Of All the comedies of Shakespeare, ‘As You Like It‘ is reckoned to be one of the best play. Shakespeare has brilliantly portrayed the varied and kaleidoscopic aspect of life. In this play we find orgy of love and hate. The contrast of life has been delineated with much artistic excellences. What is more, the contrast between the court and country is important. Although the scenes which take place at court are almost confined to act one. Envy and irrational malice determined people’s fate in the court world. And in Amin’s songs in act II, they are join by hypocrisy and in gratitude as customary immoral attributes of court’s life. Duke seniors speech at the beginning of act II comments the contrasting, simplicities of the country side. It seems that the play is idealising pastoral existence.
Shakespeare has exhibited in this play the simple life of the pastoral people, their broad and generous outlook, their genuine and passionate love and generous philosophy of their life have been interestingly presented in this play. Although romantic love is the key theme of display, yet the manifests picture of the life and reality have been presented in ‘As You Like it’. The simple life of the pastoral people has been contrasted with the tricky loathsome and treacherous design of the people of the court. The freedom, the fearlessness and the simple life in the forest of Arden have been contrasted with the life of the court. In the forest of Arden life is attractive and every aspect of life is pleasant and delightful. In the forest of Arden one can find not an attractive plant but different trees abound this forest. The meditative philosophy minute social observation, intellectual romantic love flourish without urban conventionality. In this play we see the modified customs of civilised court for music, festive, occasion, the banquet, courtiers speech and the gentleness, Jest and humour have been described in this play. But interestingly in this play there is no rejection of ones life and choice of another. Shakespeare has simply presented the inventories and a humanly creative compromise between the two.
Shakespeare has not missed the describe the variegated aspect of life, love and philosophy of life. Obviously the contrasting picture of court and country, the philosophy of Jaques and the simple philosophy of Touchstone, the simple and Immaculate love of Silvius and Audrey have been pleasantly presented. What is more, friendship and loyalty have also been displayed in this play. Celia’s love and loyalty for Rosalind is really spectacular. The passionate love of Rosalind and Orlando and the sincere love of the pastorals have been described with much delight and perfection. What is more, Shakespeare has exhibited the different views of life championed by the different characters. Jaques’ philosophy is pessimistic whereas the philosophy of Touchstone and Corin are quite different. What is more, the display, wit and humour has also been described magnificently.
It is the only comedy in which the minor characters play an important part. Touchstone and Jaques are the minor characters fostering different and opposite views of life. Touchstone is the professional fool and jaques is an amateur one. Touchstone believes in the Rosy bright and millennium view of life former whereas Jaques believes in the dark and cynical views of life. In this play, we find the many sided picture of life and all the pictures of life presented by the dramatist look life like. And to top all this verities and the variegated views of life, the world of lovers has been presented in a very colourful way. The pairs of lovers all lost in the world of romance have been delineated with artistic excellences. The love of the royal and the love of shepherd and ultimately the sense of realization of the guilt of the Duke and his renewed love for his brother have been spectacularly described. It would be quite appropriate to say that in ‘As You Like It’ Shakespeare has portrayed many sided views of the world in this memorable comedy.
