Abstract
This paper discusses the work of William Shakespeare, focusing primarily on one of his trademarks, the use of humour and wit. From Falstaff to Beatrice, Shakespeare's wittiest characters set the bar for scathing humor that is still unmatched to this day. The paper then discusses one of Shakespeare's most humorous plays, 'As You Like It', which contains perhaps two of his wittiest characters, Rosalind and Touchstone. While Rosalind is the heroine and the focus of the play, and one of Shakespeare's most charming creations, Touchstone, the jaded and cynical clown, is perhaps the wittiest character in the play.

Tags:shakespeare, wit, touchstone

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses and compares William Shakespeare's use of disguise in his comedies with Ben Jonson's use of disguise in "Volpone". The writer first notes that, in Elizabethan comedy, characters in plays use disguises and alter identities to overturn Elizabethan society norms; particularly norms concerning power relations between parent and child, male and female, and morality and immorality. However, this turn from societal order to disorder is only temporary. The disguises cannot sustain a character for more than four acts, and their true identity must be revealed to reinstate order in society. The writer then looks at how Shakespeare's comedies follow this formula exactly, while Jonson's 'Volpone' changes the formula. The writer explains that, instead of introducing order in his play as a collection of societal norms in need of reversing, 'Volpone' overturns societal norms at the outset. The writer concludes that both playwrights challenge Elizabethan societal constraints and norms using disguise. Yet as Shakespeare's reversal of the societal norm is temporary, Jonson's reconfiguration of the classic Christo-Elizabethan theme of morality versus immorality is permanent.

From the Paper
"A societal norm overturned in Shakespearian comedy is the constraint of a patriarchal system placed upon women in Elizabethan England. In this sense, a patriarchal dominated system represents order and the disintegration of this system, when women are no longer constrained by their sex, represents disorder. Shakespeare uses disguise to overturn patriarchal domination to the female characters' favor. The societal constraints placed upon women are released as the environment of the play turns from order to disorder. With the dissolution of societal standards, the women of Shakespeare's comedies gain a power once denied to them, and in effect create their own system of domination within the play. This domination takes the form of romantic pursuit of another character. The once male dominated act of wooing is now attainable to women. However, the female characters do not replace males in this act of wooing, but rather their power exists alongside the male characters' power. This creates a tension that may only be resolved with an utter breakdown of the original dominating gender, the male gender, or with the return to order by the reinstating of the patriarchy. Shakespeare always ends his comedies with a return to order, and so disguises are lifted and, subsequently, so too is the power it provided to the female characters."

Tags:societal, norms, characters, play, domination

Abstract
This paper looks the theme of duality that is present in most of Shakespeare's early plays. The paper explains how, whether the play is a comedy, a tragedy or even a history, the theme worms its way into the plot of the play either as a dramatic device or a source of comic relief. To help illustrate the duality theme, the paper looks at plays such as "As You Like It," "A Midsummer's Night Dream," "The Merchant of Venice," and "Romeo and Juliet."

From the Paper
"There is a theme of duality that runs throughout Shakespeare's repertoire. From his comedies to his tragedies to the histories, Shakespeare exposes the dual nature of human beings at every available opportunity. Whether the character is an attention-starved daughter or a prospective king, having them pretend to be something that they are not is one of Shakespeare's most common plot devices. It is an easy way to manipulate other characters, create dramatic irony, or to set-up a comic situation. "

Tags:shakespeare, duality, dual, nature, play, comedy, tragedy

From the Paper
"In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the character of Lysander expresses the idea that "the course of true love never did run smooth" (I.i.134), and this represents a theme the runs through many of Shakespeare's plays and indeed through much of world literature. The statement itself embodies several ideas. First, it assumes that there is such a thing as true love and that it is a conception based on the idea that two people are literally meant for each other. Second, it states that these two people, though meant for each other, may have to endure a good deal before they can actually achieve the love they feel. Shakespeare works these ideas through in several of his works, including The Taming of the Shrew and As You Like It, in each of which there are various pairings reflecting different aspects of love and relationships."

Abstract
A cuckold is a man whose wife is sleeping with another man, and the cuckold in Elizabethan drama is a staple element, suggesting not just the concerns that the Elizabethans had about the subject, but also the way they relieved tension over it by making the cuckold a figure of fun. This paper examines how William Shakespeare often used the cuckold as a character in his plays, although hints of cuckoldry are even more common in his works, with characters fearful that they may be cuckolded or with wayward wives and unmarried men making jokes about it. The paper discusses, in particular, three of Shakespeare's plays: "Troilus and Cressida," "Twelfth Night," and "As You Like It."

From the Paper
"Rosalind in As You Like It states that no man has ever died for love in the six thousand years of history that passed before her time. Yet, she still mentions the fate of that famous cuckold Troilus: "Troilus had his brains dashed out with a Grecian club; yet he did what he could to die before, and he is one of the patterns of love" (IV.i.92-94). The cuckold in this passage is presented as both betrayed and yet somehow elevated by being the one to remain true, while the woman who has betrayed him is not even mentioned. The idea of the cuckold is that he is a dupe. But he could as easily be a true man who has been true to the wrong woman. The image of the man with horns as a cuckold reflects the meaning of the word itself, for it means "furnished with horns." Characters in Elizabethan drama often speak of horns or make the sign of horns to indicated a cuckold and to suggest in this manner an association with the beasts and perhaps with the devil."

