Interpretation of Shakespeare’s
As You Like It
My first interpretation of one of Shakespeare's comedies was his comedy All’s well that ends well. For me, it was relatively successful, so I decided to interpret a second comedy, As You like it.
As You Like It is a comedy by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written in 1599 and published in the First Folio in 1623.
The comedy consists of five acts with multiple scenes, You can buy the text of this play from the Amazon.com online bookstore: As You Like It (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series). You can also see the entire play online here.
Rosalind is the heroine and protagonist of the play. She flees persecution in her uncle’s court, accompanied by her friend and cousin Celia, to find safety and, love, in the Forest of Arden.
The play is set in a dukedom in France, but most of the action takes place in a location called the Forest of Arden. There are different theories about the Forest of Arden, including the one I’ve described below.
I initially was going to try explaining why the locations where most of the action takes place were located so far away. (At least across the English Channel.) But then I thought,“ Why can't the two most active locations in the play be located so far apart? After all, the play is fictional.”
Arden is an area located mostly in Warwickshire, England, with elements in Staffordshire and Worcestershire, and is traditionally considered as extending from the River Avon to the River Tame. It was once heavily wooded, giving rise to the name ‘Forest of Arden’.
Frederick (the legitimate Duke's brother) pulled a coup and took charge of the dukedom illegally by force and exiled his older brother, Duke Senior. Duke Senior’s daughter, Rosalind, has been permitted to remain at court because she is the closest friend and cousin of Frederick’s only child, Celia. Orlando, a young gentleman of the kingdom who at first sight has fallen in love with Rosalind, and is forced to flee his home after being persecuted by his older brother, Oliver.
Frederick becomes furious and banishes Rosalind from the court. Celia and Rosalind decide to run together, accompanied by the court jester, Touchstone. Touchstone, with Rosalind, concealed as a young man and Celia disguised as a poor lady.
Rosalind, now disguised as Ganymede, and Celia, now disguised as Alaina, arrive in the Forest of Arden. Where the exiled Duke now lives with some supporters, including the melancholy Jacques, a malcontent figure, who is introduced weeping over the slaughter of a deer.
In the forest, Jacques speaks the famous Shakespeare speech, “All the world’s a stage.”
All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women are merely Players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His Acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, crying, and vomiting in the nurse’s arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school.
And then the lover, Sighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad Lovesick and praising his mistress’s eyebrow.
Then a soldier, short-tempered and foul-mouthed. Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth.
And then the justice, well fed by his corrupt and illegal practices. With eyes severe and a beard of formal cut. Full of wisdom and experience, warning others not to make the same mistakes that he did. Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part.
The sixth age shifts Into the lean and skippered, loose trousers that gathered near the knee. With spectacles on the nose and a pouch on the side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound.
Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Are second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
“Ganymede” and “Alaina” do not directly meet the Duke and his comrades. Rather, they meet Corin, a poor tenant, and offer to buy his master’s crude house.
Orlando and his servant Adam, meanwhile, discover the Duke and his men and are soon living with them and posting love poems for Rosalind on the trees.
Rosalind, also in love with Orlando, meets him as Ganymede and pretends to guide him against being in love. Ganymede says that “he” will take Rosalind’s place and that “he” and Orlando can act out their relationship.
A female shepherd, Phoebe, with whom Silvius, a young shepherd is in love, has fallen in love with Ganymede (Rosalind in disguise), though “Ganymede” frequently shows that “he” is not interested in Phoebe.
Touchstone, meanwhile, has fallen in love with the dull-witted female shepherd Audrey, and tries to court her, but ultimately is forced to be married first.
William, another shepherd, tries to marry Audrey as well, but is blocked by Touchstone, who threatens to kill him “a hundred and fifty ways”.
Eventually, Silvius, Phoebe, Ganymede, and Orlando are brought together in a quarrel with each other over who will get whom. Ganymede says he will solve the problem, having Orlando promise to marry Rosalind, and Phoebe promises to marry Silvius if she cannot marry Ganymede.
Orlando (Oliver’s brother) sees Oliver in the forest and saves him from a lioness, causing Oliver to regret mistreating Orlando. Oliver meets Alaina (Celia’s false identity) and falls in love with her, and they decide to marry.
Orlando and Rosalind, Oliver and Celia, Silvius and Phoebe, and Touchstone and Audrey are all wedded in the last scene after they find that Frederick has also repented his evil deeds. And decides to restore his legitimate brother as duke of the dukedom and embrace a religious life.
Jacques, ever melancholic, declines their invitation to return to the court, preferring to stay in the forest and adopt a religious life as well. Finally, Rosalind speaks an epilogue, commending the play to both men and women in the audience.
References
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Shakespeare's AS You Like It at MIT
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