As you like it by William Shakespeare

After Sir Rowland de Bois died, his estate passed on to Oliver
What name does Rosalind take when she flees the court and disguises herself as a man? Ganymede
Where does Duke Senior live for the duration of As You Like It? The Forest of Ardenne
With whom does Celia fall in love? Oliver
Duke Frederick gives the throne back to Duke Senior because He finds religion
When Celia disguises herself as a shepherdess, what name does she take? Aliena
What is the name of the clown who accompanies Celia and Rosalind in exile? Touchstone
Which elderly former servant offers his life savings to aid in Orlando’s escape? Adam
Which character falls in love with Ganymede? Phoebe
What type of disposition does Jaques possess? Melancholy
Why is Rosalind a favorite of feminist critics? She subverts female limitations
Along with his inheritance, what did Oliver deny Orlando? an education
What role in Duke Senior’s court is Jaques interested in filling? fool
Where does Jaques decide to go at the end of the play? A monastery
As opposed to Jaques, which character is able to criticize in a more charming and relatable way? Rosalind
As You Like It breaks with the courtly tradition by portraying love not as suffering, but as A force of happiness
In As You Like It, characters’ transformations in personality and appearance can be described as instantaneous
Which of the following is not a motif in As You Like It? fighting
Which of the following is not a symbol in As You Like It? the monastery
What do deer horns placed atop the hunter’s head symbolize? cuckoldry
(A1S1) Who is Sir Rowland de Bois’s youngest son? Orlando
(A1S1) Who usurped Duke Senior’s position at court? Duke Frederick
(A1S1) Who is Duke Senior’s daughter? Rosalind
(A1S1) According to Charles, who plans to disguise himself and enter a wrestling match at the royal court? Orlando
(A1S1) Upon his father’s death, how much was Orlando bequeathed? 1,000 crowns
(A1S3) What does Celia promise Rosalind she will do upon Duke Frederick’s death? Give Rosalind the throne
(A1S2) When Orlando and Charles wrestle at the royal court, which man wins? Orlando
(A1S2) After the wrestling match, Orlando becomes smitten with Rosalind
(A1S3) Immediately following the wrestling match, what does Duke Frederick do that greatly upsets Celia? Banishes Rosalind
(A1S3) When getting ready to flee the court, what does Rosalind disguise herself as? A man
What is a pastoral (in literary terms)? a work of literature portraying an idealized version of country life.
(A1S1) What is the conflict at the opening of the play? Orlando envy’s his older brother Oliver b/c when their father passed away Oliver inherited everything in their father’s estate. Orlando was bequeathed a mere 1,000 crowns. Oliver refuses to allow Orlando any education. Their other brother, Jaques, attends school though.
(A1S1) What is the conversation between Orlando and Oliver about and what is its outcome? Orlando said that Oliver was being greedy with the inheritance and that their father’s estate should be equally distributed. Oliver attacks Orlando while Orlando seizes Oliver by the throat. Orlando says he will not let go of Oliver unless he gets a portion of the inheritance so he can live his own lifestyle, then Oliver hastily agrees.
Who is Adam? What is his connection to Orlando and Oliver? The elderly former servant of Sir Rowland de Bois, Orlando and Oliver’s father.
(A1S1) What is the situation between “the old Duke” and “the new Duke?” Where has the old Duke gone? How does Charles describe this place? Duke Senior has been usurped by his younger brother, Duke Frederick, and has fled with a number of loyal lords to the Forest of Ardenne. Because the noblemen have forfeited their land and wealth by going into voluntary exile, Duke Frederick allows them to wander unmolested. There, they live like the old robin hood of England.
(A1S1) Why does Oliver hate Orlando? “Yet he’s gentle, never schooled and yet learned, full of noble device, of all sorts enchantingly beloved, and indeed so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprised:” – Everyone likes Orlando more than Oliver even though Orlando is uneducated and poor. No one ****s with Oliver.
(A1S2) Who are Rosalind and Celia? What is Rosalind’s situation? Rosalind is the daughter of the exiled Duke Senior and the constant companion of her cousin, Celia, The daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalind’s dearest friend. Rosalind is depressed over the banishment of her father, Duke Senior.
