As You Like It by William Shakespeare
"As You Like It" is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare that explores themes of love, identity, and the contrast between court life and nature. The play begins with the power struggle between two dukes: the usurping Duke Frederick and his banished brother, the rightful Duke Senior, who finds solace in the Forest of Arden. Central to the narrative are Rosalind, the banished duke's daughter, and her cousin Celia, who share a deep bond. When Rosalind falls in love with Orlando, a young man unjustly mistreated by his own brother, their fates intertwine as they both flee to the forest. Disguised as a young man named Ganymede, Rosalind navigates love and identity while orchestrating romantic encounters among the characters.
As they interact with the forest's inhabitants, including shepherds Silvius and Phebe, the play presents a rich tapestry of love's complexities and the transformative power of nature. The climax culminates in a joyful resolution, where multiple marriages take place, and reconciliation occurs, leading to the restoration of the rightful duke's lands. The humor and poignant moments in "As You Like It" offer a timeless reflection on the nature of love and the human experience, making it a beloved work in Shakespeare's oeuvre.
As You Like It by William Shakespeare
First produced: ca. 1599–1600; first published, 1623
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Comedy
Time of plot: Middle Ages
Locale: Forest of Arden, France
Principal Characters
The Banished Duke ,Frederick , his brother and usurper of his dominionsOliver , the older son of Sir Rowland de BoysOrlando , the younger son of Sir Rowland de BoysAdam , a servant to OliverTouchstone , a clownRosalind , the daughter of the banished dukeCelia , the daughter of Frederick
The Story
The elder and lawful ruler of a French province is deposed by his younger brother, Frederick. The old duke, driven from his dominions, flees with several faithful followers to the Forest of Arden. There he lives a happy life, free from the cares of the court and able to devote himself at last to learning the lessons nature has to teach. His daughter, Rosalind, remains at court as a companion to her cousin Celia, the daughter of the usurping Duke Frederick. The two girls are inseparable, and nothing her father says or does would make Celia part from her dearest friend.
One day, Duke Frederick commands the two girls to attend a wrestling match between the duke’s champion, Charles, and a young man named Orlando, who is a special object of Duke Frederick’s hatred because he is the son of Sir Rowland de Boys, who was one of the banished duke’s most loyal supporters. Before Sir Rowland dies, he charges his oldest son, Oliver, with the task of looking after his younger brother’s education, but Oliver neglects his father’s charge. The moment Rosalind lays eyes on Orlando she falls in love with him, and he with her. She tries to dissuade him from an unequal contest with a champion so much more powerful than he, but the more she pleads the more determined Orlando is to distinguish himself in his lady’s eyes. In the end he completely conquers his antagonist and is rewarded for his prowess by a chain from Rosalind’s neck.
When Duke Frederick discovers his niece’s interest in Sir Rowland’s son, he immediately banishes her from the court. Rosalind disguises herself as a boy and sets out for the Forest of Arden, accompanied by Celia and the faithful Touchstone, the jester. Orlando finds it necessary to flee because of his brother’s harsh treatment. He is accompanied by the faithful servant Adam, an old man who willingly turns over his life savings of five hundred crowns for the privilege of following his young master.
Orlando and Adam set out for the Forest of Arden, but before they have traveled very far they are both weary and hungry. While Adam rests in the shade of some trees, Orlando wanders into that part of the forest where the old duke is and comes upon the outlaws at their meal. Desperate from hunger, Orlando rushes upon the duke with a drawn sword and demands food. The duke immediately offers to share the hospitality of his table, and Orlando blushes with shame over his rude manner. He will not touch a mouthful until Adam is fed. When the old duke finds that Orlando is the son of his friend, Sir Rowland de Boys, he takes Orlando and Adam under his protection and makes them members of his band of foresters.
Rosalind and Celia also arrive in the Forest of Arden, where they buy a flock of sheep and proceed to live the life of shepherds. Rosalind passes as Ganymede, Celia, as Ganymede's sister Aliena. They encounter real Arcadians—Silvius, a shepherd, and Phebe, a dainty shepherdess with whom Silvius is in love. The moment Phebe lays eyes on the disguised Rosalind, she falls in love with the supposed young shepherd and will have nothing further to do with Silvius. Disguised as Ganymede, Rosalind also meets Orlando in the forest and twits him on his practice of writing verses in praise of Rosalind and hanging them on the trees. Touchstone displays the same willfulness and whimsicality in the forest that he showed at court, even in his love for Audrey, a country girl whose sole appeal is her unloveliness.
One morning, as Orlando is on his way to visit Ganymede, he sees a man lying asleep under an oak tree. A snake is coiled about the sleeper’s neck, and a hungry lioness crouches nearby ready to spring. He recognizes the man as his own brother, Oliver, and for a moment he is tempted to leave him to his fate. Then he draws his sword and kills the two animals. In the encounter, he himself is wounded by the lioness. Because Orlando saves his life, Oliver repents and the two brothers are joyfully reunited.
His wound having bled profusely, Orlando is too weak to visit Ganymede, and he sends Oliver instead with a bloody handkerchief as proof of his wounded condition. When Ganymede sees the handkerchief, the supposed shepherd promptly faints. The disguised Celia is so impressed by Oliver’s concern for his brother that she falls in love with him, and they make plans to be married on the following day. Orlando is overwhelmed by this news and a little envious, but when Ganymede comes to call upon Orlando, the young shepherd promises to produce the lady Rosalind the next day. Meanwhile Phebe comes to renew her ardent declaration of love for Ganymede, who promises on the morrow to unravel the love tangle of everyone.
Duke Frederick, enraged at the flight of his daughter, Celia, sets out at the head of an expedition to capture his elder brother and put him and all his followers to death. On the outskirts of the Forest of Arden he meets an old hermit who turns Frederick’s head from his evil design. On the day following, as Ganymede promised, with the banished duke and his followers as guests, Rosalind appears as herself and explains how she and Celia posed as the shepherd Ganymede and his sister Aliena. Four marriages takes place that day with great rejoicing between Orlando and Rosalind, Oliver and Celia, Silvius and Phebe, and Touchstone and Audrey. Frederick is so completely converted by the hermit that he resolves to take religious orders and straightway dispatches a messenger to the Forest of Arden to restore his brother’s lands and those of all his followers.
Bibliography
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