As You Like It

As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or 1600. The play is set in the Forest of Arden and follows the story of Rosalind the daughter of an exiled duke and her journey to find love and happiness. After being banished by her uncle Rosalind disguises herself as a man and along with her cousin Celia flees to the Forest of Arden. There she meets and falls in love with Orlando a young man whom she had previously met and fallen in love with before her exile. As she helps to orchestrate the love affairs of other characters in the forest Rosalind struggles to reveal her true identity to Orlando. The play explores themes of love gender roles and the contrast between courtly life and life in the countryside. It is known for its famous soliloquy All the worlds a stage spoken by the character Jaques and its portrayal of a pastoral idyll as a place of healing and transformation. As a pastoral comedy As You Like It celebrates the pleasures of life in the countryside where characters are free from the constraints of courtly society and can explore their desires and passions. It has been praised for its witty dialogue complex characters and themes of love and identity and is one of Shakespeares most popular and frequently performed plays.