Act I and Ii Belonging Shown in Ayli
- Submitted by: mishme
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- Category: English: Shakespeare
- Date Submitted: 11/28/2011 10:41 PM
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How is belonging represented in
ACt I and ACT II of ‘As You Like it’?
In the first two acts of ‘As You Like It’, Shakespeare explores the concept that developing a sense of belonging is a complex process, often characterised by a conflict between conformity and upholding moral and personal integrity. These decisions can compromise the comfort of familiarity and can ultimately influence acceptance in and of a community or relationships with another individual. Also, this experience of belonging is one that is an innate human need. Shakespeare is able to successfully convey these ideas through examining the contrasting values between the court and the individuals and the Forest of Arden who have all experienced rejection, banishment and alienation from a world in which they had belonged.
Through Adam’s character, Shakespeare is able to explore the idea that the sharing of similar values as a requirement to belong as well as the concept of belonging sometimes costing individuals their familiarity and comfort. It is illustrated that Adam experienced harmony with the past Sir Rowland de Boy as Sir Rowland had been an upstanding man with righteous ethics and morals and “would not have spoke such a word” as “old dog” against Adam. However, due to Oliver’s rejection of these old values of honour and moral correctness, Adam no longer feels a sense of connection to the household. Instead he finds it in Orlando, the living “memory of old Sir Rowland”, in whom he believes reflects the ideals of the “antique world”. Thus we can see that an individual is able to find a sense of belonging and affection to another is developed through the familiarity of similar ethics and morals as well as a shared history. As a result of what Adam feels in his relationship with Orlando, he is willing to give up “500 crowns” of his life savings in order to support Orlando in escaping the terror of Oliver, thus demonstrating his devotion and loyalty to Orlando. Shakespeare accentuates this...
ACt I and ACT II of ‘As You Like it’?
In the first two acts of ‘As You Like It’, Shakespeare explores the concept that developing a sense of belonging is a complex process, often characterised by a conflict between conformity and upholding moral and personal integrity. These decisions can compromise the comfort of familiarity and can ultimately influence acceptance in and of a community or relationships with another individual. Also, this experience of belonging is one that is an innate human need. Shakespeare is able to successfully convey these ideas through examining the contrasting values between the court and the individuals and the Forest of Arden who have all experienced rejection, banishment and alienation from a world in which they had belonged.
Through Adam’s character, Shakespeare is able to explore the idea that the sharing of similar values as a requirement to belong as well as the concept of belonging sometimes costing individuals their familiarity and comfort. It is illustrated that Adam experienced harmony with the past Sir Rowland de Boy as Sir Rowland had been an upstanding man with righteous ethics and morals and “would not have spoke such a word” as “old dog” against Adam. However, due to Oliver’s rejection of these old values of honour and moral correctness, Adam no longer feels a sense of connection to the household. Instead he finds it in Orlando, the living “memory of old Sir Rowland”, in whom he believes reflects the ideals of the “antique world”. Thus we can see that an individual is able to find a sense of belonging and affection to another is developed through the familiarity of similar ethics and morals as well as a shared history. As a result of what Adam feels in his relationship with Orlando, he is willing to give up “500 crowns” of his life savings in order to support Orlando in escaping the terror of Oliver, thus demonstrating his devotion and loyalty to Orlando. Shakespeare accentuates this...