As You Like It - Rosalind Character Study

 

In our scene from the popular play As You Like It I play Rosalind. She is the daughter of Duke Senior and gets banished at the beginning of the play to the woods because Duke Frederick has usurped the throne from her father. She is strong willed and independent, a true heroine. It doesn’t specify how old she is in the play but I imagine her to be in her early 20s, maybe 23. Although being independent she does have a love interest in the play which is a prominent part of her story, this is Orlando. He is the man that she first comes face to face with at a wrestling match and becomes infatuated with him. I feel that even though she does have a love interest in the story and this is the basis of her journey through the play that she is still very independent and confident. She knows what she wants and does whatever she can to get it. I admire this quality in her and relate very much to it, and so I hope to show this side of her in the scene we produce. The scene we (Rufus and I) have been set is when Rosalind is dressed up as Ganymede and tells Orlando that she will train him to be the best man he can for his “Dear Rosalind”, we have decided to set this in a pub because it is a contemporary version of the scene. As it is a contemporary version I have tweaked her character ever so slightly. For example, instead of her being the Duke’s daughter I imagine she could be a politician’s daughter instead and this certain politician has been driven out of power and so she has to now try and blend in with the normal crowd with Celia.

             Rosalind has many relationships throughout the whole play but I would like to focus on the relationship in the scene I am doing. That is the relationship between Rosalind and Orlando. In this scene there is a slight change in their relationship as Rosalind is technically Ganymede. Rosalind is trying to teach Orlando how to act properly around his “fair Rosalind” and so she is trying to act as if they don’t really know  each other and she knows how he should act around her. Orlando is so smitten with Rosalind and always talks about her with such love. For example in this scene he says “I would not have my right Rosalind of this mind, for I protest her frown might kill me”. This means that if she was sad it would crush him because he only wants to see her happy. In the original staging of the play this meeting would have been in a clearing in the forest because that is where Ganymede and Orlando first meet. But because we are doing a contemporary version of this scene we have decided to set it in a pub. This creates quite a relaxed atmosphere and is appropriate because it is a popular meeting place for couples or friends. In an original staging I would have played Rosalind to be a little more uptight in the forest because it is a very uncertain place and so you never really know what is going to happen. For example, they could have been ambushed by robbers or someone could have recognised her and blown her cover. Whereas in the pub I plan to play her very relaxed at first and then agitated because she has been stood up, or so she thinks. A pub has a very relaxed atmosphere and so she would be less aware of the surroundings in this setting. I still hope to show that she is a little nervous because she is still trying to hide the fact that she is a girl. 

                In the traditional setting of this play it would be set in Elizabethan times, making it very old fashioned. This helps make sense of all the rules that they follow. For example, Rosalind and Celia think it is utmost important that Rosalind dress up as a boy so that they don’t get hurt in the forest. The view that the only way they are safe is with a man is a view that is not often perceived today. It shows the fact that their society was very male dominated and they needed a solid form of protection that would not be there if they were both women. Rufus and I have decided to set the scene in present day and so all of the costume will be very much what would be worn by two men today. For example, a hoodie, jeans, jean jacket, converse and a beanie is what I will be wearing to make myself look manlier. I think this is a particularly good choice of clothing because it sets a manly tone but still shows her femininity. 
                 The only thing Rosalind wants throughout this entire scene is for Orlando to learn how to properly act around her. She is quite an out there and confident character and as I have said I love this about her. She knows exactly what she wants and she tries to get it however she can. In the play in general I think what she really wants is for her father to be given back what is rightfully his, his land and rule. Even though she is shown as really wanting to be with Orlando and wanting to be his wife she is still so independent. She takes control of the situation because she knows that he is going the wrong way about it. She isn’t a feminist but I feel like in this modern time she would definitely have traits of a feminist woman. If she doesn’t get what she wants, such as her father’s land and title then her whole life before the forest is at stake. She will lose everything for good and although this wouldn’t be the most awful thing for her it would definitely take a toll on her relationships. What i mean by this is that if her father didn't return to the throne her relationship with him might altogether deteriorate leaving her without a family. This gives her something to lose and keeps her striving for the best.