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Anyone with a working knowledge of Shakespeare's plays knows that As
You Like It is a light, airy comedy. It is clearly not one of
Shakespeare's greatest plays. As You Like It is more obscure than
famous. Even amongst the comedies it comes nowhere close to the
popularity of plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, or
Twelfth Night. That said, it is a treasure in its own right. This is
so, if for nothing else, because it contains one of the greatest
pictures of a woman to be found in Shakespeare's works, excluding the
Sonnets.
Ah, sweet Rosalind. In her are encapsulated so many ideas about the
nature of woman. She is first pictured in a rather faux-Petrarchan
manner. This quickly fades as an intelligent woman comes to the fore.
While the intelligence remains, she is also torn by the savage winds of
romantic love. Rosalind, in all her complexity and self-contradiction,
is a truly modern female character.
Most of the women in Shakespeare's tragedies and historical plays
are either window dressing (as in Julius Caesar) or woefully one-sided
(Ophelia, Lady Macbeth). This is not the case with Rosalind. Rather
than being marginalized, she is the focus of a good chunk of the play.
Instead of being static and [standard], she is a complex evolving
character.
When Rosalind first appears, she outwardly looks much like any other
lady of the court. She is a stunning beauty. She is much praised for
her virtue. Both of these elements factor in the Duke's decision to
banish or [do away with] her.
Rosalind falls in love immediately upon seeing Orlando. In this way
she at first seems to back up a typically courtly idea of "love at
first sight." Also, she initially seems quite unattainable to Orlando.
These are echoes of Petrarchan notions that proclaim love to be a
painful thing. This dynamic is stood on its head following her
banishment.
Rosalind begins to question the certainty of Orlando's affection.
She criticizes his doggerel when she finds it nailed to a tree. Rather
than wilting like some medieval flower, she puts into effect a plan.
She seeks to test the validity of her pretty-boy's love. In the guise
of a boy herself, she questions the deceived Orlando about his love.
Yet Rosalind is not always so assured. Her steadfastness is not cut
and dried. Composed in his presence, Rosalind melts the second Orlando
goes away. She starts spouting romantic drivel worthy of Judith Krantz.
Even her best friend Celia seems to tire of her love talk. This
hesitating, yet consuming passion is thrown into stark relief with her
crystal clear dealings with the unwanted advances of the shepherdess
Phebe.
Rosalind contradicts herself in taking the side of Silvius in his
pursuit of Phebe. She seeks to help Silvius win the love of Phebe
because of his endearing constancy. Yet the whole reason she tests
Orlando is the supposed inconstancy of men's affections.
This idea of Male inconstancy has made its way down to the present
day. Men are seen, in many circles, as basically incapable of fidelity.
Though a contradiction to her treatment of Silvius' cause, Rosalind's
knowing subscription to pessimistic views on the constancy of a man's
love places her on the same playing field as many modern women.
Rosalind takes charge of her own fate. Until and even during
Shakespeare's own time women largely were at the mercy of the men
around them. This is satirized in Rosalind's assuming the appearance of
a man. Yet she had taken charge of her life even before taking on the
dress and likeness of a man. She gives her token to Orlando. She
decides to go to the Forest. She makes the choice of appearing like a
man to ensure her safety and the safety of Celia.
Rosalind finally finds balance and happiness when she comes to love
not as a test or game, but as an equal partnership. Shakespeare is
clearly critiquing the contemporary notions of love in his day. His
play also condemns society's underestimation and marginalization of
women. However, the Bard's main point is more profound.
As You Like It makes it clear that the world is never picture
perfect, even when there are fairy-tale endings. Men and women both
fail. Love is the most important thing. With love all things are
possible.
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