The Description of Characters in the Play by Shakespeare - As You Like It - Assignment Example

Shakespeare, As You Like It 3 characters: Forest of Arden a negative and cynical (stemming from his idealism) Byronic Romantic Wail, for theworlds wrong!"); Jacques claims in his the famous speech (II vii) "All the worlds a stage, and all the men and the women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts,…." He is very cynical as he explains that the man at "his last stage he returns to an infant state "that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans taste, sans everything." Another incident of Jacques being negative is when he refers to two men giving each other compliments is like two apes being together (2,v, Jacques) "Why, tis good to be sad and say nothing" (4,I, Jacques). This is the essence of Jacques moodiness. Touchtone is cynical in a different way. As the court jester he is not taken seriously whereas his rhymes or jokes are brilliant. " Chastity alongside beauty is like having honey sweetened by adding sugar" 2) a Wordsworthian ("positive" and idealistic but rather naive) Romantic who refuses to see the "red in tooth and claw" aspect of Nature, only its purity and beauty; and Orlando is idealistic and naïve as he carves his poetry of love in trees across the forest. Who has heard of lessons in love. He has not taken his life in the forest as punishment other than missing Rosalind. Though Silvius is tortured by his love for Phebe, he claims "My love is holy and perfect" His outlook towards love is idealistic. 3) a Pragmatist/Utilitarian who assesses the situation realistically in terms of "whats in it for him" and "makes the best of a bad deal" for himself. Identify, by name, the characters in the play who fit the three descriptions, and, using events/specific actions and direct quotations from the play, explain why you believe the character you select fits the description.  Rosalind makes a pragmatic review of each situation and decides what is best for herself and goes accordingly. Upon being banished she decided with Celia "That I did suit me all points like a man? A gallant cural-axe upon my thigh, a boar-spear in my hand, and in my heart lie there what hidden womans fear there will, well have a swashing and a martial outside- as many other mannish cowards have that do outface it with their semblances".(Rosalind, I,v) She is also being cynical towards the cowardly man; and she is being negative that she has to carry her fear in her heart. (5) "The wiser a woman is the wilder" " "Fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of Nature." (1,ii,Rosalind) Celia starts out as naïve and idealistic until she realizes that her father, Duke Frederick, is serious about banishing her cousin from the lands. She becomes pragmatic. There is a complete role reversal. She assess what has to be done for both of them to leave. She wants to be a beggar but Rosalind shows her higher intelligence and explains that it would be too difficult for them and Celia should stay a girl and Rosalind the young man. 2. Difference between the Court and the Pastoral life in Elizabethan Time   Orlando claims that one does not need a courts education to claim royalty. "…the same tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us. I have as much of my father in me as you,…."( I,I, Orlando) "…Yet hes gentle, never schooled and yet learned, full of noble device of all sorts enchantingly beloved…." ( I,ii, Oliver) He was deprived of being educated and also accepted by his brother until the end of the play. He was of royal blood and Shakespeare made sure that his audience knew that royalty was not a question of acquisition but of birth right. Duke Senior compares the pastoral life to the court life."Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile, hath not old custom made this life more sweet than that of painted pomp?" (2,I,Duke Senior) He goes on to explain that the dangers of the woods are nothing to the pettiness of the Court. In the country, one can feel his true self without having to contend with the "counselors". "…Now in respect it is in the fields, it pleaseth me well: but in respect it is not in the court, it is tedious…." (3,ii,Touchstone) Comparing the two life styles shows the differences and pressure between the two life styles. Boredom was obvious in the country for someone who wasnt use to the vivacious lifestyle. Each main character who had fled to the country because of persecution came back to the courts. "The fool doth think he is wise; but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." (Touchstone, V, i)  He is having a conversation with the poor shepherd William who thinks of himself as wise. Touchstone confuses him further by comparing the boys love to a drink being poured into another vessel. Williams love is being poured in Touchstones cup and therefore no longer exist. He loses Audrey to the court jester. William has no say in the matter and Audrey is happy to have moved up in society. Touchstone confirms that Audrey is a virgin "Is it honest in deed and word?"