The speech used by the King is according to decorum, he is a king who speaks kingly about kingly things. He speaks about how their quest will bring them honor and glory. Which is the goal of most kings. “That honour which shall bate his scythe’s keen edge, And make us heirs of all eternity.” (30) This battle they are about to do seems quite impossible, to disdain from human comforts and love. I mean what gets most people through a hard time is love, so they are gonna be tough right? I find it humorous that the first time females walk through the court they all fall in love. Back to the King, he speaks in a way that his high and mighty, “Ay, that there is. Our court, you know, is haunted With a refined traveller of Spain; A man in all the world’s new fashion planted, That hath a mint of phrases in his brain…” (51) As is seen in this line, he speaks that he knows more that whomever he is speaking to. In is discourse with the Princess in Act II, he tries to act like a great lord, but she throws it back in his face. “Fair Princess, welcome to the court of Navarre. PRINCESS. ‘Fair” I give you back again; and ‘welcome’ I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours, and welcome to the wide field too base to be mine.”(105)
Berowne seems to be full of himself, he goes along with the King because the King has authority. He is knowledgeable and can think abstractly which is what the King wants. “Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile; So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes. Study me how to please the eye indeed, By fixing it upon a fairer eye; Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, And give hi light that is was blinded by.”(39, 40) He is showing much knowledge in the “quest” that he pleaded ignorance to. It seems that he might now about more than what he is letting on. Berowne also has a touch of sarcastic humor about him, in this example. “KING. How well he’s read, to reason against reading! DUMAINE. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding! LONGAVILLE. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding. BEROWNE. The spring is near, when green geese are a-breeding. DUMAINE. How follows that? BEROWNE. Fit in his place and time. DUMAINE. In reason nothing. BEROWNE. Something then in rime.” While the others seem to be discussing something of importance Berowne interjections with nonsense, which is adds humor.
The Princess has attitude! She has come to this kingdom in search of a suitor to take over France after her father dies, which he will at any moment. My favorite line is her response to the King, “ ‘Fair’ I give you back again; and ‘welcome’ I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours, and welcome to the wide fields too base to be mine.” (105) This tells a lot of how she will handle situations, she feigns womanly charm but cleverly takes charge of the situation putting the blame on the King. This girl is not someone you want to mess with.
Rosaline is one of the Princess’s attendants, she seems to be a person who sees the best in everybody, no matter what they do. “Another of these students at that time Was there with him, if I have heard a truth: Berowne they call him; but a merrier man…”(101) Living with the Princess has given her a touch of attitude, “BEROWNE. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? ROSALINE. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?” She is using what is today known as “Duh”! which is funny. She also sees through Boyet’s words and calls him out. “BOYET. But to speak that in words which his eye hath disclos’d. I only have made a mouth of his eye, By adding a tongue which I know will not lie. ROSALINE. Thou art an old love-monger, and speak’st skillfully.”(130) Rosaline is a smart woman who knows how to help her lady.
Costard seems to not know what he is talking about at times, “Now, sir, for the manner,-it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman, for the form,-in some form.” (57) In the list of characters he is decribed as a clown, which is a fitting title for this goof-ball. While the King is reading a letter which is leading up to naming Costard. Costard pipes up every few words saying me, yup me and when it finally says his name he is like what me?(61-62) He doesn’t always seem to make sense but he is an interesting voice throughout the play.
Boyet is the Lord attending on the Princess of France, not one of the big three that go with the King. He seems fatherly like, he encourages and takes care of the Princess, especially since her father is ailing. He also reminds her of her duty as going to this strange land seeking suitors. He has a butler type demeanor about him, which colors his voice through the play.
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