Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

KATHERINE

in Love's Labor's Lost — Shakespeare, William

Metadata

PlayLove's Labor's Lost
AuthorShakespeare, William
Year (catalogued)1598
First performance1595
Decade1590s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyLord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
Theaterbefore the Court;
Speech prefix(es)Kather. | Kath. | Lady Ka. | Lad. | La.
Words322
Characters1647
Typicality0.27 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA68726
BritDrama no.1031
ClusterCluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? How needles was it then to ask the question? 'Tis long of you that spur me with such questions. Not till it leave the rider in the mire. The hour that fools should ask. Fair fallen the face it covers. Amen, so you be none. I and a shroud unhappy gallows too. He made her melancholy, sad, and heavy, And so she died: had she been Light Like you, of such a merry nimble stirring spirit, she might a been Grandam ere she died. And so may you: For a light heart lives long. A light condition in a beauty dark. Yole mar the light by taking it in snuff: Therefore I'll darkly end the argument. So do not you, for you are a light Wench. You weigh me not, Oh thats you care not for me. Fair as a text B in a Copy book. Madame, this Glove Yes Madame: and moreover, Some thousand Verses of a faithful Lover. A hudge translation of hypocrisy, Vildly compiled, profound simplicity. Lord Longauill said I came over his heart: And trow you what he called me? Yes in good faith. And Longauill was for my service born. A wife? a beard, fair health, and honesty, With three fold love I wish you all these three. Not so my Lord, a twelvemonth and a day, I'll mark no words that smothfast wooers say, Come when the King does to my Lady come: Then if I have much love, I'll give you some. Yet swear not, least you be forsworn again. Two hight Sheeps marry. They say so most, that most his humours know. Not so gentle Beast. My lips are no Common, though several they be. Thou art and old Loue-monger, & speakest skilfully. No. I, our way to be gone. You Sheep and I pasture: shall that finish the jest To my Fortune's and me.

Plot summary

Plot — Love's Labor's Lost
The King of Navarre has proclaimed a three-year period of study during which his courtiers must live abstemiously and refrain from seeing women; no woman may even approach the court. Unfortunately the Princess of France is due to arrive on a diplomatic mission concerning a dispute over money and territory, and the King is forced to meet her; however, the evidence in support of France’s claim against Navarre has not arrived, and the issue is deferred. Costard is caught canoodling with Jaquenetta and is remitted to Don Armado’s custody. Armado is himself enamoured of Jaquenetta, and sends Costard to her with a love-letter. Biron also pays Costard to carry a similar letter to his love, Rosaline, and Costard mixes up the two letters. Armado’s causes amusement to the French ladies when they receive it; Biron’s causes embarrassment to himself when, directed by Holofernes, Jaquenetta brings it to the King just after Biron has attacked him and the other lords for falling in love. Biron argues the illegitimacy of their original vows, and they set about wooing the ladies, first with gifts, then by appearing in a masque of Russians. The ladies confound the latter by wearing masks themselves and swapping gifts so that each lord woos the wrong lady; they also refuse to dance. Don Armado and the locals offer the court a pageant of the Nine Worthies, devised by the schoolmaster: it is mocked by the lords and breaks up in confusion when Costard accuses Don Armado of fathering the pregnant Jaquenetta’s baby. News then arrives that the King of France is dead. The lords propose marriage to the ladies, who refuse: the court of France is in mourning, and the lords must wait a year; given particular conditions by their ladies, the King will spend it in a hermitage and Biron trying vainly to entertain dying men. The play ends with a song of winter and spring, the owl and the cuckoo.