(A1S2) Who is Touchstone and what is he like? What word is used repeatedly in the scene in which he appears? He’s a clown or jester in Duke Frederick’s court. He is hilariously unsophisticated and unromantic. He says “wit” alot.
(A1S2) Why is Orlando entering the wrestling competition? How do Celia and Rosalind react to Orlando when they meet him before the match? he is entering to win the money prize and make a name of himself. Ros and Celia told him not do do it b/c he is too young and inexperienced.
(A1S2) Why doesn’t Duke Frederick like Orlando? he despise Orlando’s father, Sir Rowland de Bois
(A1S2) What does Rosalind give to Orlando following the match and why? she gave him a chain because he won the match and b/c she likes him
(A1S2) Who is Le Beau and what does he tell Orlando after the match? Le Beau is a courtier. Le Beau warns Orlando that, though his victory and conduct deserve great praise, he will get none from Duke Frederick. In fact the duke is due for a dangerous outburst.
(A1S3) What does Celia conclude about Rosalind’s feelings for Orlando? thats Rosalind is falling in love with orlando very quickly and it isn’t logical
(A1S3) What action does Duke Frederick take against Rosalind? What reason does he give to her for this? What reason does he give to Celia? Duke Frederick gives ros ten days to leave the court. he said she is a traitor like her father, and that he doesnt trust her. he tells Celia that ros is stealing the attention and spotlight off her.
(A1S3) What do Rosalind and Celia resolve to do? What is their plan? What names do they choose and why these particular names? They agree to leave together and go to Rosalind’s father in the forest of Ardenne. They will dress as men. Ros chose the name Ganymede b/c he was Jove’s servant (greek myth allusion). Celia chose Aliena b/c it means ‘estranged one’ which she describers herself.
Define “prodigal” “What prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury?” – Means spending money recklessly
Define “villein” “I am no villain; I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys; he was my father, and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains.” – means memeber of a class between slave and free peasant.
Define “coz” “I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.” – means cousin
Define “natural” “I’ll tell thee, Charles: it is the stubbornest young fellow of France, full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man’s good parts, a secret and villanous contriver against me his natural brother” – means blood; half wit
Define “whetstone” “who perceiveth our natural wits too dull to reason of such goddesses and hath sent this natural for our whetstone; for always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits” – means stone used to sharpen knives
Define “knavery” “By my knavery, if I had it, then I were; but if you swear by that that is not, you are not forsworn” – means trickery, untrustworthy dealing
Define “humorous” “The duke is humorous; what he is indeed, More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.” – means moody
Define “hem” “I would try, if I could cry ‘hem’ and have him.” – means cough; tuck
Define “subtle” “She is too subtle for thee; and her smoothness, Her very silence and her patience Speak to the people, and they pity her.” – means crafty
(A2S1) How does Act II begin? Who is Duke Senior and what is he like? How does he describe his surroundings? It begins in the forest. Duke senior is very a positive and open-minded. he said the forest is much more peaceful and refreshing than the court. the weather is cold but the duke finds good in everything around him.
(A2S1) Who is Jaques and what is he like? What word is used by the First Lord to describe him? Why is Jaques upset about the deer? he is another attending lord of duke senior. the first lord describes him as gloomy. he is a melancholy individual. He is mad about the deer b/c the men are killing them in their own homes just to eat them.
(A2S1) according to Duke Senior, which of the following is not provided for him by the woods? Love
(A2S1) According to Jaques, why is Duke Senior a usurper of the Forest of Ardenne? He hunts the animals
(A2S2) What is Duke Frederick’s reaction to hearing that Celia and Rosalind have left? What order does he give? He is angry and one of the gentle lady’s said she overheard the girls talking about Orlando so duke Frederick sense that Orlando is with them. he orders the lords to send a message to Oliver to go find his brother.
(A2S3) What warning does Adam give to Orlando and what offer does he make? He warns Orlando that Oliver was trying to burn down his house and that Oliver is trying to kill him. He gives Orlando 500 crowns and offers to tag along with him anywhere he goes.
