Love's Labour's Lost facts for kids
Love's Labour's Lost is a funny play, also known as a comedy. It was written by the famous English writer William Shakespeare. He probably wrote it sometime between 1588 and 1597.
This play is known for its clever wordplay and jokes. Many of its characters are based on real kings and noblemen from Shakespeare's time. This can make the play a bit harder for people today to understand. Because of this, it is not as famous as some of Shakespeare's other plays. However, it has become more popular and is performed more often since the 1900s.
Contents
What Happens in the Play
The King's Plan
The story begins with Ferdinand, the King of Navarre, and three of his friends. They decide to focus on their studies and intellectual pursuits. They make a serious promise to avoid all distractions, especially from women.
Unexpected Visitors
Their plans quickly change when the Princess of France arrives. She comes with three of her ladies-in-waiting. The king and his friends find it very hard to stick to their promise.
Love Blooms
Soon, the men realize they are falling in love with the ladies. They try to hide their feelings, but it becomes clear they cannot. The play then explores the funny and sometimes tricky situations that happen because of their broken promise and new feelings.
About the Play's Name
How the Title Changed
The exact original title of the play is not fully known. In the very first written versions of the script, the title was spelled in different ways. Sometimes it had more apostrophes, and sometimes fewer.
The First Printed Version
In the first printed version, called a "quarto," the title was written as Loues labors lost. Back in Shakespeare's time, the letter "u" was often used to make a "v" sound. Today, the play is almost always known as Love's Labour's Lost.
Images for kids
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Love's Labour's Lost, Act IV, Scene 3, by Thomas Stothard (c. 1800)
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Title page of the second quarto (1631)
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A photograph of John Drew as the King of Navarre in Augustin Daly's production.
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The start of a performance of Love's Labour's Lost at Shakespeare's Globe in Southwark, south London
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See also
In Spanish: Trabajos de amor perdidos para niños
