Description
As You Like It is one of William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedies and also one of the author’s comedies most frequently staged today.The first act starts with Rosalind, the heroine of the play escaping from his uncle’s court to avoid being prosecuted because her father, the Duke Senior was exiled by his usurper brother. Rosalind has been allowed to stay at the court because she is the best friend of Celia, the usurper’s only child, but the two young ladies decide to run away accompanied by Touchstone, the court fool. The two ladies travel disguised – Rosalind as the young and beautiful Ganymede and Celia as an old woman – and they wish to find Rosalind’s father who has found refuge in the Forest of Arden.As a separate line of events, Orlando, a young courtier in love with Rosalind is also forced to run away from the court. While wandering in the forest, disguised Rosalind meets Orlando who tells his new acquaintance about his feelings for the girl and Rosalind tries to convince him to let those feelings go.Other characters appear in the forest, too, including a shepherdess called Phoebe who falls in love with Ganymede-Rosalind and another shepherdess called Audrey, fancied by Touchstone. By the end of the play, all the disguises are dropped, all the mistakes are corrected and everybody finds happy love. The usurper also repents and the legitimate duke can occupy his throne again.As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s most debated plays. Many critics consider it a comedy lacking in the wit and complexity that make other Shakespeare comedies so ingenious, while others consider it to be one of the greatest comedies in the author’s oeuvre. However, the play is not only controversial – it is also entertaining, and that’s why it is so frequently chosen by theaters nowadays.
Product ID: 9781776666973
Sku: UV-KYVI-D60K
