# Dumain — Love’s Labour’s Lost character guide

> Dumain in Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Lord Dumain, fair Dumain

**First appearance:** 0001-act-i

## Snapshot

The well-accomplished lord who mortifies himself for philosophy at the play's start and is soon sighing for Katharine instead.

## Who they are

Dumain enters declaring himself 'mortified,' throwing love, wealth, and pomp to the 'gross world's baser slaves' and vowing to live in philosophy. Katharine later describes him as a youth of such grace that he has 'most power to do most harm, least knowing ill,' with wit enough to make an ill shape good. His rapid pivot from ascetic resolve to lovesick sonneteer is part of the play's systematic exposure of the oath as vanity, and his pairing with Katharine gives the romantic plot its second thread.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/love_s_labour_s_lost_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i)

Expresses his mortification and commitment to philosophy, joining the oath.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/love_s_labour_s_lost_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iii)

Dumain is caught with a love letter for Katharine, confesses his feelings, and joins the others in their scheme.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/love_s_labour_s_lost_se/characters/dumain
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/love_s_labour_s_lost_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/love_s_labour_s_lost_se/characters