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William Shakespeare

As You Like It

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Act 1

3 scenes

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    Scene 1An Orchard near Oliver’s house5 characters10 min read

    Orlando confronts Oliver over his neglected upbringing and demands the portion their father left him. Oliver falsely portrays Orlando as treacherous and encourages Charles to injure him in their forthcoming wrestling match.

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  2. Scene 2A Lawn before the Duke’s Palace7 characters15 min read

    Despite Rosalind and Celia's warnings, Orlando wrestles Charles and defeats him. Attracted to Orlando, Rosalind gives him a chain, leaving him unable to express his answering affection. Le Beau advises Orlando to leave because Duke Frederick resents his victory and his parentage.

  3. Scene 3A Room in the Palace3 characters7 min read

    Duke Frederick orders Rosalind to leave his court within ten days on pain of death. Celia refuses to remain without Rosalind and proposes that they seek Rosalind's father in Arden. Rosalind adopts the name Ganymede, while Celia chooses Aliena, and they plan to take Touchstone with them.

Act 2

7 scenes
  1. Scene 1The Forest of Arden4 characters4 min read

    Duke Senior tells his companions that exile offers freedoms and lessons unavailable at court. A lord reports how Jaques mourned a wounded stag and condemned the exiles for killing the forest's inhabitants.

  2. Scene 2A Room in the Palace3 characters1 min read

    Frederick learns that Celia, Rosalind and Touchstone have disappeared, and hears that the women had admired Orlando. Frederick commands that Oliver be brought before him so that Orlando can be found.

  3. Scene 3Before Oliver’s House2 characters4 min read

    Adam warns Orlando that Oliver intends to burn his lodging that night or find another means of killing him. Adam offers his savings and service, and Orlando agrees to leave with him.

  4. Scene 4The Forest of Arden5 characters5 min read

    Newly arrived in Arden, Rosalind overhears Silvius describing his hopeless love for Phoebe to Corin. Rosalind and Celia authorise Corin to buy his master's cottage, pasture and flock on their behalf.

  5. Scene 5Another part of the Forest2 characters3 min read

    Amiens sings an invitation to woodland life, and Jaques urges him to continue. Jaques offers a parody that calls those who abandon comfort for the forest fools.

  6. Scene 6Another part of the Forest2 characters1 min read

    When Adam collapses from hunger and exhaustion, Orlando shelters him and goes to find food.

  7. Scene 7Another part of the Forest5 characters11 min read

    After recounting his encounter with Touchstone, Jaques asks for a fool's freedom to criticise the world. Orlando interrupts the duke's meal with a drawn sword, but responds courteously when the duke freely offers help. Orlando returns with Adam, and the duke welcomes him after learning that he is Sir Rowland de Boys's son.

Act 3

5 scenes
  1. Scene 1A Room in the Palace2 characters1 min read

    Frederick orders Oliver to find Orlando within a year, confiscating his property until he produces his brother.

  2. Scene 2The Forest of Arden6 characters22 min read

    Orlando places love poems on the forest's trees in praise of Rosalind. Celia reveals that Orlando wrote the verses, delighting Rosalind. Disguised as Ganymede, Rosalind persuades Orlando to court her as Rosalind in a supposed cure for his love.

  3. Scene 3Another part of the Forest4 characters5 min read

    Touchstone brings Sir Oliver Martext to perform a marriage ceremony with Audrey. Jaques persuades Touchstone to seek a proper church wedding rather than proceed with Martext.

  4. Scene 4Another part of the Forest. Before a Cottage3 characters3 min read

    Rosalind worries that Orlando has failed to keep his appointment, while Celia questions his constancy. Corin leads Rosalind and Celia towards Silvius and Phoebe so they can witness the shepherd's unsuccessful wooing.

  5. Scene 5Another part of the Forest3 characters8 min read

    After Phoebe scorns Silvius, Rosalind intervenes and tells her to accept his love. Phoebe becomes attracted to the disguised Rosalind despite receiving further rebuffs. Phoebe decides to write to Ganymede and asks Silvius to deliver the letter.

Act 4

3 scenes
  1. Scene 1The Forest of Arden4 characters11 min read

    Rosalind, still playing Ganymede, chides Orlando for arriving late to their courtship lesson. At Rosalind's prompting, Celia acts as priest while Rosalind and Orlando exchange mock marriage vows. Orlando leaves to dine with the duke, promising to return at two o'clock, and Rosalind confesses her overwhelming love to Celia.

  2. Scene 2Another part of the Forest3 characters1 min read

    Jaques proposes presenting the successful deer hunter to the duke with the antlers as a trophy. The hunters perform a song that makes light of wearing horns.

  3. Scene 3Another part of the Forest4 characters9 min read

    After reading Phoebe's love letter, Rosalind sends Silvius back with instructions that Phoebe must love him. Oliver explains that Orlando saved him from a lioness despite their former enmity and suffered an arm wound. Oliver produces Orlando's bloodstained napkin, causing Rosalind to faint before she attempts to pass it off as acting.

Act 5

4 scenes
  1. Scene 1The Forest of Arden4 characters3 min read

    Touchstone intimidates Audrey's other suitor, William, into abandoning his pursuit of her. Corin tells Touchstone and Audrey to join Rosalind and Celia.

  2. Scene 2Another part of the Forest5 characters7 min read

    Oliver tells Orlando that he and Aliena love each other and asks to marry her the next day. Rosalind claims that magic will enable her to bring Rosalind to Orlando for marriage the next day. Rosalind promises to marry Phoebe if she ever marries a woman, and Phoebe agrees to marry Silvius if she refuses Ganymede.

  3. Scene 3Another part of the Forest5 characters2 min read

    Touchstone tells Audrey that their wedding will take place the next day. Two pages sing a springtime love song, which Touchstone dismisses before leaving with Audrey.

  4. Scene 4Another part of the Forest10 characters11 min read

    Rosalind returns without her disguise alongside Celia and Hymen, reuniting with her father and presenting herself to Orlando. Hymen unites Rosalind and Orlando, Celia and Oliver, Phoebe and Silvius, and Audrey and Touchstone. Orlando's brother reports that Frederick has embraced a religious life and restored the dukedom, prompting Jaques to seek him out while the others celebrate.