as-you-like-it

AsYouLikeItisapastoralcomedybyWilliamShakespeare,anditisalsoconsideredtobeoneofthemostfamouscomediesamongShakespeare’sworks.Inthiscomedy,therearethreeplots:FrederickhasusurpedtheDuchyandexiledhisolderbrother,DukeSenior;latelyFrederickbecomesangryandbanishesTheDuke'sdaughterRosalindfromcourt,soFrederick'sdaughterCeliaandRosalinddecidetofleetogetheraccompaniedbythejesterTouchstone;Orlando,ayounggentlemanofthekingdomwhohasfalleninloveatfirstsightofRosalind,isforcedtofleehishomeafterbeingpersecutedbyhisolderbrother,Oliver.ThenallthemainpositivecharactersmeetintheArcadianForestofArden,wheretheexiledDukelivesafterbeingexiled.Andintheend,theresolutionofthedramaticprobleminthewarpedattitudesoftwoevilbrotherstowardgoodbrothers,andrelatedobstaclestomarriageforseveralcouplesintheplay(mostnotablyRosalindandOrlando)areeasilyovercome,andahappyendingisneverindoubt.Ononelevel,theplaywasclearlyintendedbyShakespeareasasimple,divertingamusement;severalscenesinAsYouLikeItareessentiallyskitsmadeupofsongsandjokingbanter.Thus,criticalresponseofthiscomedyhasvaried,withsomecriticsfindingtheworkoflesserqualitythanotherShakespeareanworksandsomefindingtheplayaworkofgreatmerit.However,onasomewhatdeeperlevel,theplayprovidesopportunitiesforitsmaincharacterstodiscussahostofsubjects(love,aging,thenaturalworld,anddeath)fromtheirparticularpointsofview.IthinkthatwasquitedistinctfromShakespeare’sothergreatworks.Andwhat'smore,ShakespearecreatedanidealworldwithharmoniousinterpersonalrelationshipsinAsYouLikeIt,whichwerewhathewasalwayslookingforwardto:inonebeautifulforestofEngland--ArcadianForestofArden,menlivestherefreelyandhappily.Thereisnoriskycourtfullofsuspicion;thereisnoenemyandjealousy;thereisonlysincerelovebetweenRosalindandOrlando;thereisonlytruefriendshipbetweenCeliaandRosalind;thereisonlyAdam’sloyaltytohismasterOrlando;thereisonlykindnessandwisdominDukeSeniorandhisfollowers.Inall,Shakespearedescribedthesepositivecharacterstocriticizethefalsefriendship,frivolousloveandselfishnessinreallife.Inthiscomedy,Shakespeareexpressedhisopinionthatgoodcanconverteviltogood，forthewisdomofgoodnaturescandefeatallthedifficulties.ThisiswhatIseefromRosalind.RosalindmustbeoneofthemostlovelyandintelligentheroininShakespeare’sworks.Shespeakshumorousandclassicalwords;forinstancemenhavediedfromtimetotime,andwormshaveeatenthembutnotforlove….ShetransformshisfuturehusbandOrlandobyeducatinghimuntilhewonderfullyyetratherlightlyprotests:”Icanlivenolongerbythinking.”Allinall,shealwaysholdsfasttoapositiveattitudeandcontrolsherlifebyherself.Iamquiteimpressedbyherwisdomandherbenignrealism.Inall,AsYouLikeItisastockromanticcomedy;itarousespeople’shopeforvirtueandbeauty.ItdenotestherestorationandregenerationofsocietythroughtheaffirmationofcertainChristianvaluessuchasbrotherlylove,maritalunion,tolerancefordifferentviewpoints,andoptimismaboutlifeatlarge.