As You Like It (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

by William Shakespeare (Author) "Orlando. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou say'st, charged my..." (more)
Key Phrases: hey nonino, editors emend, acting edition, Duke Senior, Duke Frederick, Sir Rowland (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Five-act comedy by William Shakespeare, written and performed about 1599 and first published in the Folio of 1623. Shakespeare based the play on Rosalynde (1590), a prose romance by Thomas Lodge. The play has two principal settings: the court that Frederick has usurped from his brother, the rightful Duke, and the Forest of Arden, where the Duke and his followers (including the disgruntled Lord Jaques and the jester Touchstone) are living. Rosalind, the Duke's daughter, who is still at court, falls in love with Orlando. The latter's hateful brother, Oliver, causes him to flee to Arden also. Frederick, upon learning that Orlando's father was the Duke's friend, banishes Rosalind. She assumes the guise of a young man (Ganymede) and pursues Orlando, promising him a cure for lovesickness by means of a feigned courtship. Oliver appears at the forest court intending to kill Orlando, but the latter saves his brother from a lioness and elicits his remorse. Oliver then falls in love with Celia, Rosalind's disguised cousin who has accompanied her. Revelation of the girls' true identities precipitates a mass wedding ceremony. Word arrives that Frederick has repented, and the Duke's exile ends. The play is considered to be one of Shakespeare's "great" or "middle" comedies. Like Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labours Lost, and A Midsummer Night's Dream, it contains a journey to a natural environment, where the constraints of everyday life are released and the characters are free to remake themselves, untrammeled by society's forms. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Of particular interest is Hattaway's thorough discussion of stage history, complete with critically rich, detailed accouns of recent productions (film versions arecovered, too). His thinking as a critic and editor is clear, insightful and consistent, and his edition offers useful, well-documented textual notes and three appendices ... [Hattaway] has produced a solid critical edition that will serve the classroom as well as the stage." American Theatre --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Signet Classics; 2nd rev ed newly rev ed edition (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451526783
• ISBN-13: 978-0451526786
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #367,110 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the summary of textual and contextual issues for the play, March 24, 1998

By	Charles C. Nickerson (Los Angeles, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: As You Like It (New Variorum Edition of Shakespeare) (Hardcover)

Suggested by my Shakespeare coach for its comprehensiveness, this book does not disappoint. Covering the issues of text and context, its all here. If anyone reading this knows where to find used copies of the other plays, or even what there exact titles are, please e-mail me the info.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical!, October 20, 2001

By	"the_kenosha_kid" (Kenosha, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: As You Like It (Mass Market Paperback)

"As You Like It" is bar none, one of Shakespeare's VERY best works. It is probably the most poetic of the comedies and contains perhaps as many famous quotations as any other of his plays. Rosalind is perhaps his greatest female character and this work, along with the equally (or even more) brilliant "Midsummer Night's Dream," is the best example of Shakespeare's theme of the "dream world" vs. the "real" world. This play, especially the scenes in the forest, is a celebration of language and the power of the freedom of the imagination. It consequently can be read as a criticism of the "real world," here represented by Duke Ferdinand's court. Like many of the other comedies, Shakespeare is mocking the "ideal" which many in his society would have praised. Though this play deals with some pretty dark themes (which of his plays doesn't?) it is a light-hearted and fully enjoyable read!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Many Appealing Facets of Shakespeare's Talent!, October 15, 2001

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: As You Like It (Audio Cassette)

As You Like It has many qualities to attract readers and audiences. Rosalind is one of the great heroines of all romantic literature. The play has more outstanding speeches than almost any other that has ever been written. Astonishing plot complications are quickly resolved in the simplest possible way, reflecting a playwright's tour de force. The Forest of Arden appears as a character in creating a magical atmosphere whereby all perceptions change, and all are healed. Right wins out, especially in drawing on good character . . . even from formerly badly behaving people. And for those who love marriages, this book has one of the most impressive ceremonies of all time in literature. Humans have never looked nobler in the end than in this play. Yet the play also abounds with some of the greatest lines of Shakespeare's fools that cause all of us to see that humility is more called for than pride or ambition. Certainly, As You Like It will make you feel the presence of an unmatched genius, that should inspire even the most arrogant to feel humbled in the Bard's presence.

My recommendation is that you first see a performance (whether in person, or on a recording). If that's not possible, try for an audio. Many outstanding actors have been taped. After you have the sights and sounds of the play firmly in mind, then read the play. You'll find that your earlier experiences will unlock more of the play's depths, imagery and pleasures for you.

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