RESEARCH – AS YOU LIKE IT:

 Written by William Shakespeare in 1599.

 Play set in Duchy in France, located in Forest of Arden.
 Pastoral comedy
PASTORAL COMEDY:
Comes from the pastoral genre – referring to
shepherds / rustic folk.
Their ways of living, manners and customs.
PLOT SUMMARY:
 Rosalind and cousin escape to forest and find
Orlando (Rosalind’s love).
 Rosalind disguises herself as a boy shepherd and
has Orlando woo her under the guise of “curing”
him of his love for Rosalind.
 Rosalind reveals she is a girl and marries Orlando
during a group wedding at end of the play.
 Play ends with four marriages;
1. Rosalind & Orlando
2. Celia & Oliver
3. Phoebe & Silvius ( unhappy marriage - Phoebe
doesn’t love him.)
4. Touchstone & Audrey
 SYNOPSIS: Subverts traditional rules of romance.
Gender roles, nature and politics are confused in a play
that reflects on how bewildering yet pleasurable life
can be.

EXILE IN THE FOREST OF ARDEN:

 Duke Senior forced into exile from court by
Duke Frederick.
 Takes refuge in Forest of Arden with group of
faithful lords.
 His daughter Rosalind kept a court with cousin Celia
(Frederick’s daughter).

A WRESTLING MATCH:
 Orland de Boys has been kept in poverty by
brother Oliver since their father’s death.
 Orlando decides to wrestle for his fortune at
Frederick’s court.
 He sees Rosalind and falls in love.

BANISHMENT:
 Duke banishes Rosalind, fearing she is a threat.
 Celia goes with Rosalind to find Duke Ferdinand in
forest.
 They disguise themselves.
 Rosalind as boy Ganymede, Celia as sister Aliena
 Persuade fool Touchstone to accompany.
 Orlando hears plot of his brother to kill him.
 Orlando flees forest, takes refuge with exiled Duke
 Orlando encounters Rosalind (Ganymede) who
challenges his love-sick state, suggests he woos
Ganymede as if he were Rosalind.

LOVE BLOSSOMS IN THE

FOREST:
 Shepherd Silvius suffers unrequired love for
Phoebe, who has fallen for Ganymede (Rosalind)
 Touchstone pursues goat - herd Audrey.
 Oliver’s sent into forest to hunt down Orlando,
his life’s saved by brother.
 Becomes filled with remorse for his past
behaviour, falls in love with Aliena.
 Ganymede promises to conjure up the real

Rosalind and all the lovers will be wed.