As You Like It Comment Discussion - Book Report/Review Example

'As You Like It' by William Shakespeare (1599). A Discussion on the Comment: "Success in love requires some s to transformation, with a richer, stronger self resulting in the end." From the court and its party politics, the powerful and the greedy, to the forest of Arden and its natural freedoms, the exiled and dispossessed, As You Like It, with its pastoral, magical potential, opens up a realm of comedic possibilities. With numerous strange but believable encounters between characters who, in 'normal' circumstances, would have no point of contact, Shakespeare explores the aspects of love, portraying a "series of accidental meetingsand a resolution involving implausible transformations of character and divine intervention." (Johnston, 5, 2001). That such transformations were implausible could be argued, despite the most obvious female to male transformation of Rosalind to Ganymede; she could be considered as the prime mover and manipulator. Were she a modern day 'Agony Aunt', her total grasp of love and reality would be instrumental in effecting those transformations that enriched the many lovers she 'advised'. No matter what or who else changed, Rosalind stayed her own funny, sensible, realistic, intelligent and integrated self, a great heroine. She epitomised the words in Sonnet 116 thus: "Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O, no: It is an ever-fixed mark, That looks on tempests, and is never shaken." (l. 2-6) The discussion that follows aims to support the contention that while transformation was necessary for some lovers involved, and did indeed strengthen and enrich them, without Rosalind, this would not have occurred; she was a major catalyst. As the most vital and important character, Rosalind's love and circumstances deserve to be examined first. Though living on sufferance and in sadness, she had wit and intellect, and her strength of character was evident in the common sense expediency of her response to banishment. "Were it not better Because I am more than common tall, That I did suit me all points like a man" (Act 1, Sc. 3, v. 116-118) Even after falling in love with Orlando, she did not lose her essential, realistic intelligence and the real Rosalind, her affections engaged, remained. The love at first sight was mutual, but Shakespeare's Rosalind/Ganymede showed how real, unsentimental true love, transferable over time and place, was more valuable than the silly, stylised concepts that Orlando first held. He was a figure of ridicule, dashing about pinning up poems and defacing the trees with his awful verses. Rosalind, Celia, Touchstone, Jacques, all laughed at his efforts, and Rosalind's ploy to 'cure' him was a way to enlighten him as to the realities of true love, showing him how insincere he appeared. She told him that he seemed "as loving yourself than seeming the lover of any other" (Act 3 Sc. 2 v. 401) Once the wooing was agreed, Rosalind's power was established. Though elements of homoeroticism are often quoted with regard to Orlando's attraction to Ganymede (Johnston, 2001) and his willingness to engage with the boy as 'Rosalind': "Fair youth, I would I could make thee believe I love (Act 3, Sc.2, v. 402), a personal interpretation suggests that on a subliminal level, Orlando recognised Rosalind and acceptance of her 'cure' was an opportunity to woo her. The mock wedding poked more fun at Orlando's pretentious approach and allowed Rosalind to explain the real meaning of love. She thus expressed her philosophy while moving him towards a mature understanding, the beginning of his transformation. "men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love." (Act 4, Sc. 5, v. 109) In driving home the message further, she caused him to question his beliefs in Romantic love, with the ideas of swooning and dying for the beloved, and to look at the reality she believed in. "..men are April when they woo, December when they wed; maids are May, when they are maids, but the sky changes whey they are wives.." (Act 4, Sc. 5, v. 145-147) His response to this and what followed, "But will my Rosalind do so" (v. 158) and "O, but she is wise." (v. 160), illustrated his progress in understanding love from a different perspective. Rosalind was not cynical, she wanted him to see how real love developed and altered, hoping they would be together, for she did love him; he needed to be able to love outside the artificial situation of Arden forest. Had he not matured, it was doubtful that Rosalind would have taken him for a husband. She saw his potential, found a way to lead him to transformation and helped him gain emotional maturity. Rosalind/Ganymede's influence was vital in