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This essay is rather "JK!" if you ask me.
Apr. 2nd, 2009 12:53 amI know this essay is a thrown-together, incomprehensive piece of shit, but you know what? It's 765 words (with a 400-800 word requirement), and it more-or-less answered the question, and it's good enough for me.
The play is chiefly concerned with two enduring human illusions – the pastoral ideal, or the dream of a simple life, and the ideal of romantic love” (Gilman, page lxiv). Trace one of these ideas throughout the play, paying special attention to the range of contrasting attitudes shown by different characters.
From the beginning of the play, Orlando views the peasant life as being the opposite of gentility. (1.1.64-66) It seems that the biggest indicator of gentility to him is a proper education, which one cannot possibly attain while living the life of a peasant. Even having fallen in love with the shepherdess Rosalind, he Oliver seems to share this belief, expressing surprise that Orlando seems to be breaking through this mold. (1.1.155-156) In the end, I find that the only areas where Orlando ever finds comfort in the country are those where he finds “society” within it: Duke Senior’s gentle patience and hospitality (2.7.107-110), Rosalind’s learned accent (3.2.318-324).
Charles, in 1.1.107-111, speaks of rumors of Duke Senior’s life in Arden – rumors which are described entirely pastorally. Apparently the former Duke and all in his presence “fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world”. I suppose it is important to acknowledge that these are not his own words, and it is up to a director to interpret whether Charles approves of this pastoral description.
Celia, in light of her father’s banishing Rosalind from his court, considers their departure to the countryside positively, saying “Now go we in content / To liberty and not to banishment” (1.3.137-138). To her, any location, and any lifestyle, is contenting as long as she can be with Rosalind.
Duke Senior, of all the characters in As You Like It, is the most taken to the pastoral idea. In 2.1.1-18, he extols the honesty of even the harshest elements of country life, such as bitter weather. In contrast to Orlando’s belief that one cannot receive a proper education unless one is brought up in gentility, Duke Senior finds “Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, / Sermons in stones” (2.1.16-17). Amiens replies to Duke Senior with a sense of polite disagreement, implying that he is one of the rare ones able to take “so quiet and so sweet” a view of such a lifestyle.
Duke Senior is not naïve in his preference for country living. As mentioned before, he has no delusions that weather in the country is always 80 degrees and sunny. He is also fully aware of the harsh truth that innocent creatures must die in order for humans to eat, and that in the country this usually means killing the animal yourself. It disturbs him that animals would be violently injured in their own territory. (2.1.22-26) At the same time, as with the harsh weather, he takes this in and accepts it graciously, and even mocks Jaques’ melodramatic mourning of the deer’s fate. (2.1.71-72)
Touchstone’s view of country living, and all things, can best be described as “practical”. “Ay, now am I in Arden; the more fool I; when I was at home, I was in a better place: but travelers must be content.” (2.4.13-15) His decision to content himself with this new lifestyle becomes more apparent later in the play when he decides to marry the goatherd Audrey, which would likely tie him down to a country life. (3.3.39-43) He doesn’t seem to be marrying her out of love, but out of practicality: because he wants an approved sexual outlet. (3.3.77-79)
The other evidence that Touchstone is moderate in his view of country life is his “philosophy” on the topic as he describes it to Corin in 3.2.12-21. Essentially he is acknowledging the fact that every way of life has its pros and cons, and that depending on one’s mood and immediate condition, these pros and cons can even be the same things.
Of all the characters in the play, Jaques is probably the character least impressed with the country lifestyle (not that there is any lifestyle he would be impressed with). When Sir Oliver Mar-Text meets up with Audrey and Touchstone in the forest to marry them, Jaques tells them to get married in a church with a “good priest”, for if they were to marry “under a bush like a beggar” their marriage would “warp”. (3.3.80-85) (Note, however, that Touchstone seems to agree with this sentiment, in fact hoping to not be “well married” so he will have a “good excuse for [him] hereafter to leave [his] wife”. (3.3.88-90))
Jaques also expresses his distaste of country life when mocking the pastoral song sung by Amiens: “If it do come to pass / That any man turn ass, / Leaving his wealth and ease, / A stubborn will to please, / Ducdame, ducdame, ducdame: / Here shall he see / Gross fools as he, / An if he will come to me.” (2.5.44-51)
I'll proofread this and do the exercises and personal response in the morning. Right now I'm going to bed.
