Book Review: As You Like It
Do you not know I am a woman? when I think I must speak!
So, this week it has to be my favourite Shakespearian play. Honestly, it’s the best. You just can’t beat it in terms of comedy and romance. This play is the OG cross dressing boy-pretends-to-be-girl-pretends-to-be-boy type of thing, which honestly makes it all the more fun. I have seen this play a few times live… it never gets old no matter how many times ive seen it. I saw for the first time at The Globe theatre in London during a midnight viewing, the energy of the actors on stage was infectious, it almost made me forget that it was a three hour play and we’d finish at 3am. This was before the night tube so my dad had to stay up too so he could pick me up. Bless him.
So what’s the low down with this play. Well, the play focuses on our heroine called Rosalind and her cousin Celia who escape from the court of Duke Frederick the usurper into the forest of Arden. Now as these are two noble ladies, Rosalind disguises herself as a man and Celia as a maid and thus they enter a series of folies that… you know what you have to read what happens. I won’t spoil it for you. Because it’s that good!
This play however boasts some of Shakespeare’s most famous of speeches Jacques speech ‘All The Worlds a Stage’ which I have reviewed in the past is honestly fabulous. I mean, the “All the worlds a stage and the actors merely players” is iconic. Jacques, is a fabulous character, almost (but not quite) outshining our leading lady and her lovesick hero Orlando. His melancholy demeanour shows a wisdom to his years. Although his melancholy isn’t taken seriously by anyone, except maybe the exiled Duke. His demeanour is poignant to this play, aside from the fool hardy Rosalind running around as a man and the idiocy of Touchstone, a jester, courting the unflappable Audrey. His wisdom is a welcome relief from a literary structure so often found in Shakespeare’s comedies. He is one of the best characters. Hands down. Tell me I’m wrong, I dare you.
Okay NOW, lets talk about the lovers. They’re a little bit foolish I must say. Okay, now I understand Rosalind having to disguise herself as a boy in order to safely pass through the forest of Arden, but she didn’t have to keep up the pretence once she’d found her father. I mean it would’ve saved a lot of misunderstandings really. But hay, this is a play. It was in need of dramatic effect and a little comedy et voila! Also her father doesn’t recognise her so… awkward. But anyway, Orlando falls head-over-heels-love-at-first-sight with Rosalind at the Court of Duke Frederick where he wrestles (I mean what woman wouldn’t swoon over a lovely young man throwing his weight around- half naked). But he too trapes into the forest of Arden lamenting over Rosalind, he does meet her but doesn’t recognise her, the fool! And that’s what he is. a fool. I have a small problem with some of Shakespeare’s romantic Heroes, they are a little two dimensional. Now Orlando is the stereotypical hero, he is strong, kind and desperately in love. And that’s about it. sorry Orlando, but you just don’t quite beat Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing.
To finish up, the reason why I adore this play is because Rosalind is just such a meaty character, aside from the 2D Orlando, she is an embodiment of a ‘strong female lead’. Beauty, wit, and feminine intuition beats brawn most magnificently. She also gets the last word. And who doesn’t want the last word?