Act Summaries
Act I
As the play begins, the king of Navarre and his lords—Berowne, Dumaine, and
Longaville—have taken an oath to reside at the Navarre court, creating a
"little academe" dedicated to scholarship and reflection. They vow to fast,
sleep minimally, and, most importantly, avoid the company of women for the next
three years. The king has decreed that no woman shall come within a mile of his
court. However, the princess of France is scheduled to visit, prompting the
king to reconsider his vow for her sake. The first to break the new rules is
Costard the clown, caught with a country woman named Jaquenetta by the Spanish
courtier Armado. Dull, the constable, brings Costard before the king, who
sentences him to a week of confinement on bread and water, with Armado acting
as his jailer. It is then revealed that Armado himself is in love with
Jaquenetta.
Act II
The princess arrives accompanied by her three ladies-in-waiting—Rosaline,
Maria, and Katherine—and her lord Boyet. The king informs the princess that she
must stay in a field rather than at court to comply with his ban on women. The
princess and the king begin negotiations over the return of Aquitaine, a
province in France that her father, the king of France, lost to Navarre's
father. Navarre insists that the king of France owes him money before he can
return Aquitaine, while the princess argues that the debt has been settled and
Aquitaine rightfully belongs to France. These negotiations are expected to take
several days. Meanwhile, the lords have all fallen for the princess's
ladies-in-waiting.
Act III
This act opens with Moth, Armado's page, mocking his master. Armado has written
a love letter to Jaquenetta and releases Costard from confinement to deliver
the letter to her. Berowne then enters and pays Costard to deliver a love
letter to Rosaline.
Act IV
The princess and her entourage are hunting in the forest when Costard delivers
a letter, but it turns out to be the wrong one. Boyet reads Armado's love
letter to Jaquenetta aloud. In the following scene, Holofernes, the
schoolteacher, and Nathaniel, the curate, come across Costard and Jaquenetta.
Jaquenetta asks Holofernes to read a letter to her, which was actually meant
for Rosaline. Holofernes decides to take it directly to the king. Meanwhile,
Berowne appears in the woods, lamenting his love for Rosaline. The king arrives
shortly after, prompting Berowne to climb a tree. The king reads a love letter
he wrote to the princess aloud. Longaville and Dumaine each appear, reciting
their own love poems. One by one, the lords reveal themselves: Longaville
accuses Dumaine of breaking his vow, the king accuses both Longaville and
Dumaine, and finally, Berowne accuses the king and the others of hypocrisy.
Costard and Jaquenetta return with Berowne's letter to Rosaline. All four lords
vow to remain faithful lovers. Berowne delivers an extensive speech about
love's power to make men virtuous and kind.
Act V
Holofernes, Nathaniel, Dull, Moth, and Armado plan to perform a Pageant of the Nine Worthies, featuring nine legendary heroes from classical, Biblical, and modern times, for the lords and ladies. Meanwhile, the lords send the ladies love tokens and letters of admiration. Boyet warns the ladies that the men are disguising themselves as Russians to woo them. The ladies decide to wear masks and exchange love tokens, so during the "Masque of the Muscovites," each lord courts the wrong lady. When the men return in their regular attire, Rosaline informs them that a group of foolish Russians had just appeared; Berowne admits they were the Russians. The princess reveals that...
(This entire section contains 769 words.)
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the ladies were aware of the ruse all along.
Costard the clown arrives to announce another performance, the Pageant of the Nine Worthies. The king almost cancels it, fearing further embarrassment. The actors make numerous mistakes, and the lords, with Boyet's help, interrupt and mock the play mercilessly, worsening the situation. Holofernes exclaims, "This is not generous, not gentle, not humble" (629). Though the princess offers some sympathy, the men continue to ridicule the actors. The play is abruptly halted by Marcade, a messenger, who announces the death of the princess's father, the king of France. She must prepare to leave that evening. The lords of Navarre's court, including the king, plead for their ladies' love, but the ladies insist that the men spend a year in contemplation first, as they are deemed untrustworthy. As Berowne ruefully notes, a year's wait is "too long for a play": this play concludes not with marriages but with a song about spring and winter performed by all the characters.