As I have found out through several sources, during Shakespeare’s time, there existed no copyright laws. Playwrights went about to different theatre companies, viewed shows, and stole ideas, many times putting their own spin on the stories. Shakespeare belonged to a theatre company, there was the same “crew” of actors for most of his shows, and he was included among the actors. He wrote for his actors and for his surroundings (set, audience, what have you).
Having given this to precede my perspective upon this play, As You Like It, I will now share what I have seen over the past three and a half weeks working as part of the crew with Shakespeare in the Vines in Temecula.
As I continued to listen closer and closer to the text, which is cut and what I am basing this “review” off of, it sounded sad. I know that this is not a tragedy since the rule for a Shakespearean Tragedy is that someone (or everyone) must die. However, I understood this almost as a Drama. I know that this text is considered a Comedy, and since Shakespeare enacted it this way, that would be the most common way to play it; a satire, if you will.
However, we can rightfully read this dramatically since Shakespeare took this idea from another playwright, Thomas Lodge, who shown it as a drama, Rosalynde, and twisted it into a comedy for his company (http://www.enotes.com/shakespearean-criticism/like-vol-69).
If I were to direct this play, I would choose to produce it as a drama. I do not think, that even with the given text of Shakespeare’s that is preserved, it would be far fetched to do so. I think that the given circumstances would stand for it:
- Oliver fighting tooth and nail to have his brother killed and leaving him to be brought up as a peasant whilst their younger brother profits from gentlemanly schooling.
- Duke Frederick banishing his own brother, Duke Ferdinand, into the Forrest of Arden to live amongst the wild so that he can further his own profit and wealth.
- Duke Frederick banishing his niece, Rosalind, because the people consider her a better person than his own daughter.
- Rosalind feeling the need to test Orlando’s love disguised as a man because she is most likely afraid that his love is a falsity (“Not true in love?” Act III Sc. iv; “It is not impossible to me if it appear not inconvenient to you…” Act V Sc. ii).
- Celia leaving her comfortable life as the Duke’s daughter because her love for her cousin is more important to her than love for her own father.
Thoughts?
Analytically Media 