(3,iii,Audrey) Had she been a poet, she could have hidden behind her poetry and been lying. He was referring to Court life. He goes on to talk about beauty and the metaphor of an "dishonest women being like meat on a dirty dish." Jacques has a moment with Touchstone in Act III where "and will you, being a man of your breeding, be married under a bush like a beggar? Get to church, and have a good priest that can tell you what marriage is…(3,iii) He had wanted to marry Audrey with the Vicar. Rosalind pursues Olivier by making him confirm his love to her by expressing it to Ganymede. He says in the last Act that Ganymede resembled her brother. Through much of the play, we see her intelligence and the demand on being precisely on time as a test of his desire to be with his bride to be. Only when she is confronted with Phebes rude letter expressing her love towards Ganymede does she come up with a ruse to comit Phebe to a promise to Silvius. The whole game was brilliant. Duke Senior promised Olivier a dowry which was not done in Pastoral Elizabethan times. Silvius had fallen in love with Phebe. They both were shepards. She was rude, and horrible to Silvius. It was most unusual that she even knew how to read and write. Marriage proposals were made between couples as a form of attraction and not arrangement. It adds to Jacques explanation between Fortune and Nature. "The fool doth think he is wise; but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." (Touchstone, V, i) William considered himself wise when he had no knowledge of life other than being with his sheep. He convinced Audrey that because William wasnt wise he therefore he must be a fool. If he is a fool, Audrey must marry Touchstone. 3 Celia having the emotional strength to leave her fathers home with Rosalind is an attribute to Shakespeare. Having them both travel to the Forest of Arden shows the utopic part of the play as a woman would not have been banished by herself. Upon being banished from the courts, she decided with Celia that the only way to run away was to dress as hunters. Celia did prose as beggars but they were not strong enough. "That I did suit me all points like a man? A gallant cural-axe upon my thigh, a boar-spear in my hand, and in my heart lie there what hidden womans fear there will, well have a swashing and a martial outside- as many other mannish cowards have that do outface it with their semblances".(1,v, Rosalind) There is much question if Oliver already knew who Ganymede was really but he could do nothing until her father gave her away. Allowing her such liberty shows her power and strength. Dressed as a man permitted her to own property, travel by herself and to work. Rosalind appears in the epilogue when it was not usually done. She talks about good wine and she talks first to the women as though she is a man and then to the men as though she is a woman. 4. Explore evidence of Shakespeares sense of humor or "playfulness," citing particular incidents and examples of action and direct quotations from the play.  Id there were epilogues, they were not done by a woman. Shakespeare was playing with the audience to Rosalinds sexualities throughout the whole play: her feelings for Celia, her love for Orlando as a man. Her teaching him lessons in love and her love for him as a women. In the epilogue, she makes reference that men like to see men as much as they like to see women referring to the tendency of cross dressing. "And your experience makes you sad: I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad; and to travel for it too!"(Rosalind, IV,i). She is laughing at Jacques who is complaining about being sad and cynical. "Men have died ... and worms have eaten them, but not for love." (Rosalind, IV, i)She has taken power over Orlando as he said he is going to die from love; She said that no one has ever died from being in love in the existence of mankind. Shakespeare goes on to laugh about young love when Orlando responds by saying that her frown will kill him…… Both these two situations happened while the three of them were still in the royal court. Orlando and Rosalind had not yet been banished. Humor and womens intelligence are intertwined as humor is a social phenomena. 4. Explore evidence of Shakespeares sense of humor or "playfulness," citing particular incidents and examples of action and direct quotations from the play. Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love: and thou, thrice crowned queen of night, survey with thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above…Rosalind! these trees shall be my books and in their barks my thoughts Ill character…" (3,ii,Orlando) He starts the act with a piece of paper. Just before their meeting Rosalind is bothered by what he writes as she says it is bad poetry. He doesnt know she has come to Arden. Touchstone is as his name speaks at different levels. Each verse can be touched on the outside or studied to be understood. The dialogue between the shepherd Corin and Touchstone about having been in court. "Because Corin had never been in court, he was damned " (3,ii, Touchstone) He goes on to explain that only in court can manners be learned and without manners, one only commits sin and thus one is damned. He goes on to give his reasons using the example that if one kisses hands as one does. "Men have died ... and worms have eaten them, but not for love." (Rosalind, IV, i) She is still dressed as Ganymede when she says it is impossible to die for love. Orlando says the contrary and the scene is quite funny as he is convince that he (she) is wrong. She is logical and is teasing him. Read More