Love’s Labour’s Lost: A Guide to the Play

At one point perhaps the least loved of Shakespeare’s comedies, Love’s Labour’s Lost is now a very popular one. As one of Shakespeare’s most vilified plays, it has been largely ignored until the 20th century. This reference is a thorough guide to the play’s origins and legacy. Chapters overview the genesis of the text and the merits of various editions; the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts that inform the work; Shakespeare’s dramatic artistry, particularly his use of language; the play’s themes and critical reception; and its life on the stage and screen. Chapters include lists of works for further reading, and a selected bibliography of major studies concludes the volume.