Discuss the different notions of 'Love' in as you like it
Answers
"As you like it" is a play written by William Shakespeare.
The central theme of the play is Love which is presented in different forms such as
1. Romantic love: The love between Rosalind and Orlando is romantic and courtly. Rosalind tests Orlando's love for its genuineness.
2. Sexual Love: It is exhibited by Touchstone and Audrey, who do not give importance to true love but rely on physical attraction.
3. Sisterly and brotherly love: Sisterly love is seen between Celia and Rosalind, when Celia leaves her home and joins Rosalind in the forest. Though Oliver hates Orlando initially, he transforms and expresses his brotherly love by saving his brother Orlando from the lioness.
4. Fatherly love: Duke Fredrick expresses his fatherly love for his daughter Celia, various ways.
5. Unrequited love: Silvius follows Phoebe around but she scorns him, the more she avoids him the more he loves her. The fatherly love of the Duke Fredrick is also not returned by the daughter Celia, thus he love is unrequited.
There are many ideas of love in the novel, "As You Like It."
There is romantic and courtly love of the nobles in the book.
Also, one can see that there is brotherly and sisterly love in the book between Rosalind and Celia.
Then, there is unanswered love of Duke Frederick's love for his daughter.
There is also erotic love between Audrey and Touchstone.
There is also a glimpse of fatherly love from Duke Frederick and he allows Rosalind to stay due to Celia's persistence.