Love Labour’s Lost

Love’s Labour’s Lost (1596) is a comedy by William Shakespeare. The play was written to be performed for Queen Elizabeth at the Inns of Court, and has frequently been recognized for its length and complex wordplay. Although rarely staged up until the nineteenth century, Love’s Labour’s Lost has seen a resurgence over the last century, serving as source material for musicals, films, and television shows alike. Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye, / Not utt'red by base sale of chapmen’s tongues; / I am less proud to hear you tell my worth / Than you much willing to be counted wise. For his wit and wordplay alone, William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer to ever work in the English language. Where he truly triumphs, however, is in his ability to portray complex human emotions, how these emotions contribute to relationships, and how these relationships interact with politics, culture, and religion. King Ferdinand of Navarre takes an oath with his closest friends and advisors: for three years, they will commit to dietary moderation and intellectual enrichment, depriving themselves of the company of women. When the Princess of France arrives with her ladies on important business, she finds herself unable to get within a mile of court due to the King’s strict order. One by one, the King and his men fall in love with the French women, though each is unwilling to admit it without first implicating his comrades. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.