As You Like It. Essay
Belonging is a fundamental human need in As You Like It, which Shakespeare deals with through the central aspects of belonging to place and relationships. In As You Like It people’s connection to the court and nature are contrasted, as the court is a place of corruption and the forest a place of harmony. The characters experience exclusion and a disconnection from the court, so come to find happiness and acceptance in the forest. Shakespeare explores the relationships to friends, family and love to further convey the idea that belonging is desired by all humans to create a sense of belonging.
Belonging to place is one of the central aspects of belonging explored in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Many characters in the play experience a sense of belonging to the court and the Forest of Arden. The individual’s connection to place is depicted through the use of dramatic and language techniques which further portray Shakespeare’s notions of belonging as a fundamental human need. The aspect of belonging to the pastoral is contrast with belonging in the court throughout the play by setting. At beginning of the play setting is used to contrast the different attitudes of characters from within the court to those in Arden (Act 1 Scene 3 and Act 2 Scene 1). The Duke’s unjust banishment of Rosalind (Act 1 Scene 3) “thou art thy father’s daughter, there’s enough” is compared with Duke Senior’s speech that life in the forest is far superior to that of the court. Rhetorical questions are used such as “Are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court?” to emphasise the theme of belonging to the land. Similes are used to describe that in the forest good can come out of afflictions. For example he describes misfortunes as being “…like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head…” Metaphors are then used to express the idea of the land being valuable and that there are moral lessons in the landscape itself” Sermons in stones”. Duke Senior seems
Belonging to place is one of the central aspects of belonging explored in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Many characters in the play experience a sense of belonging to the court and the Forest of Arden. The individual’s connection to place is depicted through the use of dramatic and language techniques which further portray Shakespeare’s notions of belonging as a fundamental human need. The aspect of belonging to the pastoral is contrast with belonging in the court throughout the play by setting. At beginning of the play setting is used to contrast the different attitudes of characters from within the court to those in Arden (Act 1 Scene 3 and Act 2 Scene 1). The Duke’s unjust banishment of Rosalind (Act 1 Scene 3) “thou art thy father’s daughter, there’s enough” is compared with Duke Senior’s speech that life in the forest is far superior to that of the court. Rhetorical questions are used such as “Are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court?” to emphasise the theme of belonging to the land. Similes are used to describe that in the forest good can come out of afflictions. For example he describes misfortunes as being “…like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head…” Metaphors are then used to express the idea of the land being valuable and that there are moral lessons in the landscape itself” Sermons in stones”. Duke Senior seems