The Complete Loves Labors Lost

Loves Labors Lost is widely considered Shakespeares most intellectually challenging comedy (Bate, back cover). From its extensive wordplay to the plot machinations, a reader (viewer) is continuously challenged. The recurrent bawdy is another factor that forces one to pay close attention. Thus, the play can be quite satisfying. However, it can become tiresome too, especially considering the high-flown rhetoric of Holofernes. Finally, the discrepancy between the mens view of the women and the womens view of the men should stimulate one to examine whether there is depth to the comedy or whether it is all for fun.