AS YOU LIKE IT. THIS HIS play is a pastoral, a tale of Arcady; and Arcady with Shakspeare is the life of the greenwood, the life led by Robin Hood and his men, a life discontinued since their days in the uncertain climate of England, but revived among ourselves in the tent-life and camp-life often led during the summer months in the forests or on the mountains. The whole play is in the open air, and in the sunshine, and the sunniest thing throughout it all is Rosalind. The course of true love runs smoothly throughout, hardly rippled except in the case of the weak Silvius and his Phoebe. The story is taken from a pastoral romance by one Lodge, entitled "Rosalynde," which was founded largely on a story in Chaucer. Why Shakspeare called it "As You Like It," it is difficult to say. It has, so far as I can see, no particular moral. One commentator says it was designed to contrast rural with court life; another, that it preaches the virtues of patience and contentment. These morals I think are merely incidental, and not part of the design. Jaques, Touchstone, Audrey, and William are entirely the work of Shakspeare. The original novel was affected, sentimental, and tedious, but it contained the germs of the other char acters. ACT I. Scene 1. The first scene is not in the greenwood, but in an orchard, under blossoming boughs, in the bright days of early summer. The speakers are the good old servant Adam (a character that Gilbert Shakspeare, who lived to a great age, remembered to have seen acted by his brother William), and Orlando, the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois. roman. Orlando is perhaps Shakspeare's most perfect héros de He is handsome, stalwart, modest, proud, persecuted, beloved, generous, and chivalrous, a most ideal. lover. His father, Sir Rowland, dying, had left his estates to Oliver, his first-born, but had charged him to bring up his two brothers with "all good breeding." One brother, Jaques, he sent to school, where he "did goldenly;" but Orlando, the younger, he kept at home, permitting him only to associate with rustics, and to pick up such knowledge as might fall in his way. "As far as in him lies," says the poor youth, "my brother mines my gentility with my education." Oliver entering the orchard, the brothers come to words with one another. I confess I do not understand Oliver. To me he seems a mean, disloyal villain; but Shakspeare could not have mated his sweet Celia to a man of corrupt heart. However, in this first scene he is clearly detestable. Note that when Oliver contemptuously calls his brother, "Boy!" he seizes him at the same moment, to throw him down. Orlando, though the younger, knows his superior strength, and will do no more than free himself from his brother's grasp, and then hold him at arms' length till he has listened to what he has to say to him. Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. Orlando. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up. Oliver. Now, sir! what make you here! Orlando. Nothing: I am not taught to make anything. Oliver. What mar you then, sir? Orlando. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness. Oliver. Marry, sir, be better employed, and be naught a while. Orlando. Shall keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury. orchard. I know you Oliver. Know you where you are, sir? Orlando. O, sir, very well: here in your Oliver. Know you before whom, sir? Orlando. Ay, better than he I am before knows me. are my eldest brother, and, in the gentle condition of blood, you should so know me. The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes not away my blood were there twenty brothers betwixt us. I have as much of my father in me as you; albeit I confess, your coming before me is nearer to his reverence. Oliver. What, boy! Orlando. Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this. Oliver. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain? Orlando. I am no villain: I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois; he was my father; and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for say. ing so; thou hast railed on thyself. Adam. Sweet masters, be patient; for your father's remembrance, be at accord. Oliver. Let me go, I say. Orlando. I will not till I please; you shall hear me. My father charged you in his will to give me good education; you have trained me like a peasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities. The spirit of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it; therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes. |