(A2S4) How do Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone react to arriving in the Forest of Arden? They are all tired and Celia wants to give up. Rosalind encourages her to keep going.
(A2S4) Who are Corin, Silvius, and Phoebe? Corin & Silvius are shepards. Phoebe is Silvius’s love interest.
(A2S4) What is Silvius’ problem? He wants to be with Phoebe b/c he is so love with her
(A2S4) where do Rosalind and Celia stay? Corin’s master holdings
(A2S5) who is singing a song? Amiens
(A2S6) Describe the arrival of Orlando and Adam in the Forest. What does Orlando do to improve things? Adam thinks he is going to die of hunger. Orlando told adam to stay put and he will go find food and shelter.
(A2S7) Describe his first meeting with Duke Senior. Orlando at first is rude and demanding. But duke senior remained polite and offered Orlando a seat to eat. Orlando apologizes b/c he thought all things in a forest are savage-like.
(A2S7) How does Jaques react to Touchstone? He laughs at how wisely touchstone spoke about time. he then said he wants to be a fool too so he can speak his mind honestly.
(A2S7) The play’s most famous speech is given by Jaques. (“All the world’s a stage…”) What is the gist of it? he is saying that life is like a cliche play. Jaques being an overall negative person, makes him pessimistic.
What does “humor” mean in the Elizabethan era? What are the four humors and what were they supposed to cause? Its means “Disposition” – a person inherited qualities of mind & character Humor comes from the belief that body fluids influence emotions and health. Blood; optimism, agreeableness, cheerfulness Yellow-bile; proud, ambitious, leader, short temperedBlack-bile; irritable, quiet, serious, introspective Phlegm; calm, thoughtful, patient, lazy, peaceful
(A2S7) How does Act II end? Duke senior tells Orlando that he is truly welcomed b/c of his father’s status. he also ask for an explanation of Orlando’s current situation.
Define “Roynish” “My lord, the roynish clown, at whom so oft Your grace was wont to laugh, is also missing.” – means scurvy
Define “The antique world” “The constant service of the antique world, When service sweat for duty, not for meed!” – means the past
Define “succour” “Here’s a young maid with travel much oppress’d And faints for succor.” – means help or assistance
Define “conceit” “Thy conceit is nearer death than thy powers.” – means thought
(A3S1) Duke Frederick and Oliver have a conversation. What is it about? What are Duke Frederick’s orders to Oliver? Duke Frederick tells him to find his brother Orlando, dead or alive, until then he will take all of Oliver’s land. Oliver says that he has never loved his brother so he doesn’t know where he is.
(A3S2) Where is Orlando at the beginning of Scene 2 and what is he doing? He is in the woods and he is writing poetry on the trees so that everyone can see.
(A3S2) Touchstone has a conversation with Corin about life in the court versus life in the country. What are their different opinions about living in the two places? Give specifics. They both believe that they’re way of living is better than the other. Corin with his wood life and Touchstone with his court life. Corin argues that polite manners at court are of no consequence in the country.
(A3S2) What does Rosalind find posted on trees throughout the forest? What is her response? Poems from Orlando on the trees, she thinks that they have to many meters and they are bad verses because he tries to hard to rhyme with her name.
(A3S2) Celia knows who has done the posting, but Rosalind does not. How does Rosalind react when Celia informs her? Rosalind can’t believe it, for a long time she acts as if she did not know of her lover. When she finally is told she is extremely anxious, she ask a bunch of questions about his well being and she asks Celia to tell of how she saw Orlando but she keeps interrupting her.
(A3S2) Orlando and Jaques have a conversation. How do they get along? Why? How would you describe the tone of their conversation? Orlando and Jaques clearly do not care for one another’s company and exchange a series of barbed insults. Jaques dislikes Orlando’s sentimental love, declaring it the worst possible fault, while Orlando scoffs at Jaques’s melancholy.
(A3S2) Rosalind, as Ganymede, and Orlando find each other. What is their initial encounter like? What comments does Rosalind make about Orlando’s appearance and what does she say it suggests? They talk about time and how it is with different individuals. She says that he looks decent that he doesn’t look love struck because he is all messed up in his appearance, if he looked bad like he hadn’t slept or bathed then her would be in love.
