This document provides a summary of William Shakespeare's play "As You Like It". It discusses that the play is set in the Forest of Arden, where characters like Rosalind and Orlando flee from the usurping Duke Frederick. Rosalind disguises herself as a man named Ganymede. The play explores themes of love, human experiences across different stages of life, and creates a do-as-you-please atmosphere in the forest setting. It provides an overview of the plot, characters, themes and significance of the title for the play.

1. English Project
AS YOU LIKE IT
Submitted by
Mayank Bhaskar
Roll no. 15249
Sec. ‘C’
"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."
(Act II, Scene VII)

2. Introduction
• About Author
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet,
playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the
English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often
called England's national poet, and the "Bard of Avon".
• About Play
“As You Like” is considered by many to be one of Shakespeare's greatest
comedies, and the heroine, Rosalind, is praised as one of his most
inspiring characters and has more lines than any of Shakespeare's
female characters.

3. PLOT
• As You Like It is considered by many to be one of Shakespeare's greatest
comedies, and the heroine, Rosalind, is praised as one of his most inspiring
characters and has more lines than any of Shakespeare's
female characters. Rosalind, the daughter of a banished duke falls in love
with Orlando the disinherited son of one of the duke's friends. When she is
banished from the court by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick , Rosalind
switches genders and as Ganymede travels with her loyal cousin Celia and
the jester Touchstone to the Forest of Arden, where her father and
his friends live in exile.

4. Characters
Rosalind - The daughter of Duke Senior. Rosalind, considered one
of Shakespeare’s most delightful heroines, is independent minded,
strong-willed, good-hearted, and terribly clever. Rather than slink off
into defeated exile, Rosalind resourcefully uses her trip to the Forest
of Ardenne as an opportunity to take control of her own destiny.
When she disguises herself as Ganymede—a handsome young
man—and offers herself as a tutor.
Orlando - The youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois and
younger brother of Oliver. Orlando is an attractive young man
who has languished without a gentleman’s education or
training. Orlando cares for the aging Adam in the Forest of
Ardenne and later risks his life to save Oliver from a hungry
lioness, proving himself a proper gentleman. He is the most
obvious romantic match for Rosalind.

5. Celia - The daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalind’s dearest friend.
Celia’s devotion to Rosalind is unmatched, as evidenced by her decision
to follow her cousin into exile. To make the trip, Celia assumes the
disguise of a simple shepherdess and calls herself Aliena. As elucidated
by her extreme love of Rosalind and her immediate devotion to Oliver,
whom she marries at the end of the play.
Duke Frederick - The brother of Duke Senior and usurper of his throne.
Duke Frederick’s cruel nature and volatile temper are displayed when he
banishes his niece, Rosalind, from court without reason. That Celia, his own
daughter, cannot mitigate his unfounded anger demonstrates the intensity of
the duke’s hatefulness.Duke Senior - The father of Rosalind and the rightful ruler of the dukedom
in which the play is set. Having been banished by his usurping brother,
Frederick, Duke Senior now lives in exile in the Forest of Ardenne with a
number of loyal men, including Lord Amiens and Jaques. Content in the
forest, where he claims to learn as much from stones and brooks as he

6. Themes
The Delights of Love
As You Like It spoofs many of the conventions of poetry and literature dealing
with love, such as the idea that love is a disease that brings suffering and
torment to the lover, or the assumption that the male lover is the slave or
servant of his mistress. These ideas are central features of the courtly love
tradition, which greatly influenced European literature for hundreds of years
before Shakespeare’s time.The Malleability of the Human Experience
Jaques philosophizes on the stages of human life: man passes from infancy
into boyhood; becomes a lover, a soldier, and a wise civic leader; and then,
year by year, becomes a bit more foolish until he is returned to his “second
childishness and mere oblivion”

7. •The TITLE
-it can be said that Shakespeare uses this title in a spirit of playfulness.
-the title suggests not merely the theme of the play but also the attitude towards
the play.
-The title was particularly suited to the do-as-you please atmosphere of the Forest
of Arden, a place where different kinds of persons go about happily seeking their
own different kinds of satisfaction.
•The PLOT
- As You Like It is based on traditional pastoral romance, a very popular literary
form in the Renaissance.
-The pastoral celebrated the virtues of a simple life lived close to nature, and
idealized romantic love.
-Shakespeare tries to please his audiences with their likes in certain make up of the

8. THANK YOU