Shakespeare creates dramatic patterns by making characters equivalent or contrasting in As You Like it to craete dramatic action
by
njerimuhia (student)
Njeri Muhia
Mrs. Muthama
Literature
Shakespeare creates Dramatic patterns by making characters equivalent or contrasting in dramatic functions.
CHARACTERS: Oliver and Duke Fredrik
There are characteristics that individual’s share that lead them to make similar decisions and actions, and in the parallelism that Shakespeare uses in As You Like It, characters are almost identical in personality and action in the play. Duke Frederick’s and Oliver’s characterization is profoundly similar, both characters being villainous tyrants as well as avaricious and devious, this equivalency further strengthens theme of darkness and greed in the play, and creates patterns in their personal relations.
The villainous and treacherous personalities of Duke Frederick and Oliver are what Shakespeare uses to emphasize the themes of greed, usurpation and deception. These characters are closely interlinked and by having them be equivalent only shows how dominant these themes are to the play as well as illustrate Shakespeare’s subtle intention of highlighting his own dark perception of society at the time. When the audience is first introduced to Oliver, it becomes clear that he is a hostile character, ‘His horses are bred better’ than his own younger brother. Furthermore, his dark nature is further described when he has no real reason for hating Orlando, yet he ‘hates nothing more than he’. Having no real reason to despise his brother, Oliver is the archetypal stock villain who has no other purpose than to commit be evil and commit evil deeds. This is further emphasized in his soliloquies, which captures his true emotions. Similarly, Duke Frederick is a vindictive character that has taken over the court and reigns with injustice. His tyranny is seen with his raging commands and wishes, asking for Orlando to be brought or him ‘dead or living’, Duke Frederick shows the darkness of the court and his close similarity to Oliver also connects the house to this same villainy. Shakespeare uses these two wicked brothers to sharply contrast to Arden, to make it clear to the audience that Arden is another world free from the cruelty and harsh treatment they represent.
