Love’s Labour’s Lost is, perhaps, Shakespeare’s most adventurous play, in terms of the language used. For years, scholars have been fascinated by the way Shakespeare plays with language in this script, pushing past its conventions and rules to transform words into art. In his 1965 essay, Love’s Labour’s Lost: A Wantoning with Words, James Calderwood explains that the language found in this play is unlike that of any other piece written by Shakespeare. Calderwood writes that the language used becomes “an autonomous symbolic system whose value, somewhat like that of pure mathematics, lies less in its relevance to reality than in its intrinsic fascination” (pg. 317). This fascination with language in Love’s Labour’s Lost will be further explored
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To begin, it is important to explore the structure of this passage as it is perhaps one of the first indications to the audience and/or reader that this monologue holds a particular value . While much of Love’s Labour’s Lost is written in either prose or blank verse, this specific speech, being one of Berowne’s first, is written in both iambic pentameter and rhymed verse. These two literary conventions, distinguishing this passage from others in the story, along with the frequent alliteration (with the L sound, ie. Light seeking light doth light of light beguile, line 77) indicate that an actor emphasize the language and the message carried throughout. In other words, Shakespeare employs heightened speech. Often times, both heightened speech and rhymed verse are used to point …show more content…
Barton writes, “The nature of the language tells us about the nature of the character, or maybe we should say the language is the character” (pg. 71) However, that may not be the case with Berowne. The use of heightened speech and an extended metaphor would suggest that Berowne is a grand and poetic man, though this is later disputed when he describes Rosaline, the object of his affection as, “A whitely wanton with a velvet brow / And two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes” (Shakespeare, III.i 193 - 194). This is somewhat of a lacklustre description of a woman he supposedly loves, which speaks to his views on women - also described in the passage in question. In regards to this passage, Waterfield writes, “Like many a poet since, he [Berowne] favours the school of life over book learning. The truest knowledge is to be derived from the brightening glance of a woman’s eye” (pg. 130). This can be seen in Berowne’s speech, in lines 80 - 81: “Study me how to please the eye indeed, / By fixing it upon a fairer eye.” This line, in and of itself, epitomizes the character of Berowne. He is simply far more interested beautiful women than the pursuit of knowledge, or, seeking the light of truth, and uses language as a tool to win their affections via conversational games. Perhaps this is Shakespeare living vicariously through his characters. Likewise,
To begin, it is important to explore the structure of this passage as it is perhaps one of the first indications to the audience and/or reader that this monologue holds a particular value . While much of Love’s Labour’s Lost is written in either prose or blank verse, this specific speech, being one of Berowne’s first, is written in both iambic pentameter and rhymed verse. These two literary conventions, distinguishing this passage from others in the story, along with the frequent alliteration (with the L sound, ie. Light seeking light doth light of light beguile, line 77) indicate that an actor emphasize the language and the message carried throughout. In other words, Shakespeare employs heightened speech. Often times, both heightened speech and rhymed verse are used to point …show more content…
Barton writes, “The nature of the language tells us about the nature of the character, or maybe we should say the language is the character” (pg. 71) However, that may not be the case with Berowne. The use of heightened speech and an extended metaphor would suggest that Berowne is a grand and poetic man, though this is later disputed when he describes Rosaline, the object of his affection as, “A whitely wanton with a velvet brow / And two pitch-balls stuck in her face for eyes” (Shakespeare, III.i 193 - 194). This is somewhat of a lacklustre description of a woman he supposedly loves, which speaks to his views on women - also described in the passage in question. In regards to this passage, Waterfield writes, “Like many a poet since, he [Berowne] favours the school of life over book learning. The truest knowledge is to be derived from the brightening glance of a woman’s eye” (pg. 130). This can be seen in Berowne’s speech, in lines 80 - 81: “Study me how to please the eye indeed, / By fixing it upon a fairer eye.” This line, in and of itself, epitomizes the character of Berowne. He is simply far more interested beautiful women than the pursuit of knowledge, or, seeking the light of truth, and uses language as a tool to win their affections via conversational games. Perhaps this is Shakespeare living vicariously through his characters. Likewise,