Tags:Rosalind, Touchstone, Pandarus

Abstract
By comparing the clowns that appear in the plays "Hamlet", "Macbeth", and "As You Like It", the role of the clown is elaborated as something greater than comedic relief. In all instances, the clowns play a double role that works to appeal to a particular audience of Elizabethan England, a wider social and cultural group of theatre-goers than typically present at play performances. In doing so, the clowns work to participate within the play itself, and within the audience as well. This is achieved through humour that speaks outside the context of the play and towards immediate cultural knowledge of the audience. The clown also uses this same kind of humour within the play, as a way to clarify what is happening within the story itself. The clown acts as a mediator between characters and as a mediator between the play itself and the audience. The clowns of the dramatic plays, such as "King Lear", "Hamlet", or Macbeth, the clowns' role serves to provide the audience a break from the tension and violence of the narratives as well as to address the audiences own cultural understandings of these plays. In the comedies and the dramas, the clown is always more knowledgeable about what is happening and so acts as the interpreter for the characters, and for the audience.

Abstract
Women had no status in Elizabethan society; their main function was as fertile breeders, and their role in society was simply not viewed as important. This paper shows how the unimportance and taking for granted of women is clearly reflected in Shakespeare?s plays. Although their roles are not viewed as contributing to society, the dramatic function of women in Shakespeare plays is anything but not contributory. The paper shows that the female lead's role is crucial to the restoration of order that occurs in the play. As Shakespearean comedies are cyclical, the ultimate goal of a comedy is to travel from disorder to resolution. This paper examines three plays, "As You Like It", "All's Well Ends Well", and "Twelfth Night".

From the Paper
"Similarly, Viola in Twelfth Night, goes through a loss of identity by disguising herself as Cesario in order to find work with Duke Orsino. She disguises herself as a man because society believed females to be incapable of handling work. When Viola becomes Cesario, she instantly becomes one of Orsino's favourite workers and is rewarded with the position as his page. The positioning of Viola as Orsino's page asserts Viola's working capabilities, and thus shows the audience that women can do a job as well, perhaps even better, than men."

Tags:Rosalind, Viola, Osrind, Helena

Abstract
The paper illustrates how the scope of both of these plays by William Shakespeare reflect and also detract from the idea of a Green World in the environments and landscapes he formulates around his characters. The paper shows, however, that the idea of a romantic sanctuary of the Green World is the main premise that the Forest of Arden presents in the relationships and tomfoolery that reside in the pastoral objectives of Shakespeare writing in the late 16th century comedy format.

From the Paper
"The basis of this Shakespearean study will be to examine the romantic backdrop of the Green World within the plays: "As You Like It" and "The Merchant of Venice." By analyzing the precepts of the "romantic sanctuary" of this environment in the play, the Green World is a place for seduction and trickery toward the men and woman involved. By examining the central characters of each of these plays, the Green World offers a deceptive fantasy land for romance in these comedies by William Shakespeare. In the play "As You Like It," Shakespeare presents "The Forest of Arden," as the main fantasy realm or romantic sanctuary where Rosalind (Duke Senior's banished daughter) must elude the dictates of her tyrannical father, Duke Frederick."

Tags:shakespeare, drama, green

Abstract
This paper introduces and discusses "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare. Specifically, it illustrates how Jaques' speech informs the readers of the play's intent, and how the binary relationships in the play add to its meaning and performance.

From the Paper
"We also learn more about Jaques, the pessimistic grumbler who is the opposite of Rosalind and Celia, two of the optimists of the play. Almost all the characters chide Jaques about his attitude at some time or other during the play. Jaques is the anchor role that keeps this romantic comedy from becoming too buoyant and unbelievable. He is sour, and keeps the action from becoming too sappy. He is the melancholy character, opposite of the witty and laughable Touchstone, the jester. Shakespeare knew that you cannot have only positive and funny characters to get the point of the play across, you need to balance them with the cynicism of a character like Jaques to really create a realistic portrayal of his themes and issues. Touchstone is a jester, but so is Jaques in his own way. His consistent pessimism is as ridiculous as Touchstone's jesting."

Tags:jacques, touchstone, rosalind, celia

Abstract
This paper critically analyzes Paul Montrose's essay, "The Place of a Brother in "As You Like It": Social Process and Comic Form". The paper presents a response to this essay, which reiterates Montrose's main thesis that the conflict in William Shakespeare's "As You Like It" is resolved by elements of Nature and Fortune, as opposed to the usual way, which involves using the resources of playfulness and boldness, moral virtue and witty deception.

From the Paper
"At the beginning of this motherless play, we see certain elements of savagery, which can be linked to male behavior. Oliver's savageness can be demonstrated as he hires Charles to, in so many words, kill his brother and can be seen in the following passage: "Therefore use thy discretion. I / had as life thou didst break his neck as a finger" (I.i.144-145). In As You Like It, all of the laws and savage masculine behavior occurs in the courtyard, a place which lacks feminine characteristics and influence."

Tags:comic, deception, orlando, rosalind