Critical Analysis - As You Like It (UGC NET /Unit I - Drama)

Critical Analysis - As You Like It

Introduction

William Shakespeare’s As You Like It (1599) is one of his most enduring comedies, blending the traditions of pastoral romance with witty satire, courtly intrigue, and philosophical reflection. Set against the contrasting backgrounds of the corrupt court and the idyllic Forest of Arden, the play explores love, identity, exile, and reconciliation. Its charm lies in its humour, memorable characters, and philosophical undertones—particularly Jaques’ famous meditation on life, “All the world’s a stage.”

The play continues to be significant for modern readers and critics because it interrogates the nature of gender roles (through Rosalind’s disguise as Ganymede), the tension between artifice and nature, and the human desire for freedom. It is a text that bridges light-hearted comedy with deep reflection on the stages of life.

Summary

The play opens with family conflict—Orlando, deprived of his inheritance by his brother Oliver, seeks justice. Meanwhile, Duke Frederick has usurped his elder brother, Duke Senior, who now lives in exile in the Forest of Arden. Rosalind, Duke Senior’s daughter, falls in love with Orlando. However, when she is banished from the court, she flees with her cousin Celia into the forest, disguising herself as a young man named Ganymede.

In the Forest of Arden, exiled courtiers, shepherds, and lovers intermingle. Rosalind (as Ganymede) cleverly tests Orlando’s love by making him woo her in disguise. Jaques, a melancholy observer, offers philosophical reflections, while Touchstone, the court fool, brings comic relief. Love takes many forms—faithful, foolish, unrequited, and satirical—until the final act, where misunderstandings are resolved. The play ends with four marriages (Rosalind–Orlando, Celia–Oliver, Touchstone–Audrey, Silvius–Phoebe) and the restoration of Duke Senior to power, embodying the Shakespearean comic tradition of harmony and reconciliation.

Themes

1.      Pastoral Ideal vs. Court Life

o    The court symbolizes corruption, rivalry, and greed, while the Forest of Arden represents freedom, natural simplicity, and renewal.

2.      Love in Its Varieties

o    Shakespeare presents love in different shades: romantic (Rosalind–Orlando), companionate (Celia–Oliver), satirical (Touchstone–Audrey), and unrequited (Silvius–Phoebe).

3.      Disguise, Identity, and Gender Roles

o    Rosalind’s disguise as Ganymede complicates gender and identity, allowing Shakespeare to question social roles and highlight the performative nature of love and gender.

4.      Exile and Freedom

o    Exile, usually considered a punishment, becomes liberating in Arden, where characters find self-discovery, joy, and reconciliation.

5.      Philosophy of Life

o    Through Jaques’ “Seven Ages of Man” speech, Shakespeare reflects on the transience of human life, adding a contemplative dimension to the comedy.

6.      Comedy, Reconciliation, and Harmony

o    The play concludes with multiple marriages and restored political order, reaffirming the comic ideal of social harmony.

Critical Perspective

·         As You Like It is often read as a pastoral comedy, but Shakespeare complicates the idealized pastoral vision with satire and realism, especially through Jaques’ melancholy skepticism and Touchstone’s wit.

·         Rosalind emerges as one of Shakespeare’s most dynamic heroines—intelligent, witty, and in control of her destiny, unlike many traditional female characters of the time.

·         The play reflects Shakespeare’s interest in performance and identity, as Rosalind’s male disguise blurs gender roles, especially in the Elizabethan stage context where a boy actor played a woman disguised as a boy.

·         The balance between romantic joy and philosophical depth makes the play both lighthearted and intellectually engaging.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who usurps Duke Senior’s dukedom?
a) Oliver
b) Orlando
c) Duke Frederick
d) Jaques

Ans: c

2. What disguise does Rosalind assume in the forest of Arden?
a) A shepherdess
b) Ganymede
c) Phoebe
d) Audrey

Ans: b

3. Which character delivers the famous line “All the world’s a stage”?
a) Orlando
b) Touchstone
c) Jaques
d) Duke Senior

Ans: c

4. Who eventually marries Celia?
a) Silvius
b) Oliver
c) Jaques
d) Duke Frederick

Ans: b

5. The Forest of Arden symbolizes:
a) Revenge and war
b) Courtly corruption
c) Pastoral simplicity and freedom
d) Tragic fate

Ans: c

UGC NET PYQs

1.      (UGC NET 2014)
Match the following characters with their partners in As You Like It:

o    Rosalind → ?

o    Celia → ?

o    Touchstone → ?

o    Phoebe → ?

Answer: Rosalind–Orlando, Celia–Oliver, Touchstone–Audrey, Phoebe–Silvius

2.      (UGC NET 2016)
The speech “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” occurs in:
a) Hamlet
b) As You Like It
c) Measure for Measure
d) Twelfth Night

Ans: b

3.      (UGC NET 2020)
Which Shakespearean play most explicitly represents the pastoral tradition?
a) King Lear
b) As You Like It
c) Othello
d) Macbeth

Ans: b

4.      (UGC NET 2012)
Identify the Shakespearean comedy that ends with multiple marriages and the restoration of social harmony.
Answer: As You Like It

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Who is the heroine of As You Like It?
Ans. Rosalind is the heroine of As You Like It.

Q2. Where does most of the action in the play take place?
Ans. In the Forest of Arden.

Q3. Who delivers the speech “All the world’s a stage”?
Ans. Jaques delivers it.

Q4. What name does Rosalind adopt in her disguise?
Ans. She disguises herself as a young man named Ganymede.

Q5. Who is Duke Senior’s daughter?
Ans. Rosalind is Duke Senior’s daughter.

Q6. Who marries Celia at the end?
Ans. Celia marries Oliver.

Q7. Name any two pairs of lovers in the play.
Ans. Rosalind–Orlando and Celia–Oliver.

Q8. Who is Touchstone?
Ans. Touchstone is the court jester (fool) of Duke Frederick’s court.

Q9. Who is the usurper in the play?
Ans. Duke Frederick, who usurps Duke Senior’s dukedom.

Q10. What happens to Duke Frederick in the end?
Ans. He repents, restores the dukedom, and becomes religious.

 

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Why does Rosalind disguise herself as Ganymede?

Ans. Rosalind disguises herself as Ganymede for safety in the Forest of Arden after her banishment. The disguise also allows her to interact freely with Orlando and test his love for her.

Q2. How does Shakespeare contrast the court and the forest?

Ans. The court is shown as corrupt, dangerous, and full of envy, while the Forest of Arden symbolizes freedom, peace, and natural harmony. The forest becomes a place of transformation, love, and reconciliation.

Q3. What is the role of Jaques in the play?

Ans. Jaques is a melancholy observer who comments on life with wit and philosophy. His “Seven Ages of Man” speech adds depth and seriousness to the otherwise joyful pastoral comedy.

Q4. How does Orlando prove his love for Rosalind?

Ans. Orlando hangs love poems on the trees of the forest, praises her beauty, and shows sincerity in his devotion. Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede, further tests and confirms his loyalty.

Q5. What role does music and song play in As You Like It?

Ans. Songs in the play enhance its pastoral atmosphere, celebrate nature, love, and freedom, and often comment on the action. For example, “Under the greenwood tree” emphasizes simple forest life.