Love's Labor's Lost (Rhoades)

You Can Find “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades

William Shakespeare wrote about 39 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a scattering of other works. His plays consist of 17 comedies, 11 histories, and 11 tragedies. Many of them were performed at the Globe Theater in London.


“Love’s Labour’s Lost” was an early comedy written by Shakespeare in the mid 1590s.

The play opens with the King of Navarre and his three noblemen deciding to devote three years to study and vowing not to succumb to the company of women during this time. The King makes this oath despite the fact that a princess and her three ladies are coming to visit his court. To be safe, he has them camp in a distant field; nevertheless, he and his men become enamored with the ladies.

There are many other humorous sub-plots. Even a play within a play. A clever story, it abounds with wordplay, puns, and literary allusions.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost” is noted for using the word honorificabilitudinitas (“the state of being able to achieve honors”), the longest word in the English language featuring alternating consonants and vowels.

However, you don’t have to fly to England to see a modern rendition of “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” The Globe Theater is coming to you, with a cinematic performance scheduled at the Tropic Cinema on November 23 at 7 p.m. and again on November 30 at 2 p.m.

srhoades@aol.com
[from Solares Hill]