Rosalind speaks more lines than any other female character in Shakespeare’s works. She also controls many of the events in As You Like It, in a role that often goes to a male character. Rosalind displays an array of human emotions. She mourns the exile of her father, falls in love at first sight with Orlando, and decides to dress as Ganymede, a young man, when banished by her uncle.
As clever and bold as...
Rosalind speaks more lines than any other female character in Shakespeare’s works. She also controls many of the events in As You Like It, in a role that often goes to a male character. Rosalind displays an array of human emotions. She mourns the exile of her father, falls in love at first sight with Orlando, and decides to dress as Ganymede, a young man, when banished by her uncle.
As clever and bold as Rosalind is, she is still human. She becomes disheartened and weary after walking in the woods for so long. She mocks the madness of love, poking fun at Orlando’s poetry and at the jealousy of women. Disguised as a boy, she toys with Orlando, swearing she can cure him of his love sickness. In the process, she woos him, is wooed by him, and tutors him in the ways of romance. In spite of her wisdom, Rosalind pines over Orlando, worrying whether he really loves her.
Ultimately, Rosalind sets everything straight, orchestrating several marriages. She makes a series of promises that are not untrue, to Phebe, the woman who loves her as Ganymede: “I would love you, if I could. I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I'll be married to-morrow”; to Orlando: “I will satisfy you, if ever I satisfied man, and you shall be married to-morrow”; and to Silvius, the man who adores Phebe: “I will content you, if what pleases you contents you, and you shall be married to-morrow.”
Rosalind is portrayed as a daring young woman who is as self-aware and witty as she is affectionate. Her behavior and character are central to the play.
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