effecting a solution for Silvius and Phebe. He, reflecting literary convention, subservient and willing to die, was weakened by such perceptions and unrealistic sentimentality. He told Phebe: "Then shall you know the wounds invisible That love's keen arrows make" (Act 3, Sc. 5, v.30) Phebe, harsh, arrogant, and besotted with Ganymede, responded, "Come not near me" (v.31). Rosalind's advice to both could be translated to the 21st century, if anyone dared to be so sensible and straight talking, as "You need to look at yourselves and change if you want things to improve." She advised Silvius: "You are a thousand times a proper man than she a woman" (Act 3, Sc. 5 v.51-52) and for Phebe, some honest home truths: "But, mistress, know yourself: down on your knees, And thank Heaven, fasting for a good man's love; For I must tell you friendly in your ear, Sell when you can: You are not for all markets." (v. 57-60) This could be offensive in the context of feminist ideology, but not in the reality of male/female relationships in Elizabethan society. If applied to similar relationship situations, where arrogance belittles another's feelings, then Rosalind's advice was timeless. She manipulated Phebe's infatuation towards an appreciation of Silvius, and urged him to take some control of his life, to be stronger. The resulting changes in both led to their marriage, probably with more equality involved. With regard to the witty, verbose, honest and engaging Touchstone, another aspect of love, lust in fact, was portrayed. He, the sophisticated court jester, became the butt of others' humour in falling in love with the apparently simple, and plain Audrey, winning her from William. "I will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways: therefore tremble and depart" (Act 5, Sc. 1, v.59-60) He had told Rosalind, with a degree of realism matching her own: "We that are true lovers run into strange capers, but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly." (Act 2, Sc. 3, v. 57-58) His motivation for wanting Audrey showed a blatant disregard for fidelity, and this was expressed succinctly when Sir Oliver Mar Text was to perform their wedding: "..I were better to be married of him than of another, for his is not like to marry me well; and not being well married, it will be a good excuse to leave my wife." (Act 3, Sc. 3, v. 91-94) The many references to 'horns' were expressions of his expectations of being cuckolded as a married man, Touchstone's realistic perceptions, but his desire for Audrey drove him to accept marriage and take what would come. Rosalind's input to Touchstone's transformation was subtle, his respect and loyalty may have influenced his change of heart, for he too expressed love towards the simple country girl. No doubt, her life would change for the better when they left the forest, and however short the union, there would be plenty of fun involved. Touchstone really seemed to value Audrey, for what she was, as he told Duke Senior: "a poor virgin, sir, an ill-favoured thing sir, but mine own;rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir in a poor house; as your pearl in your foul oyster." (Act 5, Sc. 4, v. 52-61) This reflected something of Rosalind's philosophy, that outward appearances and superficial sentimentality are no substitute for realistic, intelligent understanding of another person. Because Touchstone remained fully aware of Ganymede's real identity, he was always cognizant of her true feelings and persona; this is possibly why he was transformed to a more gentle, less mocking partner for Audrey. Oliver and Celia's love at first sight echoed that of Orlando and Rosalind's. This could be interpreted as implausible, as mentioned earlier, were it not for the impact of Rosalind's experiences and the sensible, believable possibilities she created. That love transformed Oliver, together with Orlando saving him from the lion, from a greedy elder brother into a more humble and humane individual. "I love Aliena; say with her that she loves me; consent with both that we may enjoy each other: it shall be to your good; for my father's house and all the revenue that was old Sir Rowland's will I estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd." (Act 5, Sc. 1, v. 8-12) Not every character succumbed to her influence or appreciation of life in all its variety. Jacques stayed melancholy, a man standing on the outside looking at everyone and everything from a bitter and cynical viewpoint. His loss, in that respect, and those negative elements in his character, were encompassed in Rosalind's words to him in Act 4, Sc. 1: "You have great reason to be sad.." (v. 24) "then to have seen much, and to have nothing is to have rich eyes