A continuation of the major series of individual Shakespeare plays from the world renowned Royal Shakespeare Company, edited by two brilliant, younger generation Shakespearean scholars Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen Incorporating definitive text and cutting-edge notes from William Shakespeare: Complete Works -the first authoritative, modernized edition of Shakespeare's First Folio in more than 300 years-this remarkable series of individual plays combines Jonathan Bate's insightful critical analysis with Eric Rasmussen's textual expertise. Praise for William Shakespeare: Complete Works: “A feast of literary and historical information.” -The Wall Street Journal The Sparkling repartee between the fair visitors from France and their host in Navarre, whose vow to study out of sight of woman is quickly broken, makes Love's Labour's Lost one of the most delightful and stageworthy of Shakespear's comedies. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) is today's most widely known and loved playwright.THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY (RSC) is a world-renowned ensemble theater company in Stratford and London dedicated to bringing the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries to a modern audience.JONATHAN BATE is a professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature at the University of Warwick. A prominent critic, award-winning biographer and broadcaster, Bate's books on Shakespeare include Soul of the Age .ERIC RASMUSSEN, professor of English at the University of Nevada, is one of today's leading textual experts on Shakespeare. list of parts Ferdinand KING of Navarre BEROWNE LONGAVILLE DUMAINE Don Adriano de ARMADO, a Spanish braggart MOTH, a boy, his page COSTARD, a clown JAQUENETTA, a dairymaid Anthony DULL, a constable Sir NATHANIEL, a curate HOLOFERNES, a pedantic schoolmaster The PRINCESS of France ROSALINE MARIA KATHERINE BOYET, a lord attending on the princess Monsieur MARCADÉ, a messenger from the King of France A FORESTER Lords, Ladies, Attendants Act 1 [Scene 1] running scene 1 Enter Ferdinand King of Navarre, Berowne, Longaville and Dumaine KING Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live registered upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the disgrace of death When, spite of cormorant devouring time, Th'endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors - for so you are, That war against your own affections And the huge army of the world's desires - Our late edict shall strongly stand in force. Navarre shall be the wonder of the world, Our court shall be a little academe, Still and contemplative in living art. You three, Berowne, Dumaine and Longaville, Have sworn for three years' term to live with me, My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes That are recorded in this schedule here. [Shows a paper] Your oaths are passed, and now subscribe your names, That his own hand may strike his honour down That violates the smallest branch herein. If you are armed to do as sworn to do, Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too. LONGAVILLE I am resolved: 'tis but a three years' fast. The mind shall banquet though the body pine. Fat paunches have lean pates, and dainty bits Make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits. DUMAINE My loving lord, Dumaine is mortified. The grosser manner of these world's delights He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves. To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die, With all these living in philosophy. BEROWNE I can but say their protestation over. So much, dear liege, I have already sworn, That is, to live and study here three years. But there are other strict observances, As not to see a woman in that term, Which I hope well is not enrollèd there. And one day in a week to touch no food, And but one meal on every day beside, The which I hope is not enrollèd there. And then to sleep but three hours in the night, And not be seen to wink of all the day - When I was wont to think no harm all night And make a dark night too of half the day - Which I hope well is not enrollèd there. O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep: Not to see ladies, study, fast, not sleep. KING Your oath is passed to pass away from these. BEROWNE Let me say no, my liege, an if you please. I only swore to study with your grace And stay here in your court for three years' space. LONGAVILLE You swore to that, Berowne, and to the rest. BEROWNE By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest. What is the end of study, let me know? KING Why, that to know which else we should not know. BEROWNE Things hid and barred, you mean, from common sense? KING Ay, that is study's godlike recompense. BEROWNE Come on then, I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know: As thus, to study where I well may dine, When I to feast expressly am forbid. Or study where to meet some mistress fine, When mistresses from common sense are hid. Or, having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath, Study t