If the amount of space devoted to the forest in As You Like It is any indication of Shakespeare's preferences, he does seem to lean decidedly toward the bucolic offerings of the Forest of Arden and not toward the deceit and malevolence of the Court. In fact, seventeen of the play's twenty-two scenes are staged in the forest, the others being either at the Court or at Orlando's house. With only 23% of the dialogue taking place in a court setting, it might seem difficult to draw any valid conclusions about the weight Shakespeare places on the role of the court in this comedy, or in others. Nonetheless, the events that occur at Court during the opening passages of this play, those contained in Act I, are crucial to an understanding of the action to follow. In this sense, therefore, the amount of space devoted to the court and that assigned to the forest may not be used as a meaningful criterion for judging the significance of either setting. It could be asked, under these circumstances, what types of criteria do shed light on the characteristics of each setting and the attitudes expressed, toward each, either by the characters themselves or by the playwright?
In response to this fairly broad, but crucial enquiry, attention should be turned in the direction of the "source of authority" in the play. Duke Frederick and Oliver, eldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys, represent power-based figures. Both are unscrupulous designers whose domineering and tyrannical decisions foist subsidiary characters in the direction of the forest. The raison d'être, therefore, of the forest is to pursue development of the initial action which transpired in the Court setting, source of power and authority, however corrupt it may be.
The theme of banishment is strong in As You Like It, and forms, in fact, a liet-motif against which all action occurs. The forest, as pointed out earlier, exists in this play because of the Court, with which it conflicts, and the events which transpire in the Forest of Arden are an extension of the decisions made in the court setting. This having been stated, it can be observed that the remainder of the play, some 77%, takes place in the forest, with only a comparatively minor segment toward the final Act returning the spectator to the Court, where many characters feel comfortable, in spite of their comparative "safety" in the forest earlier in the action.
The Court seems to constitute, as it does in other Shakespearean works, the center not only of intrigue, but also of treachery, with Oliver and Duke Frederick scheming and plotting the elimination of their siblings. The women, specifically Rosalind and Celia, form a counterpoint to the male-dominated action, thus placing "exile in the forest" in a rather melancholy light. If the Court can also harbor the grace and beauty of women, so, too, can the forest. Although they must disguise themselves, the women seem to fare well in the sylvan setting, accompanied by their court jester, Touchstone. The airy, even crisp nature of the forest setting forms a stark contrast with the greed and avarice of the Court. Here, although there are inconveniences to tolerate, the banished heroes and heroines make their way through their lives with relative honesty and straightforwardness.
The basest of motives and the foulest of human emotions, which can be ascribed to courtly settings in general, are to be found in the court of As You Like It. Oliver forces his brother to leave the court, under threat of death. Unscrupulous schemes are hatched, involving rigged wrestling matches, home-burnings and despotic tyranny. Paralleling this underhanded conduct is Duke Frederick's plot to remove Duke Senior, his brother, from the playing field. Casting all of the characters into the Forest of Arden through pressure and connivery forms the major dramatic action of the play. Shakespeare excels at creating dynamic tensions and in exposing the true nature of not only Elizabethan man, but his descendants centuries later. It is perhaps ironic that the forest occupies the role of soother, comforter, and healer. Although men of the court went in pursuit of those who fled, it furnishes respite and solace in moments of stress and turmoil.
When welcoming Orlando to a forest meal, Duke Senior, one of the more eloquent characters, contrasted with the dull-wittedness of William, Silvius or Phebe, later in the play, acknowledges in a brief passage that the forest might be accommodating, but that:
True it is that we have seen better days,
And have with holy bell been knoll'd to church
And sat at good men's feasts and wiped our eyes
Of drops that sacred pity hath engender'd:
And therefore sit you down in gentleness. (II.7.120-124)
Elsewhere, he evokes the image of Robin Hood and considers their plight to be an essentially merry one, even in the face of seeming adversity. A premium is placed on the merits of freedom, liberty and mobility in his speech. And Senior, while avoiding the appearance of "sour grapes", expounds on the beauties of the forest. He was cast from the Court, but embraces the rusticity of Arden. He builds on this theme by reinforcing, in the eyes of his listeners, the notion that "sweet are the uses of adversity." The pristine beauty of the forest, for Senior, is inspiration for courage and fortitude. He finds "good" in all aspects of the forest, the streams, trees, glades and hillocks. All of this seems the quintessence of contentment and bliss. In fact, Duke Senior extolls the effects which the forest has on human nature; people lose their grasping ambition and their avaricious plots and counter-plots. Their only adversaries are the elements, taking the form of inclement weather, and seasonal fluctuations. Senior is unguardedly optimistic, preferring to see the positive side of the forest where, if we are to believe him, all things are in harmony and all things are incomparably delightful.
