‘As You Like It’ Act Two – “All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players…”

‘As You Like It’ Act Two – “All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players…”

“All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages.”

We enter the majestic world of the Forest of Ardennes (aka Arden) where Duke Senior lives a life open to the freedom of the forest and finds everything he wants without the “painted pomp” of the court:

“Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile,

Hath not old custom made this life more sweet

Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods

More free from peril than the envious court…

And this our life exempt from public haunt

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones and good in every thing.

I would not change it.”

The duke then recommends that go hunting for a deer even though he laments the fate of the way that locals kill their deer. It is then pointed out that the their forest companion the melancholic and poetic Lord Jaques has expressed this exact sentiment. Someone is sent to find Jaques so that Duke Senior can have some fun with his loyal, but melancholic, noble-born comrade.

We then move back to Duke Frederick’s Court where Duke Frederick is enraged to find out that not only Rosalind left but Celia (his daughter) and Touchstone (his motley fool whose humour he didn’t appreciate until now) have left the court without a trace. Of course, at least one lord had heard Rosalind appreciating Orlando’s good looks and wrestling exploits so ot is assumed that Orlando is to blame. Frederick thinks that it is a good idea to solicit Oliver to find his brother and thus his daughter and niece. Little does he know that his relationship between he and his brother is as thwart as that between Oliver and Orlando.

When Orlando returns home, his old servant Adam (who was also a servant of his father) tells him that Orlando’s bravery might just undo him. Adam, although old, believes that their only hope is to take to the open road and he offers his more than modest savings as funding for Orlando’s escape. Orlando thanks Adam and they escape into, guess where, the forest or Ardenne (aka Arden). suggests that the two of them take to the road with his modest life’s savings. Touched by Adam’s constant service, Orlando agrees.

Meanwhile Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone enter in, guess where, th Forest of Ardenne (aka Arden). At this point some of you may be wondering why I am emphasizing the name of the forest so much. Well, I will divert and tell you. So for those of you who know the story, please skip ahed until you find that Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone seek rest in the Forest of Arden.

Arden probably derives from the Ancient British (pre-Roman) word ardu, meaning "forested high land". Now half of Shakespeare’s mother’s family land was not cut through with Roman roads and thus half of the county of Warwickshire (the county of Shakespeare mother and the adopted county of Shakespeare’s great grandfather on his father’s side) stretching from Stratford-on-Avon in the south to Tamworth in the north was covered in forest. The fact that this was covered in forest is probably the origin of the phrase “sent to Coventry” since both Birmingham and Coventry are at the edge of where this forest stretched to. The Arden family, of which William Shakespeare mother was an inheritor were the lease holders of the forest and its deer and game. Shakespeare's ‘As You Like It’ is set in the Forest of Ardenne or Arden which is based on the French Ardennes forest in Thomas Lodge's prose romance poem ‘Rosalynde’ but is like the Forest of Arden of Shakespeare’s youth which even thenhad been decimated due to deforestation and thus is a ‘hippy’ dream of a place of freedom and fantasy for Shakespeare.

Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone sit down to rest when two shepherds, young Corin and old Silvius enter talking about Silvius’s love for Phoebe. Hungry and not coping with their adventures beyond the court, Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone approach Corin and ask for food and shelter. Corin admits he doesn’t have much and that that his master’s lodging and land holding are up fup for sale, and Rosalind and Celia to not just pay for food and lodgibg but to attempt to purchase the whole property and effects. Bloody city folk (aka court folk) thinking that they can just purchase up country folk lots at cheap prices.

Back to more pastoral matters where Amiens is searching the Forest of Ardenne for Jaques. Amiens sings songs Jaques begs him to continue and “suck melancholy out of a song as a weasel sucks eggs”. Truly, Jacques would have listened endlessly to Leonard Cohen and Joy Division if he was born in the early 1960’s. Amiens leads Jacques to the Duke and better company.

Just when we think that Shakespeare can not maintain multiple characters and plots, he switches to Orlando and Adam who are, by now exhausted from their travels, or escape , into the Forest of Ardenne (aka Arden, I like doing that). Adam being old is exhausted, even though he claimed earlier to be filled with life, and Orlando proclaims that he will play ‘Grizzly Adams’ or ‘Bear Grills’ and find them both food. He does however not drink his own urine like ‘Bear Grills’.

Duke Senior eventually finds Jaques, who instead of being melancholic is merry:

“A fool, a fool! I met a fool i' the forest,

A motley fool; a miserable world!

As I do live by food, I met a fool

Who laid him down and bask'd him in the sun,

And rail'd on Lady Fortune in good terms,

In good set terms and yet a motley fool.”

Jacques eventually decides that he would rather be a ‘motley fool’. Eventually after much philosophizing between Jacques and the Duke they end their philosophical meanderings when Orlando enters armed and acting like a wild aggressor. The duke questions whether Orlando’s attitude is due to pure rudeness or bad breeding and upbringing. Orlando points out his situation and is accepted by Duke Senioor and he goes to fetch Old Adam. Jaques then contemplates the nature of life, nature and existence and relates this to a stage a metaphor:

“All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,

Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lined,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Orlando then enters with Adam and they all feast.