DRAMATIS PERSONÆ DUKE, living in banishment FREDERICK, his brother, and usurper of his dominions AMIENS, JAQUES, } lords attending on the banished Duke LE BEAU, a courtier attending upon Frederick TOUCHSTONE, a clown SIR OLIVER Martext, a vicar CORIN, } shepherds SYLVIUS, WILLIAM, a country fellow, in love with Audrey A person representing Hymen ROSALIND, daughter to the banished Duke CELIA, daughter to Frederick PHEBE, a shepherdess AUDREY, a country wench Lords, pages, and attendants, &c. SCENE: Oliver's house; Duke Frederick's court; and the Forest of Arden The pronunciation of "Jaques" is still somewhat doubtful, though the metrical test makes it certain that it is always a dissyllable in Shakespeare: there is evidence that the name was well known in England, and ordinarily pronounced as a monosyllable; hence Harrington's Metamorphosis of A-jax (1596). The name of the char ́acter was probably rendered "Jakës”: the modern stage practice is in favor of "Jaq-wes."-I. G. SYNOPSIS By J. ELLIS BURDICK ACT I Frederick, the younger brother of a French Duke, usurps the place of his brother and banishes him. The rightful Duke retires to the forest of Arden and is there joined by a few of his faithful friends whose possessions are confiscated by the usurper. The Duke's daughter Rosalind remains at her uncle's court as a companion for her cousin Celia. These two girls have been bred together from their cradles and "never two ladies loved as they do." In disguise, Orlando, the son of one of the banished Duke's friends, wrestles with the Duke's wrestler and is victorious. Frederick is kindly disposed toward the youth until he finds out who he is. Rosalind rejoices to know of this relationship, for she is much attracted to Orlando. Because of her accomplishments and for the sake of her father, Rosalind has many friends-so many that her uncle grows alarmed and banishes her from his court. Celia insists on accompanying her cousin, as she says, for "the love which teacheth thee that thou and I am one." ACT II The ladies take with them Frederick's clown, who is devoted to both of them. Rosalind dresses herself as a country-man and Celia as his sister. They find their way to the Forest of Arden, and not knowing in what part of the woods to look for the Duke, they purchase a shepherd's house and his flocks. Orlando, finding it impossible to live peacefully with his elder brother Oliver and fearing the latter's evil designs, also journeys to this forest to join the banished Duke. ACT III On the day of the wrestling-match, Orlando had fallen in love with Rosalind and he now spends much of his time writing verses about her and fastening them to the trees. Rosalind and Celia find some of these, and Rosalind, remembering how she is dressed, is distressed to think Orlando is so near. But she soon recovers her light spirits and decides to talk to him as youth to youth and find out how much he really cares for her. She invites him to visit her and to talk to her as he would like to talk to Rosalind. Orlando gladly accepts this offer. ACT IV Orlando's brother Oliver follows Orlando to the forest to do him harm. He is discovered by the younger man, sleeping under an oak-tree and in two-fold danger of his life by a snake and by a lioness. Orlando is tempted to leave his brother to his fate, but the good in him triumphs over this evil thought and he saves Oliver's life. But in so doing he himself is wounded by the lioness. He sends Oliver, who has repented of his treatment of him, to tell Rosalind of his injury. Rosalind swoons at the news, but pretends that the faint was only counterfeit. ACT V Oliver has fallen in love with Celia, and she returns his affection. They decide to be married very shortly, and Rosalind, still in male disguise, promises Orlando that he shall marry his lady-love at the same time and that she will find a way to bring the lady to him. Rosalind finds her father and obtains his permisssion for his daughter to marry Orlando. Then she and Celia retire and return in their proper dress. The Duke and Orlando are delighted at the transformation. The weddings take place imme diately, and instead of just two couples, there are four, for the clown who had accompanied the ladies to the forest had met and loved a country-lass, and the fourth couple are a shepherd and his sweetheart. The joy of the wedding party is increased by the news which comes to them of Duke Frederick. While on his way to the forest to capture his brother and put him to the sword, he had met “with an old religious man," and "after some question with him, was converted both from his enterprise and from the world, his crown bequeathing to his banished brother, and all their lands restored to them again that were with him exiled." |