William Shakespeare

Name: As You Like It
Author: William Shakespeare

As You Like It (1623)

Summary

As You Like It, by William Shakespeare, is a pastoral comedy set in the Arden Forest, where the exiled Duke Senior and his court reside amid themes of love, wit, and social subversion. Central to the narrative are Rosalind, disguised as a male shepherd, and her lover Orlando, whose romantic entanglements and contests with the wrestler Charles propel the plot.

The text examines gender roles, the absurdity of courtly customs, and the redemptive influence of nature, as seen in the Duke’s banishment and the characters’ evolving identities. Shakespeare’s incisive dialogue and multifaceted themes—ranging from the critique of “love’s folly” to the irony of “beard” and “hose”—culminate in a resolution of reconciliation and self-discovery, underscoring the play’s lasting appeal.

Quotes from As You Like It (William Shakespeare)

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)

“ ROSALIND
Marry, that should you, if I were your mistress; or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit.
ORLANDO
What, of my suit?
ROSALIND
Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your suit. Am not I your Rosalind?
ORLANDO
I take some joy to say you are, because I would be talking of her.
ROSALIND
Well, in her person, I say I will not have you.
ORLANDO
Then, in mine own person, I die.
ROSALIND
No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is almost six thousand years old, and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person, videlicet, in a love-cause. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“ ORLANDO.
A man that had a wife with such a wit, he might say, “Wit, whither wilt?”
ROSALIND.
Nay, you might keep that check for it till you met your wife’s wit going to your neighbour’s bed.
ORLANDO.
And what wit could wit have to excuse that?
ROSALIND.
Marry, to say she came to seek you there. You shall never take her without her answer unless you take her without her tongue. O, that woman that cannot make her fault her husband’s occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for she will breed it like a fool. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)

“ He attends here in the forest on the duke, your father.
ROSALIND
I met the duke yesterday, and had much question with him. He asked me of what parentage I was; I told him, of as good as he; so he laughed and let me go. But what talk we of fathers when there is such a man as Orlando?
CELIA
O, that's a brave man! he writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks them bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart of his lover; as a puny tilter, that spurs his horse but on one side, breaks his staff like a noble goose: but all's brave that youth mounts and folly guides. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“ ORLANDO.
Pardon me, dear Rosalind.
ROSALIND.
Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight. I had as lief be wooed of a snail.
ORLANDO.
Of a snail?
ROSALIND.
Ay, of a snail, for though he comes slowly, he carries his house on his head—a better jointure, I think, than you make a woman. Besides, he brings his destiny with him.
ORLANDO.
What’s that?
ROSALIND.
Why, horns, which such as you are fain to be beholding to your wives for. But he comes armed in his fortune and prevents the slander of his wife.
ORLANDO.
Virtue is no horn-maker and my Rosalind is virtuous. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)

“ ORLANDO
What were his marks?
ROSALIND
A lean cheek; which you have not: a blue eye and sunken; which you have not: an unquestionable spirit; which you have not: a beard neglected; which you have not: but I pardon you for that, for simply your having in beard is a younger brother's revenue:— then your hose should be ungartered, your bonnet unbanded, your sleeve unbuttoned, your shoe untied, and every thing about you demonstrating a careless desolation. But you are no such man; you are rather point-device in your accoutrements, as loving yourself than seeming the lover of any other. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“ CELIA.
Alas, poor shepherd.
ROSALIND.
Do you pity him? No, he deserves no pity.—Wilt thou love such a woman? What, to make thee an instrument and play false strains upon thee? Not to be endured! Well, go your way to her, for I see love hath made thee a tame snake, and say this to her: that if she love me, I charge her to love thee; if she will not, I will never have her unless thou entreat for her. If you be a true lover, hence, and not a word, for here comes more company.
[Exit Silvius.]
Enter Oliver. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“ Heigh-ho, sing heigh-ho, unto the green holly.
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.
DUKE SENIOR.
If that you were the good Sir Rowland’s son,
As you have whispered faithfully you were,
And as mine eye doth his effigies witness
Most truly limned and living in your face,
Be truly welcome hither. I am the Duke
That loved your father. The residue of your fortune
Go to my cave and tell me.—Good old man,
Thou art right welcome as thy master is.
Support him by the arm. [To Orlando.] ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“ ORLANDO.
Not so; but I answer you right painted cloth, from whence you have studied your questions.
JAQUES.
You have a nimble wit. I think ’twas made of Atalanta’s heels. Will you sit down with me? And we two will rail against our mistress the world and all our misery.
ORLANDO.
I will chide no breather in the world but myself, against whom I know most faults.
JAQUES.
The worst fault you have is to be in love.
ORLANDO.
’Tis a fault I will not change for your best virtue. I am weary of you.
JAQUES.
By my troth, I was seeking for a fool when I found you. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)

“ ROSALIND
Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler?
ORLANDO
No, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth.
CELIA
Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety and give over this attempt. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

“ DUKE SENIOR. If he, compact of jars, grow musical,
We shall have shortly discord in the spheres.
Go seek him; tell him I would speak with him.
Enter JAQUES
FIRST LORD. He saves my labour by his own approach.
DUKE SENIOR. Why, how now, monsieur! what a life is this,
That your poor friends must woo your company?
What, you look merrily!
JAQUES. A fool, a fool! I met a fool i' th' 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. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)

“ Mistress, you must come away to your father.
CELIA
Were you made the messenger?
TOUCHSTONE
No, by mine honour; but I was bid to come for you.
ROSALIND
Where learned you that oath, fool?
TOUCHSTONE
Of a certain knight that swore by his honour they were good pancakes, and swore by his honour the mustard was naught: now, I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good: and yet was not the knight forsworn.
CELIA
How prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge?
ROSALIND
Ay, marry; now unmuzzle your wisdom. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)

“ ROSALIND
Why, God will send more if the man will be thankful: let me stay the growth of his beard, if thou delay me not the knowledge of his chin.
CELIA
It is young Orlando, that tripped up the wrestler's heels and your heart both in an instant.
ROSALIND
Nay, but the devil take mocking: speak sad brow and true maid.
CELIA
I' faith, coz, 'tis he.
ROSALIND
Orlando?
CELIA
Orlando.
ROSALIND
Alas the day! what shall I do with my doublet and hose?— What did he when thou saw'st him? What said he? How look'd he? Wherein went he? What makes he here? Did he ask for me? Where remains he? ”

William Shakespeare

Summary

Quotes from As You Like It (William Shakespeare)

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