(A3S2) What offer does R/G make to Orlando? She offers to help him fall out of love with Rosalind, he has to come by everyday and woo her and call her Rosalind and she we act fickle in order to coax anger into him and love out.
(A3S3) Scene 3 is an especially comical scene in which we meet Audrey for the first time. She and Touchstone are talking. About what? How would you describe their conversation; that is, do they talk on the same level? What nearly transpires? Why does it not succeed? They are talking about honesty and poetry and how poets are usually in love so they are the most artificial poems. They talk about similar things but have slight disagreement about those things. They are to get married but not in a church with a proper priest this makes it able for Touchstone to later leave his wife. It doesn’t happen because Jaques advises not to.
(A3S4) Why is Rosalind upset in scene 4? It’s over Orlando and how she doesn’t know if he is truly in love and how he didn’t come this morning making him a liar.
(A3S4) What does Rosalind say about her father? She says that he was a good parent but dusts him off because a man like Orlando exists.
(A3S4) Rosalind is interested in Silvius and Phoebe. Why? She wants to witness what true love really looks like.
(A3S5) How does Phoebe treat Silvius? What does R/G say about this? She trying to not hurt him, she tried avoiding him to help him get the hint but know she’s irritated at him. Rosalind scolds he woman for thinking she is so beautiful that she can drop Silvius to find a more handsome man. She tells the Silvius to not chase her for marrying her and making children will make ugly babies.
(A3S5) How does Phoebe react to Ganymede’s words? She would rather get scolded by Ganymede than to continue having Silvius woo her.
(A3S5) After Rosalind leaves, Phoebe tells Silvius what she thinks of Ganymede. What does she say?What is Phoebe’s plan? What does she ask Silvius to do? She says that he is handsome but not too much, tall for his age, she doesn’t love nor hate him but he scolded her so she should hate him. She asks Silvius to deliver her taunting letter to Ganymede
(A4S1) Jaques and R/G meet and have a conversation. R/G comments on Jaques’ being melancholy. He describes the various kinds of melancholy. What are they? A musicians which is fantastical, a courtiers which is proud, a soldiers which is ambitious, a lawyers which is politic, and a lady’s which is just affection.
(A4S1) What does R/G say about Jaques’ melancholy? She says that he has a reason to be sad being a traveler, he has had to sell his own land in order to see other men’s land.
(A4S1) R/G pretends to be angry with Orlando when he arrives late for his “lesson.” They talk about love and there is a lot of teasing. R/G tells Orlando that she will not have him and he says that he will die. Her reply is a well-known speech. What is the gist of it? Men don’t die from love, they may have wanted to but other instances happened to lead to their death not love.
(A4S) A fake marriage nearly takes place and Celia is asked to perform the ceremony (a repetition of Touchstone and Audrey’s nearly performed wedding). Why is Celia reluctant? Celia is not a priest therefore she can’t conduct the ceremony.
(A4S1) When Orlando says that he will love Rosalind “for ever and a day,” R/G tests him, saying that men claim this at the beginning of a relationship, but change over time. She says that she (as Rosalind) will make his life a misery. And he replies, “But will my Rosalind do so?” Does this suggest anything about Orlando’s progress as a student? No progress, he’s still deeply rooted in the idea that Rosalind isn’t so fickle, so much like women characteristics.
(A4S1) Celia is upset with Rosalind following this scene. Why? She feels that Rosalind has misused women, made them out to be what they aren’t in order to seek love in Orlando.
(A4S1) How does Rosalind reply and how is this comment different from her previous speeches? She says she is doing it because she is deeply in love with Orlando.
(A4S3) Silvius delivers a letter from Phoebe and Rosalind reacts negatively. What are a few criticisms she makes? What does “She Phoebes me” mean? Phoebe has leathery hands and she believes that a man had to have wrote the letter. She uses very rude language that doesn’t fit her. She Phoebe’s me means she writes with her customary disdain.
(A4S3) Who arrives following this scene? Whom does he seek? Why? Oliver, he seeks the owner of the cottage in the valley. He’s looking for the owners of the home.
