As You Like It

As You Like It, the characters and summary of the play

As You Like It is a five-act pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1598-1600. The first performance took place at Wilton House in 1603. The play's first publication in the First Folio dated 1623. No copy of comedy in Quarto exists, because as it was mentioned by the printers of the First Folio, the play is among those which "are not formerly entered to other men". Shakespeare’s play is based on a prose romance Rosalynde (1590) by Thomas Lodge.

Entire play in one page

Act 1, Scene 1: Orchard of Oliver's house.
Act 1, Scene 2: Lawn before the Duke's palace.
Act 1, Scene 3: A room in the palace.

Act 2, Scene 1: The Forest of Arden.
Act 2, Scene 2: A room in the palace.
Act 2, Scene 3: Before OLIVER'S house.
Act 2, Scene 4: The Forest of Arden.
Act 2, Scene 5: The Forest.
Act 2, Scene 6: The forest.
Act 2, Scene 7: The forest.

Act 3, Scene 1: A room in the palace.
Act 3, Scene 2: The forest.
Act 3, Scene 3: The forest.
Act 3, Scene 4: The forest.
Act 3, Scene 5: Another part of the forest.

Act 4, Scene 1: The forest.
Act 4, Scene 2: The forest.
Act 4, Scene 3: The forest.

Act 5, Scene 1: The forest.
Act 5, Scene 2: The forest.
Act 5, Scene 3: The forest.
Act 5, Scene 4: The forest.

As it was mentioned above, As You Like It consists of five acts. And each act includes one to seven scenes. In the play readers can observe two principal settings: a duchy in France, the court that Duke Frederick has usurped from his brother, the rightful duke, and the location called Forest of Arden, where most of the action takes place. There the Duke and his followers are living in exile.

As You Like It has been long greeted with delight by readers and audiences. The characters of the play are brilliant conversationalists, including the princesses Rosalind and Celia and Touchstone, the court jester.

The main heroine Rosalind flees persecution in her uncle's court. Being accompanied by her cousin Celia she finds safety and, eventually, love, in the forest. The girls encounter a variety of marvelous and memorable characters in the Forest of Arden. One of them is Jaques, the melancholy traveler, who speaks many of Shakespeare's most famous speeches. This character differs significantly from the other characters in the play, as he is always observing and disputing the hardships of life in the country. As You Like It reflects intense conflict between brothers, the influence of primogeniture that entails human suffering.

The list of characters and their roles in the play.

Court of Duke Frederick:

• Duke Frederick, Duke Senior's younger brother and his usurper, also Celia's father
• Rosalind, Duke Senior's daughter
• Celia, Duke Frederick's daughter and Rosalind's cousin
• Touchstone, a court jester
• Le Beau, a courtier
• Charles, a wrestler
• Lords and ladies in Duke Frederick's court

Household of the deceased Sir Rowland de Boys:

• Oliver de Boys, the eldest son and heir
• Jacques de Boys, the second son, announces Frederick's change of heart
• Orlando de Boys, the youngest son
• Adam, a faithful old servant who follows Orlando into exile
• Dennis, the servant who announces Charles's arrival in Oliver's orchard

Exiled court of Duke Senior in the Forest of Arden:

• Duke Senior, Duke Frederick's older brother and Rosalind's father
• Jaques, a discontented, melancholic lord
• Amiens, an attending lord and musician
• Lords in Duke Senior’s Forest court

Country folk in the Forest of Arden:

• Phebe, a proud shepherdess
• Silvius, a shepherd
• Audrey, a country girl
• Corin, an elderly shepherd
• William, a country man
• Sir Oliver Martext, a curate

Other characters:

• Hymen, officiates over the weddings in the end; God of marriage, as appearing in a masque
• Pages and musicians

The play is recognized as one of Shakespeare’s “great” or “middle” comedies. Historically, the response of literal critics has varied, as some consider it a work of great merit and some consider it to be of lesser quality than other playwright’s works. However, the play has been adapted for musical theatre, film and even radio.