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PeopleandPeopleandLove'sm

Labour's Lost

Love's Labour's Lost

.m

18 EI29 fieemp)(iTZJiSe
JEftn ]i'g* (ISHIHARA Mari)

Abstract
In Love'sLabourrsLost. IanguageisoneofIn the play how ithappens,or more
happens. Panicular personcomments
the action of

the maincharacteristics.

precisely,how it is described is more important than whatothercharactersusinglanguage. Words are moreparticularimportant than the p]ot.And

the actions

of

most

consist of verbal exchanges

betweencharacters. Among Shakespeare's
plays,thereare three playswhichhave sources: A Midsummer
artificial;the firsttwo useNight's Drecun, 77te Tlempest and Love's Labour's Lost. They are all in a sense

appearanceofplayground, aaimplicationsof a worldpeop]e exisL
The characters
Kingcommunicate
words

with

world
of Narvarre has thefrom the pressures of social reatity and the unpleasant529). The society Ltselfisan artificial one where artificia]

place marked

specialthe magic

Biron

off

othersintoxicatedwith

arehe likes.ArmadoasLatin, which

theirelaborate

is nolonger used

Written Ianguage is seemingly

in the world.

yaluabic

his male

his three noble followershave decidedto renounce

years.

themselvespleasurefrom society.

and

are

to

about

A

secludetowaytries to learnnew

than their present pleasure in theworld.

from this worid

withfriendsand

writtentoretireconcentrateonis necessary'

contract

for threestudying

forthe King totheir pledge of stoicism. While LonguevilleconfirmandDumainewillingly

enterintoa contract

the

with

Let fame, that all huntafter in their lives,

King, Biron hesitates
to subscribe to the agreement.

Live registered

He insiststhat he on]yupon

brazen tombs,

ourAnd then grace us in the disgraceof death...

years with

(1.Ll-3)to'

The verylinesshow

openinghonour will liveon'famei

or

after

their

death. For

menvaluablethe attitudein this stage'fame'

oftheis that

those

tsone

of

in highforthreestudyingthat he neverconsented

ladies for the duration nor

notadmittedotheritems. Biron intrinsicallyperceivesthe'thenonsenseof the plan and asks King what
end ofstudy'

is.

King. Why,

the most

aims to pursuewhile living.
Accordingto

the king'spointof view,

King andwithtombs for evertheirespeciallybirthin the Elizabethan age,

meet

the

agreedstrictking toward language. His wish

notthat toknow,

know which

etsc

we

should'BLron.Things hid and barred,you mean,

they liveonly for'hunting

commonafter'
fame. The wrltten honour on tornbs is more*theLndependently.

Therefore he resolves

valuablelanguage for the King of Navarre. He andworthylanguageandoflanguage. The

of

know

Holofernes andplay wjth synonyms.
The Princess of France preferssincere words tothe language of charactersmoretheir usage

andbut they do not

is a braggart making

1, Kingof Navarreand hisnob)e followers

any

rank

words

their Ianguage, Costard belieyes the powerusing

flatter)',
The aim of this paper isto examine

than spoken

language.'Theofin the play can be grouped by their birth,their social

by interpretingthem

Nathaniel use

the lastuses

andfallennature'(MontroseofNavarre and

of

magic

do notfromsense?

King. Ay, thatisstudy's god-Iikerecompense.

[7ftE 30)
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Biron.Come on then, Iwill swear to study so,
To know the thingIam
forbid to know:
As thus---- to study

I wellwhere

When 1 to feastexpressly
Or study where to meet some
When

from

mistressesamhimself,
thesooneryoung men'study',forbid;fine,

mistresscommondeeideto start theirthan the report arrives that the Princessof}tancewill visit the court. In spite of their desperate
prejectsof renouncing femalecontact, the King andhis followers needto face the four ladies,
No

dine,

may

GBIeczaecgPe\tt

sense

are

hid;

theladies.
they fallin teve
withthem. When they realize that they are in love,
they write sonnets to theirbelevedladies.
Just as they
believe in ephaph written on tombs, they believe in
lmmediately afterOr, having sworn too hard-keeping
oath,

Study to break itand not breakmy troth.
(1.156-66)

sonnets

writtenseeingonof theirlove,
paper, The intensity

Ef
end of study' is to know
hidand barred they believe,is shewn in their elaborate sonnets.
from common
sense' and if that is known only byThat is why they strive to write sonnets, which is
study
segregatedfrom the real world, what would be fashion for lovers in the Elizabethan age. The
by
that
kind
of study?
Is that not worthwhile
beautifully
writtensonnets may
remainin theheartof
gainedin thiscommon
worgd?
The questionof Biron is
his lady,however,sonnets as a tool of conveying
essential
for some
types of scholars
likethose ofleve have one defect.
They are not reciprocat, only
literature,
whose
work
seems
to have noon
one-sided. The factthatthe letterof Biron isdelivered'the'things'benefitttheworld,

base authority

`save

from

others'books'(1,1,86),

fixed star,to every

Have no more profitof their shining
Than these that walk

and

wot

not

nightswhat

they are,(Ll.87-91)

might

not

reach

that sonnets,

writtenthe rightperson. Actually,

people.

