As You Like It

1. Mirth: gladness or gaiety as shown by or accompanied with laughter. -Merriam-Webster Online


2. As You Like It begins with Rosalind's father being attacked and led out of court. The action then switches to Orlando and his brother arguing over their father's inheritance money. Orlando's brother sees Orlando as too ambitious and confident, and when Orlando challenges Charles the wrestler to a fight and wins, his brother is unhappy. He plans to burn the place where Orlando sleeps down, intending to kill Orlando. Luckily Orlando's brother's servant tells Orlando what is planned and asks to become his servant instead. They go on the run. Rosalind and Orlando develop a love interest, but Celia's father banishes Rosalind from court. Celia refuses to let Rosalind leave without her, so the girls set off along with the fool to the Forest of Arden to find Rosalind's father. Rosalind decides to disguise herself as a man in a quest for safer travel. Celia's father is livid when he realizes his daughter is missing and sends out a search party for the "runaways." Orlando's servant becomes very ill and in an effort to get food for him he attacks Rosalind's father and his companions. Their gentleness toward him makes him feel ashamed of himself and the men let Orlando and the servant feed. Jove, the fool with the girls, talks to a shepherd about country life versus court life and later sees the girl he loved, Audrey. They then decide to get married. Meanwhile the girls find Orlando's love poems regarding Rosalind nailed to trees throughout the forest and later find Orlando himself. Rosalind, still disguised as a man, confronts Orlando, challenging him in his love. She tells him she can cure him of this horrible condition and he says it's impossible. They make a pact that Orlando will pretend to woo her, still dressed as a man, in an effort for each to prove his or her opinion.


3. I thought that the first section of the film was very interesting. It seemed to be mocking love at times. Rosalind and Orlando meet and instantaneously fall in love, yet they immediately have to leave each other. Ironically, Orlando doesn't recognize Rosalind in her poor disguise. The shepherd who pines over Phoebe was completely ridiculous in his agony, causing quite a few laughs among the class. Although this could have been for comic relief, I think it was also meant to be sarcastic. I also thought the character of Celia was very humorous. She was utterly over-the-top throughout the whole play. She is clearly a good friend to Rosalind, but her whining in the forest made me wonder if she had though about what she was getting herself into by leaving with her cousin. I'm not quite sure what the intent is with the marriage between Jove and Audrey. I cannot tell if Jove is serious in his love or if he's using her. When he called her a slut I was very confused.


4. My first question is whether Orlando will catch Rosalind in her act. I can't believe he hasn't already recognized her; she doesn't do a very good job disguising her voice and is obviously a female.

A second thing I don't understand is why Rosalind's father was banished by her uncle. Was it a quest for power? A jealous rage? Either I missed it or it was never clarified.

My final question is regarding Phoebe. Will we meet her? Does she love the shepherd in return? Is he pining over her or is it a mutual attraction? Was he put in the story to emphasize the ridiciulous notions of love? Or is he simply another character for comic relief?