Rosalind goes too far in using the power of disguise to be an admirable heroine. - Explain how Rosalind was presented in the play. - Comment on how far you find her to be a satisfactory character.
"Rosalind goes too far in using the power of disguise to be an admirable heroine." - Explain how Rosalind was presented in the play. - Comment on how far you find her to be a satisfactory character. Rosalind is introduced into 'As You Like It' whilst she is in the throes of mourning for her banished father, and seeks solace in her best friend Celia. This immediate, emotive introduction into the play means the audience empathises with her character. This is an obvious starting point for Rosalind to go on to become a liked character, even a heroine. The audience is familiarised with Rosalind over the next few scenes, in which she meets and falls for Orlando. She is portrayed as an emotional yet strong character, with romantic tendencies and lively qualities. However, when Duke Frederick banishes Rosalind after being reminded of his malice for her family when he discovers Orlando's father was Sir Roland De Boys, her true character emerges as she sets off bravely into the forest accompanied by Celia. She decides that they should dress in disguises for their own safety, and Rosalind adopts the persona of a male named Ganymede. It is said by some critics that this decision shows Rosalind's valiance; instead of despairing at being banished, she acts rapidly and wisely. In her new disguise as Ganymede, Rosalind adopts a manly, rustic courage, as though she were indeed
Is Rosalind the perfect heroine?
Is Rosalind the perfect heroine? "As You Like It", is yet another Shakespearian play that pities nature against civilisation, masculinity against femininity, idealism against cynicism, youth against age, child against parent, time against timelessness, and love against hate. It's both a gentle, pastoral comedy of love, and a dark and sexually ambiguous comment on gender construction. Rosalind as a character is both a heroine and a portrayal of feminism. The evolution of feminine identity within a patriarchal system of power informs both the setting and characterization of this play. Rosalind dominates the play. As the audience we fully realise the complexity of her character. We understand her emotions, her subtle thoughts, and the fullness of her character that no other character in the play can match. She is successful as a knowledgeable and charming critic of herself and others "I would give him some good counsel for himself, for he seems to have the quotidian of love above him." The definition of a heroine looked up in a dictionary is: a woman possessing heroic qualities or a woman who has performed heroic deeds. This definition can be subjective however depending on the context and the time in which the heroine's character was portrayed. The definition of a heroine changes and evolves over time which is why what a modern audience would class a heroine
In What Ways is 'As You Like It' a Typical Shakespearean Comedy?
In What Ways is 'As You Like It' a Typical Shakespearean Comedy? Shakespeare is famous for his great comedies and tragedies. Comedy and tragedy are two different viewpoints on the same situation. A scenario may be viewed as either comic or tragic, depending on how the person dictating the situation wants the audience to see it, and how successful they are. Shakespeare wanted his audiences to view As You Like It as a comedy, and therefore has interwoven elements of Shakespearean comedy throughout this play. These elements included the use of a jesting clown, songs, masques, tension and surprise, disguise, verbal/visual humour and, of course, a happy ending. Touchstone, the clown, never fully develops as a character and tends to remain a comical theatrical convenience. He is intriguing and puzzling because his occasional shrewdness and his professional skills, which consist largely of putting up a façade of pseudo-scholarship, seems to contradict his simplicity. He is ignorant of what marriage is, but he knows about 'honest Ovid' being expelled to be 'among the Goths' in Act 3 Scene 3. His satire on duelling delights Jacques by its aptness and provokes the Duke to observe that he uses his folly as a stalking horse and under cover of it shoots his wit. His successes are the 'squandering glances of the fool' or, as Rosalind puts it, he speaks wiser than he is ware of.
Celia’s Role In “As You Like It”
Ragu N Sittambalam - 11J Celia's Role In "As You Like It" 24:11:01 In "As You Like It", Celia takes the role of the daughter of Duke Fredrick and companion of Rosalind. Rosalind lives with her as Duke Fredrick banished Rosalind's father, Duke Senior to the Forest of Arden. Growing up together Rosalind and Celia have a bond, which surpasses normal cousins, they have a sisterly love and as a result are much closer. Celia is an intelligent woman who is always engaged in witty conversations with Rosalind. Love does not grace her until she meets Orlando's brother, Oliver. Though a main character, Celia is not the main focus of the play. She acts as more of a supporting role to Rosalind but is important as she is a key person and though she does not bring people together like Rosalind does, she does show the more mature side of the Rosalind, Celia duo. In Act One when they are both introduced. With each other in the court, Celia is comforting Rosalind as she misses her father, Duke Senior, who was banished to the Forest of Arden. This in itself is an example of Celia supporting Rosalind with lines like: CELIA: I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry. Therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry. She plays games with Rosalind throughout the play. Not necessarily in the way that she runs rings around her and leave Rosalind confused and dazed, but both compete in
Forest life changes the characters in As you like it, do you agree?