Astronomers, whogiye names

have morethan ordinary'profit'toknowingstars,

would

notpeople who

walk

The

their names.

stars

without

argument

that

connected

withthe purpose of study should be
the 'profit'of the knowledge is too

diencult for Biron to

draw ais too subtle andpersuasion
most
declaration.
'Navarre's

compulsiyely

person shows

fourladies
exchange theirpresents
attached to sonnets
andmock
the fourlovers.The young loyers need tolearnhow to communicate
withethersby using
language, which
is used not only as epitaph orsonnets
but as a tool of conyersation
between two

godmthersof heaven's lights,

That give a name

the

wrong

message,

These earthly

under

to

twistswisdomtrickyHis

conclusion,

to change

2.Costard
Costardis an unlettered clown
who
seeks
for
promotionby gainingnew words. He was caught on
the spot being with a woman
though he knew the'in'what
edict. Asked
manner', he replies as follows:King`sintealigentcourtierso

into wit that the KingIn manner
was

seen

her uponform following,sir, all those three,I
her in the manor-house,sittingwiththe form,and taken following hcr into the
and

with

'in
from themannerandform
disentanglehis good counselpark, which,
put together, issophistry whichsurrounds iti(Kenigan
15).While foliowing'.Now, sir, for the manner---it is thecompiaining
the absurdity of the King's preject, mannerof a mante speak to a woman.
For theBiron ls not braye enoughto forsakethe company
form---in some forrn.
,
1.202-208)(1
and subscribes
that
he
would
be
the
Last
prospecting
to break the oath,isa commonplacethat Berowne
The term 'in manner and form forlowing'
was a legal

cannot'Ithashisspecial depthin thisplayfrom beingboth theterm. He diyides
thephraseintothreepartsand uses

and also the man who can see
participates
the follyof participation.
He isthatwhich he mocks'
hetp contradicting(Edwaids42). Biron cannot

Being shocked
the term as he interprets,

man

who

to know that
he is to be imprisonedfor a year'to be taken with awench'
he tries to evade the punishment(1,1,276),-96NII-Electronic Library Service

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Jfiva

that

saying

'I

taken

vvas

sir I was

none,

with

in Love's Labour's Lost

Peopleandtaken

damsel' (].l,278).
When

he knows that the'damsel'word
is not effective, he protests that she'virgin''maid".
was a
or a
His way to twist words as
he likes infectsthe king, who
pronounces thewithathat hesentence

fasta week'shallwithbran andThe punishment of(1.1.298).
year'simprisonment'
isforgotten.
The King, who(l,1,178)'awater'

great importance on the written werds

attaches

edict, caneasilychangethe contents

behaviourof the King reveals
have noauthority

court of Navarre, a

Comiccharacters

as

well

as

ef theit.Theofthat the written

words

spokenin thewords

try tooccur

understand

when

the

'a

man

of

'a

(1.1.164.7).
The letter
written by Armado arrives befbreheshowshimself to the audience. When the King ofNavarre willingly
reads
the letter,
he reveals hislack
beliefin languagesaying 'I protestIloveto hear
him lie'(1.1.]74>.
Armado is gcod at making much

of

ado

'playground',conversations

fire-newwords, fashion's
own knight'
He isalsomentioned as having mint ef(1.1.]77).
One who the music of hisownphrases in hisbrain;tvain
tonguel Doth ravish
likeenchanting
hamiony'or

abeutalmostnothing.

The time

when?