and poor hands." (v. 27-28) Jacques' pessimism and denial of life were the antithesis of Rosalind's joyous approach. As in The Rose, a 20th century love song, Rosalind would recognize Jacques as: "The one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give, And the soul afraid of dying, that never learns to live" (Midler, 1993) Jacques removed himself intellectually and physically from life, withdrawing from the wedding celebrations, unwilling to engage with humanity. His final words, though honest, by his own philosophy, seemed to grudge happiness to others. He presents a contrast and highlights the point that the lovers, through transformation, had gained something richer in life than he. [To Orlando] "You have a love that your true faith doth merit" [To Oliver] "You to your land and love and great allies." [To Silvius] "You to a long and well-deserved bed" [To Touchstone] "And you to wrangling; for thy loving voyage is but for two months victuall'd" (Act 5, Sc. 4 v. 192-196) According to his own melancholy perceptions, he identified the priorities of the men, significantly offering no comments to the women. Fortunately, Duke Senior had the last word, reflecting the success of the machinations of Rosalind, his daughter. Jacques omission of the women highlighted the gender differences. It has often been considered that without the gender change and disguise, Rosalind would not have had the freedom or power to exert her influence; becoming a man was an important enabling factor. According to Clough (2006), "The cross-dressed heroine can experience freedom and access to levels of society through her male disguise, that are not available to her when she is dressed as a female." Oddly, Oliver addressed Ganymede as Rosalind on first meeting her, without thinking, suggesting again that subliminal recognition. But the play was not about deep psychological exploration, rather a celebration of love, humour, and happy endings, more a fairy tale than a journey of deep, soul-searching angst. Shakespeare in the Epilogue, told us that the play was for both sexes to enjoy, as the boy actor, playing the woman, who played a man, clarified: "I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to mean, to like as much of this play as please you: and I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women.that between you and the women the play may please." The double meaning of 'play' not only referred to what had just been presented, but to the play between the sexes, and to the way of the world, as seen in the Forest of Arden, and beyond its confines. Again, there is inference that love is acceptable in many guises, and that heterosexual love is not all there is, there are many varieties of loving and pleasure in living, and it is available, any way you want it, or As You Like It. There was no doubt that to achieve success in love, changes were required. The results appeared to be both beneficial and enriching to those who were willing to transform themselves. Orlando grew to maturity and won not just the woman he loved, but the respect and material riches he deserved from his brother. Oliver saw the errors of his previous life, becoming less greedy and superficial, loving Aliena when he believed she had nothing, and willing to forgo all his material possessions to live with her. Celia too found love, and possibly more independence of spirit than she displayed with Rosalind. Silvius stopped being so weak and unrealistic, made a stand and won the heart of Phebe, who lost some of her arrogance, and looked at her situation and her self with more realistic awareness. Touchstone, while assuaging his lust, actually came to look below the surface and find that not everything grand and sophisticated was valuable. Audrey would have her horizons widened as she experienced life at court, no doubt learning a great deal from Touchstone. But without the intrinsically honest and intelligent realism of Rosalind, the prime mover, none of this would have occurred. She was truly a great heroine. Works Cited Clough, Barbara. "As You Like It: Shakespeare's Cross-Dressed Heroine" Sheffield Theatres Education Resource. 2006. 10 July 2007 Johnston, Ian. "Variations on a Theme of Love: An Introduction to As You Like It. Lectures, Studies in Shakespeare. 2001. 9 July 2007. http://www.mala.bc.ca//johnston/eng366/lectures/Ayl.htm Midler, Bette. The Rose. Atlantic, 1993. Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. London 1599. Penguin Shakespeare: London 2005. Eds. Oliver, H. J., Spencer, T. J. B., and Duncan-James, K. Shakespeare, William. Sonnet 116 - Let me not to the marriage of true minds.. 1609. The Illustrated Stratford Shakespeare: London: Chancellor Press: 1982. Read More