'Forest life changes the characters in As you like it', do you agree? In Shakespeare's As you like it, we find the characters attempting to escape the court. What they specifically are escaping from are the 'briars' of the 'working day world'. The imagery of briar bushes specifically enacts a form of entanglement; that the world of the court is entrapping and the people in it are reflected as such. What is 'comely envenoms him that bears it', highlighting a reverse polarisation of morality, that what is good is a hindrance in the world of the court. This is paralleled by what Touchstone (who represents the court as a jester, whom were always in the service of the court) says; 'The sweetest nut hath the sourest rind'. Indeed, the usurper is viewed as the rightful ruler of the court whereas the rightful ruler is branded an outlaw. So the characters escape to the forest in order to cleanse themselves of 'th'infected world' (Playing upon the previous mention of 'envenoms' as a form of physical affliction that requires cathartic release). One can argue that the characters do respond to the forest, and their characters change as such. One particularly significant example is how Shakespeare constructs the forest as a place of alternative knowledge; Duke Senior finds that the 'winds are his councillors' and that the 'trees shall be my (his) books', that they find 'sermons in
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,
English Shakespeare
Explore Shakespeare's presentation of love in "As You Like It" By Daniel Pears Love has always been a foremost feature of the plays written by William Shakespeare and "As You Like It" is no exception with love regularly being represented throughout the play in a variety of ways. Just like in Shakespeares other works "As You Like It" is also broken down in to a main plot, which is then accompanied by smaller sub-plots that are scattered thorughout the play. Shakerspeare along with the play "As You Like It" skillfully uses these plots well to demonstrate various types of love. One variety of love that Shakespeare anylyses deeply is that of courtly love, whose ideas featured heavily around the fact that love brings suffering and agony to the lover and the theory that the male lover is controlled by his mistress to whom he must adhere to. Courtly Love had become a popular subject to write about during Shakespeare's Elizabethan period and was also strongly evident in english literature for centuries previously. The concept of pastoral romance is also expressed in "As You Like It" , in which characters in rural countryside areas appear to act freely and joyfully , and this causes relationships to revel successfully and contently. In other words Pastoral romance seems to betray the countryside in stories as some sort of catalyst speeding up the progress and success of
Character study of Rosalind from As You Like It.
Michael Gallagher AP English Literature Ms. Garforth August 31, 2004 Rosalind, throughout William Shakespeare's As You Like It, uses her ability to control language to attain her goals. Using creative speech, Rosalind enables herself to control and manipulate every situation that she is involved with, especially those concerning Orlando and Phoebe. Rosalind dominates many scenes in As You Like It and, ultimately, everything that Rosalind wants to occur does. She even changes her identity to do so. By using ingenious language, Rosalind facilitates the accomplishment of all of her objectives throughout the play. The first situation in which Rosalind displays her dominance in language is in the Forest of Ardenne, disguised as Ganymede, a male. She, knowing that Orlando is yearning for her love, comments on his obvious unrequited love, saying, "Then there is no true lover in the forest; else sighing every minute and groaning every hour would detect the lazy for of time as well as a clock." (111) By implying that Orlando's love is not true love, she immediately inspires Orlando to prove her wrong. Orlando, becoming a little suspicious, inquires why her accent is not rough as a result of her living in the secluded forest her entire life. She retorts almost immediately with an elaborate story in which she states, "But indeed and old religious uncle of mine taught me
Discuss how successfully the dramatic device of disguise is used in ‘As You Like It.’
Discuss how successfully the dramatic device of disguise is used in 'As You Like It.' In 'As You Like It', the dramatic device of disguise is very important, because of the dramatic opportunities it presents. Shakespeare opens two opportunities: the characters can say what they would otherwise be unable to say, and hear what they would otherwise be unable to hear. The main character who uses disguise is Rosalind, although Celia does too, to a lesser extent. We first see these two characters in Act I Scene 2. In this scene, we find out background information of the characters, for example that Rosalind's father, the Duke, was banished. We also see Orlando and Rosalind fall in love, after they meet for the first time at the wrestling match in the gardens of the palace. Rosalind gives Orlando her necklace, giving him a sign that she has fallen in love with him. Rosalind: Wear this for me, Rosalind: Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrown More than your enemies. Orlando also admits to himself that he has fallen in love with her, but gives no indication of such to Rosalind, as he remained silent. Orlando: What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue? I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference. O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown! In Act I Scene 3, Rosalind admits to Celia how much she loves Orlando, and that she is not merely 'playing' at falling in
Character Studies of Rosalind & Celia (As You Like It - Shakespeare).
Character Studies of Rosalind & Celia Rosalind Rosalind's function in the plot of As You Like It is vital. Once circumstances have driven all the major characters to the Forest of Arden, Rosalind either causes or contributes to all the major conflicts. It is she who resolves them all in the end. She's a complex and deeply human character. In Act I, you are first struck by her wit as she and Celia joke about such subjects as love and luck. At the same time, Shakespeare reminds you that Rosalind is an outsider, even in the court where she has grown up. Her father, the rightful duke, has been exiled. Although Rosalind misses him terribly, she will laugh and joke for her friend Celia's sake. Rosalind has the ability to rise above her own deeply felt emotions. Her love for Orlando makes her feel as giddy as any lovesick adolescent. (Look at her excitement when she learns that Orlando is in the forest.) She could easily surrender to the temptation to run around reciting poetry and swearing to die for love. Instead, she administers a love cure to Orlando that makes both of them stand back and take a good look at how ridiculous many conventional attitudes toward love really are. Thus, she avoids confusing the "idea of love" with love itself. She is also remarkably clever. She makes up the love cure on the spot and quickly invents an uncle and a magician to justify the stories