In retrospect, the spectator recalls some of the details which provided the former courtiers, now banished, with some pleasure in the plush and luxurious surroundings of Duke Frederick's court. There were comforts to enchant the maidens and the jester, Touchstone, in his element, performed far more creatively than in the forest which he derides as being inferior to the castle. Although there was an overlay of worldly ambition in the court, it did seem to offer an occasional touch of warmth, ribaldry or happiness. Beyond this, of course, there was a deep sense of bonding among virtually all "sympathetic" characters within the castle walls representing a phenomenon which did not seem to occur in the forest, a far more expansive domain, one at times even intimidating.
The one great love relationship of the play, binding Rosalind to Orlando, took root and blossomed in the ducal palace. It is revealing to note that, while this relationship was certainly present in the Forest of Arden, its intensest moments seem to have taken place, and evolved, within the walls.
Rosalind's female companion, Celia, also developed her sense of closeness and intimacy for her friend within the security of the palace, to the point where following Rosalind into the forest became an almost natural decision, founded in devotion and loyalty. A third friendship, predicated on social customs and a well-established servant-master relationship, was that of the aged Adam, man-servant of Orlando. When confronted with imminent exile, they both agreed that separation was impossible and that, although the castle would have provided protection in his golden years for Adam, now eighty years old, he prefers to accompany his master into banishment. The initial bonding, it should be obvious to the spectator, took place within the nurturing walls of the ducal palace, a place conducive to the formation of lasting friendships which were, for the most part, extended into the forest as if having been reborn in a verdant setting.
Whether Shakespeare intended the "locale" for these various occurrences to constitute a dichotomous continuum, with an "aura of treachery" at one end and "rustic fellowship" at the other is not entirely clear, as can be seen from the previous observations. Surely, just as the psychosocial relationships in all of Shakespeare's dramas are invariably interspersed with, indeed steeped in, doubt and shades of uncertainty, so too is the purpose of the playwright's interest in juxtaposing the Ducal Palace with the Forest of Arden.
By maintaining a modicum of mystery in As You Like It, the Bard enhances the universal appeal of his creation. His settings, like his characters, have qualities which can be applied to several eras and several cultures. Where, in the Western World, are there not castles and forests, we might validly inquire? If the castles of Europe feature crenelated turrets, so, too, centuries later, might the Cloisters of New York City, or the Château Frontenac of Québec City, be considered to harbor similar "architectural features" as well as similar "interpersonal intrigue." Thus, the broad outlines of his play lend themselves to universality, and hence wide appeal.
The emotions which are experienced and portrayed in both locations are also universal. In the Forest of Arden, for example, there is the opprobrious burden of sin and guilt which weighs on the hearts of the exiled band. They feel the "icy fang" and the "penalty of Adam" upon them, hardly a fortifying image of Christian warmth and reassurance. Rosalind and Celia are perhaps spared this burden, knowing that they are both innocently banished by virtue of higher causes of kinship and friendship. However, Orlando, while a victim of his evil brother, is a bit closer to feeling the wrath of his sibling's unjustified greed and egotism. To what extent Orlando's thoughts turn toward darker sentiments, fostered by the forest setting in which he finds himself, is open to speculation. Surely the ambiance lends itself to somberness, at times, as "churlish chiding" dominates the conversation, particularly as the exiled forest-dwellers encounter simple folk whose thoughts are superficial and depressingly naive. The erudition of the ducal palace is not to be found in Arden. The nuances of feeling and of expression are sorely missed by those banished. The entertainment value of the simple forest peasants, however, is not without redeeming qualities, particularly in the eyes of Elizabethan theater-goers. A little merriment intermingled with the heavier plot lines has always provided almost comic relief in the presence of "greater issues."
When examining the effect that the Forest of Arden has on the tone, drift or direction of the play, one sees the supercilious nature of such characters as Audry and William, neither of whom is particularly graceful or cunning. The addition of Silvius and Phebe, historically mirthful characters, rounds out the impression of light-heartedness and maudlin sentimentality of certain episodes which take place in the forest. While these provide relief from the burdensome plot of evil emanating from the ducal palace, they also form a vivid contrast which further dramatizes the plight of the exiled group. How is justice served by simple folk enjoying themselves, as others deal with issues of a weighty nature? The issues which Orlando and Rosaline confront, as is the case with Duke Senior, are fraught with momentous consequences, affecting a far broader expanse of life than perhaps the forest-folk will ever encounter.
In support of the notion that the exiled company of courtiers are fairly profound as individuals, one of Rowland de Boys' sons, Jaques, expounds on his well-known impressions of life in general when, in the forest, he exclaims, in Act II, Scene 7:
All the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances. (139-141)
Elsewhere, his assertion that only fools could prefer the forest to the castle dispels any lingering impression of an "idyllic forest glade" that the spectator might have been harboring. So, in spite of an overall sense of relief fostered by the "banishment / escape" atmosphere at the play's outset, there develops later in the plot an antithetical or ambivalent attitude toward the forest, initially thought to provide solace and shelter in an all-embracing sense. Jaques alludes to the negative aspects of Arden, as do other characters at intervals. We learn of wild animals, shadows and the fear of attack.
