Introduction & Overview of Love's Labor's Lost by William Shakespeare

Love's Labor's Lost Introduction

Love's Labor's Lost focuses on the problem of telling the truth. The play opens with a solemn vow to study and to avoid the company of women. But the king of Navarre, who as leader ought to be a model of truth and virtue, breaks his own promise in the second scene of the play. After that, all of his followers break their promises as well: instead of avoiding women, they fall in love with and pursue the ladies of France who are visiting the king's court. But because they have already broken their first vow, their promises of love do not ring true. Although all four of them write effective love poems, clever poetry does not necessarily express sincere feeling. Even more telling, in the Masque of the Muscovites when everyone involved is disguised, the men cannot recognize their ladies, though the ladies recognize the men. The love promises...
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