Wednesday, March 17, 2010

As You Like It

The mirroring of biblical stories is apparent from the start of this play. The dueling between brothers Oliver and Orlando directly reflects the story of Cain and Abel. Cains murder of Abel seems to resonate, in a lesser scale, within Oliver's unwillingness to educate or share his own fortuned education with his Orlando.

Rosalind and Celias freinship in the beinging scenes of act 1 seem to me to have some underlying tendencies towards more than just friends... as Shakespeare wites himself they were "coupled and inseparable" and had a strange sort of bond deeper than a sisters bond...that would mean to me a romantic relationship. But instead ends up getting married to a man to suppress her love for another woman. But I don't know, I'm not a relationship connoseiur.

SPeaking of love and relationships, as we readers meet the character Silvius, we see his utter, uncontrollable attraction to Phoebe. He is so in love, that he feels he is a victim to love. It is just that powerful. As this takes place we see Shakespeare hints at idea of foolishness arising from this raging passion and love, and that it is the foolishness that we fall victim to.

But some people love to become foolish in love...

how do you like it?

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