There is more depth to Jaques' remark, however, as he provides further insight into the relationships of Orlando, Rosalind and Adam, and, goes on to illuminate the broader picture of the ever-unraveling plot. In speaking of his distaste for the forest, Jaques, in effect, sheds additional light on the sub-thematic material involving "unhappiness." He begins to see that unhappiness can affect others as it affects him. Everyone harbors personal tragedies and insoluble dilemmas, often constituting heart-breaking or life-threatening events.
One central ironic twist of this play, classified understandably as a comedy, is that although everyone seems to pay lip service to the beauties of the forest, they all do so because it is an "imposed condition". The spectator slowly realizes this as the play progresses, and this realization seems to crystallize in the minds of the characters themselves only after Jaques' contribution, which forms something of a pivotal "intervention" in the course of the exiled party's thinking. While the Forest of Arden may well be pristine and verdant, it is, on balance, a less desirable mode of life than the palace, when seen from the perspective of pragmatism and practicality.
The Forest of Arden also gives rise to magical qualities and playful confusion. Phebe at one point desires Rosalind, a girl-girl combination which is a distinct cause of laughter among Elizabethan spectators. Orlando hypothesizes that he doesn't have possession of Rosalind and yet he does. The Masque of Hymen sets things straight and the comedy of disguises and mistaken identities takes on a marital air of legitimacy. Magic in Shakespeare, like masque-scenes, can take place either in forest glades or palatial surroundings. In As You Like It, the unusually high number of songs, provides a back-drop of sprite -like enchantment which "fits in" well with the Masque of Hymen, a sequence often portrayed by a torch-bearing young boy, carrying the flame of love and ardor. It has been suggested that the songs compliment Hymen's presence, serving to explain his function in the play, and to reinforce the entire impact of the forest setting, foreshadowing a seemingly permanent return to the palace.
Not only, of course, does the forest afford the backdrop of final events (the dénouement), but it reinforces, some critics have asserted, the notion of fertility, renewal and harmonious balance in life. These concepts are an outgrowth of Medieval and Early Renaissance images, some iconic, others graphically portrayed, of symbols of fertility, based almost invariably in sylvan settings. Some examples include the unicorn, the hart, the turtle-doves and the use of lush vegetation. Although the dramatic action in As You Like It is fast-paced, jovial and good-natured, with lengthy passages devoted to Rosalind and Orlando, it is reminiscent in many ways of Late Medieval symbols and devices, both literary and poetic. Much of this atmosphere is produced in the songs and masque of As You Like It.
While "authority" within Duke Frederick's society lies essentially with him in the palace, the on-going flow of life seems to flourish in frolicsome merriment and mirth within the forest setting. Bringing Touchstone along, disguising their faces, the maidens contribute to the atmosphere of young romance, amidst political turmoil and bitter enmity which hovers over them, as a sense of gloom emanates simultaneously from the palace.
The underlying "contrasts" which seem most marked in this play, about which volumes have been written, are clearly the abuse of power on the part of Oliver and Frederick, on the one hand, and the powerfully emotional attachment of Rosalind and Orlando, on the other.
The accurate portrayal of age and youth -- with its respective priorities -- is one of Shakespeare's greatest talents. In his histories, tragedies, sonnets and comedies, he seems to grasp this spectrum of behavior, and mirrors it, quite capably, in his tenth play of Folio One, As You Like It.
The substantial influence of Arden in achieving resolution of the conflict between the spiteful greed of the Frederick / Oliver axis and the youthful bliss of the hero and heroine, who, incidentally, closes out the play in a well-appreciated Epilogue, is still open to speculation and conjecture. However, it cannot be said that Shakespeare's having placed more than three-fourths of this play in the Forest of Arden is purely fortuitous. The action which transpires in the glens and glades of this forest is both indispensable ad crucial to achievement of "final resolution." The ducal palace, comfortable and opulent, is seat of some happiness, but -- exposure to the climate and general discomfort notwithstanding -- the Forest of Arden seems to be the preferred milieu of most of the characters in this play. It serves as a useful device, in fact, as a counter-point to the power-center of Duke Frederick. However, it serves more than a contrastive purpose. The sylvan setting breathes vigor and inspiration into the lives of the company of exiled courtiers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brissenden. A. As You Like It, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1993.
Knowles, R. As You Like It, The Modern Language Association of America, New York City, N.Y., 1977.
Latham, A. As You Like It, Methuen and Company, Ltd., London, 1975.
Neilson, W. As You Like It, Scott, Foreman and Company, New York City, N.Y., 1919
Traversi, D. An Approach to Shakespeare, Doubleday-Anchor and Company, Garden City, 1969.