Other editions of book As You Like It

Shakespeare's romantic comedy As You Like It sets up a number of dualities that are explored but never resolved, exposing the complex relationships that exist between romance and realism, nobleman and commoner, and male and female. This invaluable new study guide to one of Shakespeare's greatest comedies contains a selection of the finest criticism through the centuries on As You Like It, including commentaries by such important critics as Samuel Johnson, George Bernard Shaw, W. H. Auden, and many others. Students will also benefit from the additional features in this volume, including an introduction by Harold Bloom, an accessible summary of the plot, an analysis of several key passages, a comprehensive list of characters, a biography of Shakespeare, essays discussing the main currents of criticism in each century since Shakespeare's time, and more

As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio, 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility. As You Like It follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin Celia to find safety and, eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. In the forest, they encounter a variety of memorable characters, notably the melancholy traveller Jaques who speaks many of Shakespeare's most famous speeches (such as All the world's a stage and A fool! A fool! I met a fool in the forest). Jaques provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and disputing the hardships of life in the country. Historically, critical response has varied, with some critics finding the work of lesser quality than other Shakespearean works and some finding the play a work of great merit

As You Like It is truly one of Shakespeare's greatest romantic comedies. The heroine, Rosalind has grown up in the court of her usurping uncle Duke Frederick, her father, the rightful duke, having been exiled by his younger brother. Rosalind falls in love with Orlando, but Orlando is forced to flee when he is persecuted by his older brother Oliver. Soon Rosalind is also banished from the court by her uncle. Switching genders she assumes the identity of Ganymede and with her cousin Celia in tow goes in search of her father. Finding him and his friends in the Forest of Arden the young girls join the exiles before finally being reunited with their lovers, a mellowed Oliver and an evil uncle who has found religion.

As You Like It is a light-hearted, gender-bending comedy by William Shakespeare. Rosalind has fallen for Orlando, but wants to test his feelings, so she disguises herself as a boy and befriends him. Will Orlando convince Rosalind he is for real, or will the guy talk turn her off? Shakespeare gleefully throws a number of courting couples into the mix, adds a dose of political scheming, and turns up the fun in what has become one of his most beloved and frequently-performed plays.

Presented by Fiona Shaw, this is an invaluable resource, examining various issues, including how interpretations of Shakespeare can be explored through performance and the difference between film and theatre. The video includes workshops by Fiona Shaw with student actors; extracts from the all-male Cheek by Jowl production of the play; and interviews with Cheek by Jowl's Declan Donnellan and Adrian Lester and with directors/actors Annie Castledine, Peter Sellars, Juliet Stevenson and Deborah Warner. It ends with a specially shot version of the banishment scene directed by Fiona Shaw, with Susan Lynch and Matilda Ziegler. Produced by The Open University. NOT FOR SALE IN NORTH AMERICA.