Close Analysis on Act 2 Scene $ focusing on tone, character, dramatic action and language
Mrs. Muthama
Njeri Muhia
Literature
Make a close analysis on Act 2 Scene 4, focusing on tone, character, dramatic action and language.
Only but a million foolish actions have been made in the name of love. In Act 2 Scene 4 Shakespeare brings out the themes of a pastoral romance, as seen through the dialogue and tone of the scene. Shakespeare uses the characters to build on the absurdity, passion as well as foolishness of love, and at the same time, demonstrates the realities of the Forest of Arden, creating a sharp contrast between the typical pastoral romantic setting, and the atypical political issues of the Forest.
Shakespeare introduces the theme of Romance in As You Like It through the use of dialogue and language, illustrating the absurdity, humor, and foolishness of the love in this play. Silvius’ dramatic expression of love for ‘Phebe, Phebe, Phebe!’ is desperate and ridiculous. His proclamations of love are written in verse, as well as having a refrain, making his declaration so moving and romantic. However, the desperate tone of his words, making it seem as though no other man can match his love for his disdainful mistress. Silvius mentions that lovers make ‘many actions most ridiculous’, and it is through his conviction and declaration, that he says that if one has not done anything absurd in the name of love, ‘thou hast not loved’. Rosalind, recognizes and almost is kin to this frenetic kind of love. Shakespeare uses Touchstone’s parody of Silvius’ words to further emphasize the stupid things that people do in the name of love. Firstly, Touchstone’s words are written in prose, which contrasts to the serious verse of Silvius, his parody highlights the foolishness of love, and the foolish actions of lovers, saying the he himself ‘remember[s] the kissing of her batler, and the cows dugs’, as that is where her hands were. He basically says that all lovers are ‘mortal in folly’. Shakespeare not only uses Touchstone’s parody as a humorous play on words to build on the theme of love in the scene, but it is almost foreshadowing the events of the play, as Rosalind, who is almost as love struck as Silvius, will probably found doing foolish things in the name of her love for Orlando.