Last performed in 1999
Synopsis | Smart Guide
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Synopsis
As You Like It, Shakespeare's masterpiece of romantic comedy, portrays a stiff, corrupt French court, which is contrasted with the liberty and freshness of the Forest of Arden. At the court and in the country, Shakespeare shows his genius through fantasy, romance, delicate wit, and broad humor.
Oliver plots to have his brother Orlando killed by Charles, the Duke's wrestler, in an open tournament. These brothers live in a dukedom ruled with an iron hand by Duke Frederick, who banished his brother, the rightful Duke Senior. To be company to his daughter Celia, Duke Frederick has kept Rosalind, Duke Senior's daughter, at court.
At the wrestling match Orlando overthrows not only Charles but also the heart of Rosalind. Feeling that Rosalind has become a threat to his dukedom, Duke Frederick banishes her. Celia suggests that she and Rosalind escape to the Forest of Arden to search for Rosalind's father. Rosalind feels they should travel in disguise—Celia as a shepherdess and Rosalind as a young man, Ganymede. With Touchstone, the court clown, they arrive in Arden exhausted. Celia buys a cottage and employs Corin to tend her flocks.
Orlando learns from Adam, an old faithful servant, that Oliver has heard of his victory over Charles and plots to have Orlando killed. Adam and Orlando flee to Arden. When they reach their destination, Adam is about to die of starvation. Orlando leaves, promising to bring food for the old man.
Duke Senior's band of lords and foresters prepare their simple dinner as Amiens sings of their good life "Under the Greenwood Tree" and the melancholy Jaques cynically pokes fun at their situation. Orlando, at sword's point, demands food. Duke Senior graciously invites him and Adam to join them.
With most of the plot set in the first half of the play, Shakespeare devotes the second half to character development. Orlando's view of love is so immature that he carves "Rosalind" on trees and writes love sonnets which he hangs on branches. Rosalind takes advantage of her Ganymede disguise to test his love. She proposes to cure his lovesickness by pretending to be his ladylove if he will come every day to woo her. Orlando, although he does not want to be cured, decides to go along with this little game. Calling Ganymede "Rosalind," Orlando is told of all he will suffer because of the foibles of women.
Also in the forest, Silvius, a lovestruck shepherd, wishes to marry Phebe, but Phebe falls in love with Ganymede. Touchstone finds Audrey and decides to marry her. This courtship of a court clown and a country wench is a classic example of Shakespearean broad humor.
Oliver is sent by Duke Frederick to find Celia and bring her back to court. After he arrives in Arden, he is rescued from a snake and a lion by his brother, who is wounded in the struggle. At their first meeting Oliver and Celia, who is still in disguise, fall in love. The wedding is set for the next day. Orlando, seeing his brother's happiness, feels he cannot go on playacting that Ganymede is his Rosalind. Ganymede promises to produce Rosalind on the morrow.
The next day as the couples gather for the wedding, news comes that Duke Frederick, looking for Celia, has entered the forest and has had a change of heart. Thus, he plans to return the dukedom to Duke Senior. As all the plots resolve and the multiple wedding feast is about to begin, the play can end, as all good comedies should, As You Like It.