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As you like it

As You Like Itis apastoralcomedybyWilliam Shakespearebelieved to have been written in 1599 orearly 1600 and first published in theFirst Folio, 1623.

.As You Like Itfollows its heroineRosalindas she flees persecution in her uncle's court,

accompanied by her cousinCeliaand Touchstone the court jester, to find safety and eventually, love,

in theForest of Arden. Historically, critical response has varied, with some critics finding the work of

lesser quality than other Shakespearean works and some finding the play a work of great merit.

The play features one of Shakespeare's most famous and oft-quoted speeches, "All the world's a

stage", and is the origin of the phrase "too much of a good thing". The play remains a favourite among

audiences and has been adapted for radio, film, and musical theatre.

The play is set in aduchyin France, but most of the action takes place in a location called the Forestof Arden.

Character sketches:

Rosalind: Rosalind dominatesAs You Like It. So fully realized is she in the complexity of her

emotions, the subtlety of her thought, and the fullness of her character that no one else in the play

matches up to her. With boldness and imagination, she disguises herself as a young man for the

majority of the play in order to woo the man she loves and instruct him in how to be a more

accomplished, attentive lover.

Orlando: Orlando has a brave and generous spirit, Time and again, Orlando performs tasks that

reveal his nobility and demonstrate why he is so well-loved. In the beginning of the play, he lamentsthat his brother has denied him the schooling deserved by a gentleman, but by the end, he has

proven himself a gentleman without the formality of that education.

Celia: The daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalinds dearest friend. Celias devotion to Rosalind is

unmatched, as evidenced by her decision to follow her cousin into exile. To make the trip, Celia

assumes the disguise of a simple shepherdess and calls herself Aliena. She marries oliver at the end

of the play, Celia possesses a loving heart, but is prone to deep, almost excessive emotions.\

Oliver: Oliver is a loveless young man who begrudges his brother, Orlando, a gentlemans education.

He admits to hating Orlando without cause or reason and goes to great lengths to ensure his brothers

downfall. When Duke Frederick employs Oliver to find his missing brother, Oliver finds himself living in

despair in the Forest of Ardenne, where Orlando saves his life. This makes him a better and a loving

person.

Duke senior: The father of Rosalind and the rightful ruler of the dukedom in which the play is set.

Having been banished by his usurping brother, Frederick, Duke Senior now lives in exile in the Forest

of Ardenne with a number of loyal men, including Lord Amiens and Jaques. Duke Senior proves

himself to be a kind and fair-minded ruler.

Duke Frederick: Duke Fredericks cruel nature and volatile temper are displayed when he banishes

his niece, Rosalind, from court without reason. Frederick mounts an army against his exiled brother

but aborts his vengeful mission after he meets an old religious man on the road to the Forest of

Ardenne. He immediately changes his ways, dedicating himself to a monastic life and returning the

crown to his brother proving that humans can change for the better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastoralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastoralhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearean_comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearean_comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearean_comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Foliohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Foliohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Foliohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Ardenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Ardenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Ardenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Ardenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_(As_You_Like_It)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Foliohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearean_comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastoral

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Touchstone: Touchstone is brilliant he's insightful about human nature and has a quick wit. He's

most notable for his incredible ability with words; he loves to twist any argument and nitpick over any

little thing. He is also in the habit of driving his listeners to frustration if they're not as sharp as he is,

and goodness knows the man can belabor a point.So Touchstone provides a few good laughs.

Works of Shakespeare: