Sweet Smoke of Rhetoric!

I just finished reading Act III of Love's Labour's Lost. The use of wordplay in this particular play is excessive and takes a central role in the play itself. Often, the characters spend more time bantering and discussing their use of language than they do actually living life itself or moving the plot forward. But, this in and of itself becomes an important part of the story. I found particularly interesting in this act Shakespeare's use of language to contrast the fool of Armado and the passion of Biron.

It is obvious from their use of language alone who is the more refined character. Armado is pompous and trying excessively to sound very handy with words. But he is a fool, often losing sight of what he really wants and getting distracted by simply phrases and figures of speech that are quite meaningless in the grander scheme of things. Moth, his servant, recognizes this and makes fun of him, even accusing him of forgetting his love, to which Armado agrees that he has nearly done.

I like this passage, in which Armado sends Moth to fetch Costard in order to have Costard deliver a love letter to Jaquenetta. But, as seems to be Armado's way, he is distracted by Moth's response and takes a few extra lines to discuss their use of words.

• Don Adriano de Armado. The way is but short: away!815

• Moth. As swift as lead, sir.

• Don Adriano de Armado. The meaning, pretty ingenious?
  Is not lead a metal heavy, dull, and slow?

• Moth. Minime, honest master; or rather, master, no.

• Don Adriano de Armado. I say lead is slow.820

• Moth. You are too swift, sir, to say so:
  Is that lead slow which is fired from a gun?

• Don Adriano de Armado. Sweet smoke of rhetoric!
  He reputes me a cannon; and the bullet, that's he:
  I shoot thee at the swain.825

• Moth. Thump then and I flee.

Biron, on the other hand, keeps his words few except where necessary. His language, though obviously well-constructed, is not focused on superficial rhymes and excessive showiness (as Armado's is), but is rather focused on passion. We know that Biron is actually meaning what he is saying from this, while it is easy to question Armado's sincerity based upon his silly excessiveness. Which is ironic in itself, as Armado is having such a hard time living his pledge of celibacy by something which may or may not even be a truly powerful feeling. If his attraction to Jaquenetta is superficial, should it be enough to make him break his vow? Biron, at least, has substantial feelings for Rosaline.