Love's Labour's Lost Principles Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line)

Quote #4

NATHANIEL, reads
'If love make me forsworn, how shall I swear to love?
Ah, never faith could hold, if not to beauty vowed!
Though to myself forsworn, to thee I'll faithful prove.
(4.2.126-128)

Berowne is worried that Rosaline will accuse him of being incapable of fidelity, since he broke his vow. But for him, it's about priorities – he has to break that vow to make one to her.

Quote #5

KING
And Jove, for your love, would
   infringe an oath.
What will Berowne say when that he shall hear
Faith infringed, which such zeal did swear? (4.3.150-153)

The King uses Berowne's razor-sharp wit as an intimidation tactic.

Quote #6

BEROWNE
Let us once lose our oaths to find ourselves,
Or else we lose ourselves to keep our oaths. (4.3.355-356)

Again, Berowne argues that they have more to gain from breaking their promise (which he thought was crazy from the beginning) than keeping it.