Love's Labor's Lost: Act 4, Scene 3 Summary & Analysis

Alone, Berowne considers his love for Rosaline, saying, “it kills me.” He swears he will not love her, but then remembers her eyes. He realizes that he cannot help but love, and that love “hath taught me to rhyme and to be melancholy.” He sees Ferdinand approaching and hides.

Ferdinand enters and reads a poem he has written, praising the princess’ beauty and expressing his love for her. Then, the king hears someone coming and hides. Longaville enters and laments that he will have to break his oath. Ferdinand and Berowne both hear him read part of a poem to Maria, before he tears the paper up in frustration, resolving to write her something in prose instead.

Longaville reads another poem he has written, which justifies his love in spite of his oath by saying that he swore not love any woman, but that Maria is a goddess. Then, Longaville sees someone coming and hides. Berowne, Ferdinand, and Longaville each all overhear as Dumaine enters, bemoaning his love for Katherine. He describes Katherine’s beauty as Berowne makes mocking comments to himself.

Dumaine says that Katherine causes a fever in his blood and then reads a sonnet he has written for her. Dumaine is upset that he is breaking his oath, and wishes that Ferdinand, Berowne, and Longaville were in love, too. Just then, Longaville comes out of hiding and chastises Dumaine for his love. Then, the king comes out of hiding and criticizes Longaville for loving Maria.

Ferdinand scolds both Dumaine and Longaville for violating their oaths, but then Berowne comes forth “to whip hypocrisy.” He criticizes all of the others, including the king. He calls them all fools and says that he has now seen “great Hercules whipping a gig, / And profound Solomon to tune a jig, / And Nestor play at pushpin with the boys, / And critic Timon laugh at idle toys.”

Berowne says that he feels betrayed and calls the others inconstant. Then, Jacquenetta and Costard enter, carrying Berowne’s letter. Berowne tries to leave, but Ferdinand stops him. Costard says that he and Jacquenetta have proof of treason. Ferdinand asks Berowne to read the letter. Berowne sees what it is and tears it up, telling Ferdinand he doesn’t need to worry about what it said.

Dumaine grabs the torn pieces of paper and puts them back together, seeing that it is Berowne’s handwriting. Berowne confesses that he is also in love. He says that the king and all his men “are pickpurses in love, and we deserve to die.” Berowne shoos Jacquenetta and Costard away. They exit.

Berowne says that it is hopeless to try to uphold the oath, and asks Ferdinand and the others to break it with him. He describes his love for Rosaline and how beautiful she is. The king says that Rosaline is nothing but “an attending star” to the “gracious moon” of the princess. Berowne continues to praise Rosaline effusively, saying “she passes praise.”

Ferdinand criticizes Rosaline’s dark complexion, saying “black is the badge of hell.” Berowne maintains his opinion of her beauty, and the others take turns creating clever lines describing Rosaline’s beauty. Dumaine, for example, says “dark needs no candles now, for dark is light.” They continue to argue over Rosaline’s beauty, and then Ferdinand asks the clever Berowne to find some way of their getting out of their oath.

Berowne says that their oath was to study and that they learn more from their beloveds’ eyes than from books. Other studies stimulate only the brain, whereas love involves the brain and the whole body. Moreover, being in love heightens the senses, according to Berowne, and poets are inspired to write by love. Berowne calls women “the books, the arts, the academes / That show, contain, and nourish all the world.”

Berowne says that it was a foolish oath to abstain from women. He encourages everyone to “lose our oaths to find ourselves.” Ferdinand is persuaded, and offers a mock battle cry. Berowne says, “advance your standards, and upon them, lords,” urging the king and his men to go forth and court their ladies.

Ferdinand suggests they plan “some entertainment” to woo the French women. Berowne agrees and says that they should invite the women into the king’s court, before entertaining them with “revels, dances, masques, and merry hours.” Ferdinand, Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine all leave, eager to pursue their loves.