarrassing the men. They are afraid to continue pretending to beeach other when the men return without their Russian costumes. The princesssays, What shall we do,/ If they return in their own shapes to woo? (239;V,ii l. 298-299). Even though the women have not fully convinced themselves thatmaking fools of the men is the right way to make them learn their lessons.Shakespeare
