As You Like It

"As you like it" is a romantic comedy. It is full of sunshine, love, laughter, and song. The predominant mood of the play is one of cheerfulness, light-hearted gaiety, and laughter. It is a pure and fun romantic comedy. It revolves around two plots. One centers on hatred and the other centers on love. The outcome of both plots reveals that love is all-important, whether it is brotherly love or romantic love.

The play depicts romantic love at its best. Here I discuss the character of Lady Rosalind - the daughter of Duke Senior and the heroine of the play. She displays wit, intelligence, and alertness all through the play. She recognizes life's difficulties but holds fast to a positive attitude that is kind, playful, and, above all, wise.

Rosalind's uncle has seized her father and has banished him to the forest of Arden. Therefore, when she is banished by Duke Frederick, she goes with Celia in search of her father under the disguise of Ganymede (a young man). All along the way Rosalind acts as best as a girl could in a man's disguise, and supports Celia till she can act no longer. Here she finds her lover Orlando, who wanders through the forest hanging love verses to Rosalind. She finds these verses, and, pretending to be a male (Ganymede), allows Orlando to practice his wooing with her. She performs her share of carping, but also attacks the overwhelming over-romanticism of Orlando's love. Rosalind's lessons to Orlando are meant to make him respect that "sour rind," not to put his love on a pedestal for worship. Her disguised love-play is not merely a game with hapless Orlando, but an education: he must care enough to keep his promises and appointments, and respect her enough to speak as well as kiss.

Rosalind is an interesting character to focus on. I feel that she is a tough and complex woman yet she is able to show a sense of vulnerability to the audience by being affected by Orlando's insignificant tardiness as well as being faint at the sight of blood. This gives her a more human and endearing quality that enables the audience to see her as a real woman with faults and vulnerabilities...or a less masculine man. Shakespeare was able to give her qualities that most women want without going to the extremes. She is neither too tough nor too feminine. She is a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it yet she is able to expose a more subtle side to herself.