About the sixth hour, whenbeastslower-class most graze,birds bestpeck, and men sit down to thattanguage of
nourishment
which is called supper. So much forthe

attitudetime when.
Now fer the ground which-Costard's
toward newwhich, I
words is wondrously
shownwhen he misunderstands
mean, l walked upon. It ls yclept thy park.Then for'remuneration''gardonf,
the words
andCostardis the placewhere---where, } mean, I didencounter that
asked to deEivera ]etterby three farthings,
which
obsceneand most
event that draweth
preposterous
Armado gives saying 'there
is remuneration'from my snow-whitetheebon-colouredink
pen'remuneration'
Costardthinks that
means
which
here thou viewest, beholdest,surveyest, or(3.1.127).
three farthings.
And then he is asked to deliver seest,
But to the place where,
It standeth
another
letterby Biron.
north-north-east
and by east from the west corner of
thy curious-kr}otted garden.(1.1230-241)
He gives Cbstard a letter
Biron. There'sthyguerdon;go.
What Arrnado wants to tell is two pieces ofHe gives Costard a shillinginformation:time and prace,The more he triesto
Costard, Gardon, O sweet
Betterthan
explainwords,
thegardon!
precisely by using synonymous
remuneration,
eleven-pence-farthing
lessdirectly
the information
reaches the other people.
it difflcultfor
better,Most sweet gardon!(3,t,164-6) His tedious, reduridant lettermakes
to
what
he
reallywants
listenersunderstandto tell.
Itwould be irrelevant
to concJude thatCostardistoo
Although he is a personwho seems to keep
foolishto understand the usage of words. His spinning a tale,the braggartArmado becomes silent
eagermessto leam a new word makes
him use the being in love with Jaquenetta.
His languageis not
word
even
thoughit becomes malapropisms,
Laterusefulas a communication
tool to converse
withCostard uses the wordcorrectly giving money
toothers.
His language is oniy for himselfto boast

higher-classcharacters.

Moth. Since languagechanges by people who
malapropism
words.

in somecases

That is one aspectleads to
of

the

new

use it,usage

characteristics

with,

When

he realizes that he is in Eove, his nextofactionto takeofin sonnets,

is to adorn

Iike otherhisbe]oyed with his words
courtiers:'Assistme,somewords.
Costard,who seems te be illiterate,is extemporal god or rhyme, forI am sure turn sonnet.
fascinatedby those languagesused by Armado orDevise,wit; write, pen;forI am forwhole volumes
Bironand quicklylearns
the new words.
Ln folie'(12.t73-76).

4. Holofernesand Nathaniel
3. Armado'A
Armado isintroducedby the fourcourtiers as
Holofernes,a schoolmaster, and Nathaniel,aman inall the worldis new fashionplanted'
curateexist only as foolsto be laughedat because of(1.1.163･),-97NII-Electronic Library Service

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eg47e (2006) tu,el*raygpff\dilanguage, Holofernes uses

their usageofostentatiously

and, according

Latin

to the notes of the text,

His language is dead or uncreatjve
becausehe atways quotes from other texts. Although

mistakenly.

'O,they have livedIong on the almsbasket of words.

I marvel thy master LArmadol
hath not eaten thee fora word,for thou art not so long by the head as
honorificabilitudinitatibus'
The
word(5.1.37-40).

inorder to describe
his words are no longerin current use. Holofernes theirway of using tedious words.
uses
Latin only for the sake of showing
hisknowledge.Nathanielisa flatterer
to Holoferenes
and5.Princessof Franceand the other ladies
Holofernes knows

much

more

than Costard,

words

reputedasthe longest is mouthed

keeps praisinghim, 'Ay, sir, and very learned'
The Princess of Fmnce visits the court as her
It is Nathaniet who compLains the lackof father`sembassy,
She is politicallyindependent and(4,2.101).
Dull'slanguage.
her languageis much clearer than that of the King ofNavarre. In the senseSir, he hath never

fed of the dajntiesthat are bred in abook.
He hath not eat paper,as itwere; he hathnot drunk

ink.Hisintellectisnot replenished;
only

While Costard attempts
the usageofthe knowledge of'new'catching

leam new

to

by

words

obsoletelanguage.

Being panicular overwords,

the pronunciation of someHo]efernes insists that words
should be

spokenexactly

they areas

Armadosays

he shou]d
half

when
'cauf;'haufi;abbreviated

'ne'

He

written.

Armado for pronouncing words'dout,

pronounce'debt'.

neighbour

vocantur

'He

'det'

'doubt',clepeth'nebour',a calf"neigh'Holofernes is a school(5,t.21-3).

isproud of hisvocabulary
and showsoff
hisknowledge to Nathaniel,
a mediocre curate. Theirlanguage comesfrom books, which is no longer
master, who

They

used.
mentions:

learn the 'new'
have

'They

languages andbeen

the scraps'

stolenjustas

words
at

a

Moth

great feastof(5,1,35-6).

