As You Like It, ACT ONE

Moving on to As You Like It, another comedy I'm not sure how much of I've read. I know the name Rosalind because I think it was mentioned in one of Bloom's lectures, but I can't think of anything more.

Sc1 - We meet five new characters and set some of the scene. Orlando is the younger son and he has been kept home and sheltered by his older brother, Oliver, who is in control of the estate and secretly despises his younger brother, but why even he is not sure. In this first scene Orlando complains to Adam, Oliver's servant, about his plight. Orlando decides he has had enough and physically confronts Oliver when he enters. Oliver is surprised and upset and agrees to give Orlando some of his due money and set him off to fare on his own. As Orlando walks off with this small victory Oliver dismisses his servant Adam and sends him to go with Orlando.

As soon as Orlando is away Oliver meets Charles the wrestler. Charles is set to wrestle at court tomorrow in frontnofnthe new Duke. Charles gives us some back story. The new Duke ursurped the old Duke and banished him. The old Rule now lives like Robin Hood in the forest of Arden and is met daily by many followers and even some lords that left when the old Duke was banished. The old Duke's daughter Rosalind still lives at court because she is close friends with the new Duke's daughter, and the new Duke loves her as his own daughter.

It turns out Orlando is planning to secretly wrestle Charles in front of the new Duke to gain honor. Charles confides to Oliver that he doesn't want to hurt his younger brother, but that he must defend his reputation. Oliver promises to try and dissuade Orlando and assures Charles that Orlando is stubborn and deserves a good beating.

When Charles steps away Oliver reveals his hatred for Orlando and that he plans to encourage Orlando to fight so that he will be injured, disgraced and no longer Oliver's problem.

Sc2 - Rose and Ceila talk. Rose is sad because of her banished father, but Ceila urges her to see Ceila's father as her own, as Ceila says she would do if in Roses situation. While talking the fool, Touchstone, comes in to joke with them shortly. He tells a short riddle, the morale of which may have implications owner in the story. "If you swear by that that is naught, then you are not foresworn."

La Beau enters to give news that wrestlers are coming, and the ladies decide to stay and watch. This is where Charles will wrestle Orlando in disguise. Charles has just wounded three men, one to death, and the final challenger looms slight. The duke Frederick tells the ladies to try and conversation nice the young boy not to fight. The ladies are moved by his honor and manners, and they pray he will win. The two men fight and Charles ends up on the ground not moving. The duke is very pleased until he finds that the boy is actually Orlando, youngest son of Rowlan de Boys, a lord out of favor with the current duke. Frederick storms off without much congratulations.

Then ladies are a bit embarrassed, and Rosalind knows that her own father adored Rowland de Boys and would have honored this man. The ladies approach and Rosalind gives Orlando her chain. The girls then run off and La Beau warns Orlando that the duke is moody and it would be safer to leave. On his way out Orlando opines for his new love Rosalind.

Sc3 - "Oh how full of briers is this working day world." Rosalind in love, Rosalind banished, the two girls to leave together. Rosalind tells Celia that she is in love with Orlando. Ceila says that she should hate him because her father hated his father. Rose says to love him because Rose loves him, and her father loved his father.

The duke enters and banishes Rosalind in his anger. She protests that she is not a traitor, as such things are not inherited. Still, the duke does not trust her, and so gives her 10 days to leave or death.

Ceila is crushed and states that she will leave too. They decide to dress as men, Rose being called Ganymede and Ceila being called Aliena. They will take Touchstone with them. They are headed to Rose's father is n the forest of Arden.