Extent Of Rosalind's Love For Orlando example essay topic

Shakespearean men have misogynistic trends; Shakespeare takes great care in expressing the great capabilities of the female intellect, but nevertheless proves women fated to be oppressed by males. In Othello, for example, although Desdemona and Othello are very deeply in love, he refuses to listen to her when she swears her chastity. Consequently, Othello murders her under the eye of the evil Iago, who placed the question of Desdemona's chastity in Othello's mind. In As You Like It, however, we meet a woman who uses the power of her will to refuse to stand beside her man until he conforms to her wishes. She recognizes the difficulties of woman in society and realizes that the only way to make her life sweeter is to make men listen to her. Rosalind champions feminism by cleverly subverting gender roles in order to be heard.

She possesses the intellect to transform Orlando into the sentimental female stereotype, full of silly ideals about love, while she becomes the dominant force in the couple. By exercising her intellect and wisely educating Orlando on how love should be, Rosalind brings both herself and Orlando to rise above the meaningless conventions of romance and womanly virtue to the ultimate position of equality and therefore true happiness with one another. Scenes 3.2 and 4.1 serve to provide us with insight into the impending romance between Rosalind and Orlando. Orlando wanders around the Forest of Arden, professing his love for Rosalind through poetry that overflows with ephemeral adoration and sappiness, based on conventional notions of female virtue. Upon reading his poetry, Rosalind sees that she must protect not only Orlando, but most of all herself, from his inexperienced views on love. The following lines demonstrate the nature of the relationship forming between the couple: Rosalind: What would you say to me now, and I were your very very Rosalind?

Orlando: I would kiss before I spoke. Rosalind: Nay, you were better speak first (4.1. 64-68) In relation to scenes 3.2 and 4.1 taken as a whole, the significance of these lines is threefold. First, they demonstrate the extent of Rosalind's love for Orlando. Disguised as Ganymede, Rosalind itches to know what Orlando would say to her if she were there. She is deeply in love with him, and it takes great willpower for Rosalind to restrain herself from divulging her identity, but realizing a way in which Orlando will speak lovingly to her while she can still conceal herself, she jumps at the chance to hear his words.

Although it is merely roleplay since Orlando is unaware of Ganymede's true identity, it satisfies Rosalind's need for romantic attention. Next, this passage reveals Orlando's idea of love, where kisses come before speech. His prioritizing of action (a kiss) over interaction (conversation) suggests that he sees woman as a sexual object rather than as a person. From his tendency to kiss a woman rather than to speak with her, his belief in Elizabethan romantic ideals is also evident. Third, and perhaps most importantly, this series of lines shows Rosalind's dominance over Orlando. She knows that he needs to be educated on matters of love, and she is not afraid to tell him when he is wrong.

Her temperament shifts abruptly in line 68 from one of friendly help to that of domination. Rosalind refuses to fall for the overemotional poetry carved on the trees in the Forest of Arden, yet she is mysteriously drawn to its creator, as she reveals to Celia: O coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be sounded. My affection hath an unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal (4.1. 192-195) rosalind is painfully aware of her great love for Orlando, but bites her tongue because her love is so deep that it puts her at risk of falling -or settling- for anything.

Rosalind is aware of this vulnerability, and upon seeing Orlando's narcissistic and idealistic view of love in his ridiculous poetry, she realizes that before succumbing to the feelings in her heart, she must first use her head. She must suppress her own emotions until she has made Orlando overcome his folly. Rosalind says that "love is merely a madness... [and] the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers are in love too" (3.2. 386-390). She knows that Orlando is at the level in which he is 'madly' in love, and realizes that in order for their relationship to succeed, she must bring him to another level of love - that which is consistent. If Orlando's idealistic expectations of his relationship with Rosalind were to be fulfilled, their relationship would be doomed.

Considering As You Like It's temporal setting, it is presumable that Rosalind would fall greater victim to the hardships of the relationship, as it was and is not wives who abuse their husbands, but generally husbands who abuse their wives. This propensity has historically made other women reluctant to affirm themselves. An example of this is Othello's Emilia, who is married to Iago, and withstands his abuse until the very end of the play, where she divulges his terrible transgressions just before he kills her. Looking ahead past the 'honeymoon' period, Rosalind foresees an unhappy future for herself if she fails to address and abet Orlando's shortcomings. Orlando arrives an hour later than promised for his first meeting with Ganymede / Rosalind, who tells him that Rosalind would be better off courting a snail if Orlando is to break such promises. In the knowledge that Orlando has a tendency towards tardiness, Rosalind reprimands him very firmly in order to eliminate this threat to their relationship: If you break one jot of your promise or come one minute behind your hour, I will think you the most pathetic al break-promise, and the most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind, that may be chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful.

Therefore beware my censure and keep your promise (4.1. 178-183) Aside from merely demonstrating Ganymede's authority over Orlando, these lines denote the necessity for Orlando to behave appropriately on Rosalind's behalf. At present, his behavior is inappropriate and "unworthy" of such a woman, and he must rectify his inadequacy by adhering to the promises he makes to her. This ensures that in future years as her husband, Orlando will keep his promises to her and treat her well. In hindsight from a 21st-century perspective, it seems lamentable that in order to make Orlando listen to her, Rosalind must dress up as a man. However, it is clear that in Shakespearean times, Orlando could never have taken a woman's word seriously.

Returning to Othello for reference, although he is very much besotted with Desdemona, Othello could never take her word over that of Iago when she denies having cuckolded him. In light of this, Rosalind's disguise as Ganymede is crucial in her bid to change Orlando's views about love. As members of the audience, we are not privileged to see how the marriage turns out. We must remember that the forest of Arden is an imaginary space that Shakespeare has created. By leaving Arden (nature) and returning to the city (civilization), Rosalind may find that the pressure of societal restrictions upon her proves to be more opposition than she bargains for. Just as Othello's treatment of Desdemona changed despite their great love for one another, Orlando may be brought to abuse Rosalind in a similar manner.

The epilogue, however, offers optimism: "It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue, but it is no more unhandsome than to see the lord the prologue... ". (Epilogue 1-3). In these last lines, Rosalind asserts equality for women by having the crucial last words of the play. She reminds men to have respect for their women and tells us that she will kiss only the men that please her, affirming her autonomy. In Rosalind's closing words, an important message is conveyed: that both men and women must esteem their partners in love and in marriage in order to reach the ultimate state of true happiness with one another..