The play is chiefly concerned with two enduring human illusions – the pastoral ideal, or the dream of a simple life, and the ideal of romantic love” (Gilman, page lxiv). Trace one of these ideas throughout the play, paying special attention to the range of contrasting attitudes shown by different characters.
From the beginning of the play, Orlando views the peasant life as being the opposite of gentility. (1.1.64-66) It seems that the biggest indicator of gentility to him is a proper education, which one cannot possibly attain while living the life of a peasant. Even having fallen in love with the shepherdess Rosalind, he Oliver seems to share this belief, expressing surprise that Orlando seems to be breaking through this mold. (1.1.155-156) In the end, I find that the only areas where Orlando ever finds comfort in the country are those where he finds “society” within it: Duke Senior’s gentle patience and hospitality (2.7.107-110), Rosalind’s learned accent (3.2.318-324).
Charles, in 1.1.107-111, speaks of rumors of Duke Senior’s life in Arden – rumors which are described entirely pastorally. Apparently the former Duke and all in his presence “fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world”. I suppose it is important to acknowledge that these are not his own words, and it is up to a director to interpret whether Charles approves of this pastoral description.
Celia, in light of her father’s banishing Rosalind from his court, considers their departure to the countryside positively, saying “Now go we in content / To liberty and not to banishment” (1.3.137-138). To her, any location, and any lifestyle, is contenting as long as she can be with Rosalind.
Duke Senior, of all the characters in As You Like It, is the most taken to the pastoral idea. In 2.1.1-18, he extols the honesty of even the harshest elements of country life, such as bitter weather. In contrast to Orlando’s belief that one cannot receive a proper education unless one is brought up in gentility, Duke Senior finds “Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, / Sermons in stones” (2.1.16-17). Amiens replies to Duke Senior with a sense of polite disagreement, implying that he is one of the rare ones able to take “so quiet and so sweet” a view of such a lifestyle.
Duke Senior is not naïve in his preference for country living. As mentioned before, he has no delusions that weather in the country is always 80 degrees and sunny. He is also fully aware of the harsh truth that innocent creatures must die in order for humans to eat, and that in the country this usually means killing the animal yourself. It disturbs him that animals would be violently injured in their own territory. (2.1.22-26) At the same time, as with the harsh weather, he takes this in and accepts it graciously, and even mocks Jaques’ melodramatic mourning of the deer’s fate. (2.1.71-72)
Touchstone’s view of country living, and all things, can best be described as “practical”. “Ay, now am I in Arden; the more fool I; when I was at home, I was in a better place: but travelers must be content.” (2.4.13-15) His decision to content himself with this new lifestyle becomes more apparent later in the play when he decides to marry the goatherd Audrey, which would likely tie him down to a country life. (3.3.39-43) He doesn’t seem to be marrying her out of love, but out of practicality: because he wants an approved sexual outlet. (3.3.77-79)
The other evidence that Touchstone is moderate in his view of country life is his “philosophy” on the topic as he describes it to Corin in 3.2.12-21. Essentially he is acknowledging the fact that every way of life has its pros and cons, and that depending on one’s mood and immediate condition, these pros and cons can even be the same things.
Of all the characters in the play, Jaques is probably the character least impressed with the country lifestyle (not that there is any lifestyle he would be impressed with). When Sir Oliver Mar-Text meets up with Audrey and Touchstone in the forest to marry them, Jaques tells them to get married in a church with a “good priest”, for if they were to marry “under a bush like a beggar” their marriage would “warp”. (3.3.80-85) (Note, however, that Touchstone seems to agree with this sentiment, in fact hoping to not be “well married” so he will have a “good excuse for [him] hereafter to leave [his] wife”. (3.3.88-90))
Jaques also expresses his distaste of country life when mocking the pastoral song sung by Amiens: “If it do come to pass / That any man turn ass, / Leaving his wealth and ease, / A stubborn will to please, / Ducdame, ducdame, ducdame: / Here shall he see / Gross fools as he, / An if he will come to me.” (2.5.44-51)
I'll proofread this and do the exercises and personal response in the morning. Right now I'm going to bed.
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