Love’s Labor’s Lost (1598) by William Shakespeare shows a humorous “battle of the sexes” among members of the aristocracy. The women and men are playing the same game and both stand to lose pride; even still, the women are presented as more mature in the fact that they recognize the game for what it is. This game is not altogether without serious undertones, either, as both men and women show an inability to properly communicate.
As for how serious this “battle” is, the characters seemingly do not stand to lose much. The men do have vows to keep, but they are easily worked around once the men realize that they are all in love. After these vows are dismissed, the men enjoy this battle as a game more than anything else; the same holds true for …show more content…
For example, the men losing some pride may be a bigger deal than it may initially seem. At the beginning of the play, it is revealed that the penalty for women entering the King’s court is “losing her tongue,” whereas the penalty for men is that “he shall endure such / public shame” (Shakespeare 1.1.122-129). If these punishments are meant to be equal, then a man being embarrassed is just as bad as a woman losing her tongue. This also reveals the differing values of the men and women of Love’s Labor’s Lost; the men value and rely on their reputation, the women on their ability to communicate – at least, that is what the men believe the women value and rely on. It is important that the King devised these punishments; it is the men who believe that a man’s pride is equivalent in value to a woman’s tongue. The fact that women attempt to mock the men (in order to avoid being mocked themselves) at the King’s party shows that they may not be that different, if only for the fact that both the men and women attempt to save their pride. The women come out on top in this battle, which may have something to do with the men underestimating how much the women enjoy a sense of pride. Regardless, the men have trouble understanding the women, which likely contributes to the misunderstanding at the end of the …show more content…
Berowne says near the end of the play that “our wooing doth not end like an old play; / Jack hath not Jill” (Shakespeare 5.2.858-859). When the King responds that the play will not end for another year, Berowne responds, “That’s too long for a play” (Shakespeare 5.2.863). This self-awareness on the part of Berowne may appear like a step in the right direction, but in saying that a year is “too long for a play,” Berowne is implying that they will not be able to fulfill the requests of the women, and that they will not love them in a year. The women know that the men’s love is rash, and while Berowne is aware of this as well, he does not plan to change his
As for how serious this “battle” is, the characters seemingly do not stand to lose much. The men do have vows to keep, but they are easily worked around once the men realize that they are all in love. After these vows are dismissed, the men enjoy this battle as a game more than anything else; the same holds true for …show more content…
For example, the men losing some pride may be a bigger deal than it may initially seem. At the beginning of the play, it is revealed that the penalty for women entering the King’s court is “losing her tongue,” whereas the penalty for men is that “he shall endure such / public shame” (Shakespeare 1.1.122-129). If these punishments are meant to be equal, then a man being embarrassed is just as bad as a woman losing her tongue. This also reveals the differing values of the men and women of Love’s Labor’s Lost; the men value and rely on their reputation, the women on their ability to communicate – at least, that is what the men believe the women value and rely on. It is important that the King devised these punishments; it is the men who believe that a man’s pride is equivalent in value to a woman’s tongue. The fact that women attempt to mock the men (in order to avoid being mocked themselves) at the King’s party shows that they may not be that different, if only for the fact that both the men and women attempt to save their pride. The women come out on top in this battle, which may have something to do with the men underestimating how much the women enjoy a sense of pride. Regardless, the men have trouble understanding the women, which likely contributes to the misunderstanding at the end of the …show more content…
Berowne says near the end of the play that “our wooing doth not end like an old play; / Jack hath not Jill” (Shakespeare 5.2.858-859). When the King responds that the play will not end for another year, Berowne responds, “That’s too long for a play” (Shakespeare 5.2.863). This self-awareness on the part of Berowne may appear like a step in the right direction, but in saying that a year is “too long for a play,” Berowne is implying that they will not be able to fulfill the requests of the women, and that they will not love them in a year. The women know that the men’s love is rash, and while Berowne is aware of this as well, he does not plan to change his