As You Like It

A never writer to an ever reader: News.

In the preface to Troilus & Cressida, Shakespeare guides his “ever readers” into some deeper truths. He tells them, “And were but the vain name of comedies changed for the titles of commodities, or of plays for pleas, you should see all those grand censors, that now style them such vanities, flock to them for the main grace of their gravities, especially this author’s comedies, that are so framed to the life that they serve for the most common commentaries of all the actions of our lives.” And that’s exactly the way to describe what the comedy As You Like It is for Shakespeare and his audiences, “the most common commentaries of all the actions of our lives.”

And what are the main themes of the story? A usurper displaces his brother from the throne (like Hamlet), and the true ruler banished into the forest of Arden. This causes great instability in the kingdom. Family relationships suffer, such as the example of the main protagonist Orlando who is neglected by his brother against his long gone Father’s will. Likewise, the usurper’s niece, the newly beloved of Orlando, is soon banished from court despite her close and dear relationship with his daughter, who sneaks away to “liberty not banishment” with her cousin. And in Shakespearean comedic fashion, they sneak away in disguise.

Catholic themes abound. A tyrant banishes noble characters, exactly what happened in Elizabethan England when the tyrant Queen made the Catholic religion illegal and banished priests. Banished characters took on disguises, exactly happened when Catholic priests like the Jesuits had to adopt disguises to ensure the Catholic faithful received the sacraments. It’s Shakespearean perfection that Rosalind, the heroine of the play, adopts the disguise of Ganymede, a handsome young man who helps others fall in love. In disguise, she is named Ganymede, who was a Trojan prince abducted by the gods to serve as Zeus’ cupbearer. Remember, Catholic priests in disguise where the cupbearers of Christ in England sent to bring God’s love and sacraments to his people.

And in a personal twist for Shakespeare, the forest that all these noble characters are forced to flee to due to the whims of a tyrant, the usurping ruler, is the Forest of Arden. Arden is not only the forest near Shakespeare’s boyhood home, but is also the same name as his maternal last name.

In Arden forest, it seems a truly beautiful society emerges of outcasts and disguised lovers. Let’s briefly look at two points of symbolism in this play to unlock Catholic themes Shakespeare desired us to see.

One, love letters are written and carved into trees. Only natural for a Catholic playwright who is used to seeing the crucifix at every illegal mass. For the ultimate forever love letter was carved into a tree by God for all to see. His beloved son crucified on a dead tree under the banner “INRI.”

Two, an odd scene happens between two fighting brothers. Randomly, Orlando risks his live to save his brother Oliver from a hungry lioness. Even though Orlando is mistreated and hated by his brother, he still risks his life and saves him from the lioness. They are reconciled partly thru this great act of bravery. Let’s not overlook the Catholic symbolism here either.

Lion is an obvious symbol for royalty. Not only the Davidic and Judean dynasty which Christ hails from, but also the English symbol of royalty, which in As You Like It represents the evil tyrant and English ruler during the composition of the play, Queen Elizabeth. The hope of English Catholics was that reconciliation would happen with their Protestant brothers. At the end of her long and torturous reign, Shakespeare realized this might only happen once the Lioness dies. The glimmer of hope in the play is that the usurping Duke who also represents the Queen repents of his evil due to meeting an old religious man on the road to the Forest of Arden. He ends his days praying in the forest after “his crown bequeathing to his banished brother, and all their lands restored to them again that were with him exiled.”

The usurping ruler converts and all is restored, a beautiful dream of all English Catholics, from Shakespeare’s generation to this day. And so, Shakespeare’s message to the Queen is clear. Repent and convert. And if not, the hope was that reconciliation of England would happen after her death.

If Shakespeare’s comedies are titled as plays for pleas, then take the title as you please. But one clear way is as a message to the tyrant Queen. There is so much hope and wonder in this play, but this short write-up is enough to see Shakespeare’s comedy as he intended, as a “play for plea” that is “so framed to life that it serves as a common commentary of all the actions of our lives.” And as a message to the evil tyrant, “as you like it.”

Truly, there is much gravity in Shakespeare’s comedies. And this is part of why he’s the poet of poets and playwright of playwrights, storyteller par excellence. Let all who love Christ study scripture. And let all Americans who love Jesus study Shakespeare.

True is it that we have seen better days
And have with holy bell been knolled to church,
And sat at good men's feasts and wiped our eyes
Of drops that sacred pity hath engendered.
And therefore sit you down in gentleness,
And take upon command what help we have
That to your wanting may be ministered.