DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL GHAZIABAD HOLIDAY HOMEWORK

2.ENGLISH
Q.2 book review

As you like it -book review

by William Shakespeare

Shivang agrawal XI

William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ,born in 1564 ,was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. His dramas are usually divided into three classes called tragedies, comedies and historical plays.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players

Introduction and plot

According to Pearl S.Buck, As you like it is undoubtedly the queen of romantic comedies. I think that this story is a very lovely piece of work by Shakespeare, who expresses each and every character very well. Throughout the play Shakespeare expresses the love and hatred between the different characters. He also differentiates between the two lifestyles of people ,one who are from court and have experienced royalty just the way it is and other the people who live in the country and spend a simple life as a shepherd and not know about the good behaviors as a courtier would know. This play is built around the theme of love. As you like it has a complex plot. It has two main stories which form the backdrop to the main plot dealing with the love story of Rosalind and Orlando. These stories are: The usurpation of duke seniors dukedom by his younger brother, Duke Fredrick. The tyranny and injustice of Oliver towards his younger brother, Orlando.

Themes and motifs

1. Theme of love: Love is the central theme of As you like it . The
principle of love at first sight is displayed in the love of Orlando and Rosalind, Celia and Oliver, as well as Phebe and Ganymede. The love story of Audrey and Touchstone is a mockery or parody of love. 2. Usurpation and injustice: This is a very important element of the plot around which the drama revolves. Oliver deprives his own brother Orlando of good education and of inheritance. He conspires with Charles to kill Orlando, however Charles is defeated by Orlando, then Oliver plots to set fire to Orlandos room at night, but Olivers evil intentions fail . Duke Fredrick usurps the dukedom of his elder brother, Duke Senior and confiscates the property of his followers ,he banishes Duke senior and compels him to leave the kingdom and live in the forest of Arden. Duke Senior who is a victim of usurpation, is a usurper himself. He and his followers usurp the territory of the deer which does not belong to them. 3. Forgiveness and reconciliation

4. Theme of cheerfulness and adversity: this is illustrated by the life and character of duke senior ,Orlando and Rosalind. The three of them brave misfortune ,remain contented in adversity and face their destiny with resignation. The characters in the play may regard their exile in forest as a misfortune but in reality it is a blessing. They rejoice in the quiet life of the forest , away from the care and worries of the public life at court and in the end everyone gets what they want. 5. The change in human experience: As you like it portrays the change that man undergoes in his life. It not only shows that people can and do change , but also celebrates their ability to change for the better. In As you like it the characters do not struggle hard to undergo transformation as in the case of duke Fredrick and Oliver. Perhaps such a transformation has much to do with the magical effects of the life in the forest. 6. City life versus country life: As you like it portrays the contrast between the city life which full of constrain, is calculated and unnatural and the country life which is free, natural, spontaneous and wholesome. Pastoral literature suggests that the oppression of the city can be remedied by undertaking a trip into the countrys woods and fields, and that a persons sense of balance can be restored by conversation with simple shepherds and shepherdesses.

My views
This is one of my best read book ever. As you like it is a light and uplifting play with loveable characters , happy messages and ending, and some very memorable lines. I just couldnt stop reading, it was so much fun. The fun of Shakespeare's comedies is not in the plots but in the pure genius of his language. Many of his best lines have become such staples of common usage that most people aren't even aware they are quoting Shakespeare like All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players Which is one of my favourite part of the story when melancholy Jacques gives a speech on the seven stages of life. I had definitely remembered it as a comedy and the title certainly suggested it. But, one brother has overthrown another; there is a very mean Duke in control and he wants all opposition removed permanently. It wasnt going the way a comedy would develop. However, it soon made a turn and many of the bad guys turned good, and the worst of them all gets religion.

In the end more people got married that it seemed were in the cast list, and one of my favourite characters, a bit of a curmudgeonly fellow, stuck with his love of the simple life of the forest and told the others to politely go jump!. I loved Rosalind's wit a lot. Her witty dialogues were surely a craft. Touchstones humour was also an important thing to relish. It was little weird that four couples were getting married in a single day that to in so less time. The play seems to takes its name from the very short epilogue in which the character of Rosalind comes on the stage and tells the audience that you may interpret the play and call it "as you like it. And so we may. A wonderful play to read, so very much fun and so lovely.

Thank you