'for

with

cannotthern to enter the court.

allow

a

clear

othersFairprincess,welcometo the court ofNavarTe,
Princess.'Fair'
I give you back again, andwelcomeI
have not yet.The roof ofthis ceurt is too high to be yours,andwelcometo the wide fields
too basetobe mine. (2.t,90-3)

illa soeiety,

King

their

languageLsnot necessari]y disdained,
ItisCostardwho suitabLy summarizes

the threelearned peop]e:Holofernes, Nathaniel andArmado,'welcome'asthinking of the meaningof thethe words

uses

compliments

without'fairtandPrincessdiscerns
withher keen sense.
'The
iadies...knowenough to distinguishlanguagein
tou ¢ h with feelingfrom the Language which does duty
for feeling'
between(Green317).The conversation
the King and thePrincessshews two things:one is,
as I mentioned
before,that the King's languageis
superflcial;andthe other is that the words without
meaningwM
notbe inteEiigible.
As Irene G. Dashwords,

which

mentions,

However foolishthey are, they are harrnlessandundoubtedly
a memberof a society. When Holofemes
invited Nathanielto the dinner'at the father'sof acertain pupi]'
Nathanielispleased to accept(4.3.I50).
the invitation] society, saith the text, is thehappiness of life'(4.3.157).
In a sense that they liketo communicate

madereproaches

differently,
becausehe should say

which

distinction
between theKing of Nayarreand the Princessof France.The next
conversation
took placein the fieid
hecausethe King
ShakespeareKing.

peopLe,they Iove to gainotherthe attitude toward tanguage,

he isonly an animal,in the dullerparts.(4,2.23-26)

sensibleofLove's Labour's Lost is not

the femalecharacters

The women

but that of the malethe story ofcharacters,

are touchstones for the young men,de not yetknow the way

who

to communicate.

The difference
between the King and thePrincessis shown more clearly when the news of her
father's
cieathcomes from the reat world to this'playground',No modifier is used in order to report
his death.

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Jffza : Language andPeople

Marcade.

I amsorry,

for themadam,

in Love's

I

news

bring

Even so, My taleis told.(5.2.707-9)

Marcade.

Works cited,
Wboing, Wbdding, ctrid Power:
Vl,bmen in ShakespearersPlays. New Y()rk:
Co]umbia UP, L981,
Greene, Thomas M. 'Lovets
lahour'sLost; The
Dash,

Is heavy in my tongue. The King yourfather--Princess.Dead,formytife!

Labour's Lost

Irene G,

Grace oi Societyi,
Shakespeareeuarterly22.(197l)

Shakespeare,William. Love's labourisLost IVbw
Among the extraordinary
the Kingofverbalplay, theFrance'sdeath issimple.

reportofMarcade did not

Penguin Shakespeare. Ed. John
Harmondsworth,

Kerrigan. London:

1982.

becausethe Princesscan guessthecontent of it,
With thatone word, his'tale istold".

Montrese,Louis Adrian.'"Curious-knotted
Garden",:The Form, Themes, and Contextsot Shakespeare's
Love'sLabour'sLost."Salzburg
Studiesin Engtish
Literature:
Elizabethan and Renuissance Studies 56.

Conclusion(1977)Edwards,

eventellthe news

It would be misreading that ifI oonc]uded that
Philip.Shakespeareand the Conjines qf
verbal paayis deniedby the words of the Princcss, Art,bondon:Methuen, 1968.
who prefers
languagewithout compliment. There is'dead'
no diserepancybetween the word
and themeaningof the word.
Nor any other meaningispossibie to the word. Everybody in a society will
immediatelycatch the correct message
ef the word,
becausecommonconnotation,
aspectofis the place where
people use
language,However, words sometimes havesociety

implication
or innuendo,
whichcomedyadds oneto the play.
In Shakespeare's plays,

behind jokesor puns of languageor eyen behindmalapropism,
the key to lighton the theme of theplayis hidden. The text isa textureof various colors
Puns, jokesand malapropismand materials.
provoketaughter,which
is noL sarcastic but eajoyable. Like
Armado, Shakespeareis a factoryof coinage. Like
Biron, Shakespearecontradicts himself.He ]oves
words.
He ]oves discrepancy
betweenwords and themeaningof words.
The laughterof audienceisnot thelaughter of disdain but that of sympathy.
That isofbecauseShakespeare knows well about the defects
human bcings,who

cannotchangehimseEf.

AII quotationsof the text are from the edition ofLove's labour'sLost 71heOiglord
Shakespeare,Ed.
G.R.Hibbard. Oxford:Oxford,
1990.
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