(A4S3) Oliver has changed. How? Why? When the previously evil Oliver steps foot in Ardenne, he is transformed into the loving brother he never was before. This transformation speaks to the mutability of the human experience: people can change for the better. Certainly this transformation has much to do with the movement from court into the country. Once removed from the politics and pressures of life at court, the obstacles, greed, and petty jealousies that separate the brothers dissolve. Although the play at several points satirizes the pastoral mode for its simplicity and unreality, here it indulges in the pastoral fantasy that nature can heal the wounds inflicted by the artificial and corrupt hierarchies of the man-made world.
(A4S3) What is Rosalind’s response to Oliver’s news? How does he respond? How does she explain it? She faints and wants to be taken home but because she is a woman she needs help doing so. Oliver asks if she is a man because she is not acting as such. She responds by saying that she was only pretending to faint and act as Rosalind.
Define “Videlicet” “The poor world is almost six thousand years old, and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person, videlicit, in a love-cause.” – means namely
Define “Purlieu” “Good morrow, fair ones: pray you, if you know, Where in the purlieus of this forest stands A sheep-cote fenced about with olive trees?” – means border
Define “Unnatural” “O, I have heard him speak of that same brother; And he did render him the most unnatural That lived amongst men.” – means abnormal
Define “Counterfeit” “I do so, I confess it. Ah, sirrah, a body would think this was well counterfeited! I pray you, tell your brother how well I counterfeited. Heigh-ho!” – means pretend
(A5S1) We meet a new character, William. What is he like and what is his function in the play? He is decent normal guy, good age, financial stable but uneducated. His function is to be an obstacle in Touchstones way of marrying Audrey.
(A5S2) Orlando and Oliver have a conversation. What does Oliver tell Orlando? What decisions has he made? He wants to marry Aliena (Celia) and live in the forest for the rest of his life as a Shepherd and he is giving all of his property and wealth to Orlando.
(A5S2) What is Orlando’s reaction to Oliver’s news? What is his conclusion when he and R/G talk soon afterwards? He gives his consent but can’t believe it happened so quickly. He is bitter with the idea of his brother having the happiness he wants. They come to the conclusion that he will get dressed and marry Rosalind tomorrow.
(A5S2) R/G claims to be able to “do strange things.” She makes promises to Orlando, Silvius, and Phoebe.What are they? For them to get what they want, for Orlando and Phoebe to get married and Silvius get what he desires.
(A5S3) Duke Senior and Orlando talk about Ganymede. What do they same about “him?” That he reminds them of Rosalind, like a brother to her. Orlando hints that he knew ganymede was Rosalind since the beginning.
(A5S4) Who gets married at the end of the play? Who marries them? Why is this appropriate? Orlando marries Rosalind, Oliver marries Celia, Touchstone marries Aubrey and Silvius marries Phoebe. This appropriate because Orlando and Rosalind love each other, Oliver and Celia lust each other, Touchstone and Aubrey should be together and Phoebe doesn’t want to marry a woman so she has to marry Silvius.
(A5S4) A new character arrives. Who is he and what news does he bring? The son of Sir Rowland, the second brother. He brings the news that Duke Frederick is no longer pursuing to kill Duke Senior and is giving him the throne and land to everyone he exiled.
(A5S4) What happens to all of the characters at the end? They all receive what they want, duke his throne for patience, Orlando the love for his faith, Oliver his land and allies, Silvius to his wife for his faith and Touchstone his 2 month honeymoon. Jaques decides to stay in the forest and not return.
In the Epilogue the actor who plays Rosalind speaks directly to the audience. What does he/she say? Rosalind steps forward and admits that the play is breaking theatrical customs by allowing a female character to perform the epilogue. But the play, she says, improves with the epilogue, and so she asks the audience’s indulgence. She will not beg for the audience’s approval, for she is not dressed like a beggar. Instead, she will “conjure” them. She begins with the women, asking them to like as much of the play as pleases them “for the love they bear to men”. She asks the same of the men, saying that if she were a woman—for all the female roles in Renaissance theater were played by men—she would kiss as many of them as were handsome and hygienic. She is sure the compliment would be returned, and that the men will lavish her with applause as she curtseys.
July 1, 2019