Shakespeare - As You Like It

This guide provides a comprehensive survey of the critical reception of As You Like It, exploring key issues such as comedy, adaptation, gender, love, and power. It is an invaluable resource for students, teachers, researchers, and Shakespeare enthusiasts.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 182 pages
\n Publication date: 30 August 2018
\n Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
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This comprehensive guide offers a thorough exploration of the significant critical perspectives surrounding As You Like It, one of Shakespeare's most beloved and captivating comedies. Spanning from the earliest appraisals to contemporary scholarship, Dana Aspinall meticulously outlines, assesses, and delves into the central critical issues that encompass this play. These include its examination within the genre of comedy, Shakespeare's adaptation of various sources, the exploration of gender, love, and marriage, as well as the critical interrogation of power dynamics. By highlighting the ongoing significance of critical and scholarly studies of As You Like It, this guide serves as an invaluable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of English literature, educators, researchers, scholars, and enthusiasts of Shakespeare across the globe.

As You Like It is a play by William Shakespeare that was first published in 1598. It is one of his most popular plays and is often considered one of his best works.

The play is set in the forest of Arden in rural England and tells the story of Rosalind, a young woman who is disguised as a man to escape the persecution of her uncle, Duke Frederick. Rosalind meets Orlando, a young man who is also in the forest, and falls in love with him. However, Orlando is under the mistaken belief that Rosalind is a man, and Rosalind must convince him of her true identity before they can be together.

The play explores a range of themes, including love, gender roles, power, and identity. Shakespeare uses humor, satire, and poetic language to explore these themes and create a rich and complex narrative. The play also features a number of memorable characters, including Rosalind, Orlando, Celia, and Jaques.

As You Like It has been performed countless times since its first publication and has been adapted into numerous films, television shows, and other forms of media. It is widely studied and celebrated for its artistic merit and its enduring relevance to modern audiences.

One of the most significant critical perspectives on As You Like It is its examination of gender roles and identity. The play challenges traditional gender stereotypes and explores the complexities of gender identity. Rosalind, who is disguised as a man, is able to navigate the forest of Arden more freely and openly than her female counterparts, and this allows her to challenge the gender norms of her society.

Orlando, on the other hand, is a young man who is deeply in love with Rosalind, but is unable to recognize her true identity because of his mistaken belief that she is a man. This creates a complex dynamic between the two characters, as Orlando must come to terms with his own gender identity and his love for Rosalind.

Another critical perspective on As You Like It is its exploration of power dynamics. The play features a number of powerful characters, including Duke Frederick, who is the ruler. Duke Frederick is a cruel and oppressive ruler who persecutes Rosalind and her family. However, Rosalind is able to manipulate Duke Frederick and use his power against him, ultimately freeing her family and defeating him in a battle of wits.

Celia, on the other hand, is a young woman who is under the control of her father, who has arranged for her to marry a man she does not love. Celia is able to assert her own power and independence and ultimately rejects her father's plans for her marriage, choosing to follow her own heart and pursue her own path in life.

As You Like It also features a number of memorable quotes and speeches, including Rosalind's famous speech "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." This speech explores the idea that life is a play and that everyone is just playing their part, and it is up to us to determine how we want to play our part.

In conclusion, As You Like It is a play by William Shakespeare that is widely celebrated for its artistic merit and its enduring relevance to modern audiences. It is a complex and engaging play that explores a range of themes, including love, gender roles, power, and identity. The play has been performed countless times and has been adapted into numerous forms of media, and it is widely studied and celebrated for its artistic merit and its enduring relevance to modern audiences.

\n Weight: 270g\n
Dimension: 210 x 151 x 12 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781137470485\n
Edition number: 1st ed. 2018\n