56 pages 1 hour read

William Shakespeare

As You Like It

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1599

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Character Analysis

Rosalind

Rosalind, the daughter of Duke Senior and the heroine of the play, is independent, intelligent, and determined. She displays more agency than the typical Shakespearean female character, using her intelligence to construct complicated schemes and achieve her desires. Rosalind’s will is at times overpowering, as she freely involves others in her plans. For example, when disguised as Ganymede, Rosalind easily manipulates Orlando to get what she wants—his hand in marriage—which just so happens to be his own desire. At the same time, she quickly rejects Phoebe, constructing a complementary plan to match Phoebe with someone else.

Love of various kinds is Rosalind’s greatest motivation. She falls quickly and head-over-heels in love with Orlando, and her desire for him motivates much of her action. At the same time, her love for Celia remains strong throughout the play, as the two almost never leave each other’s side. Desire is also the reason behind Rosalind’s choice of disguise. She decides to playact as Ganymede, the beautiful mythological consort of Jupiter, because she must always be the most beautiful and most charming, even as a man.

Rosalind’s wit is strong as well. Through her disguise and scheming, she relishes in her ability to make cryptic comments about her gender and identity.

Related Titles

By William Shakespeare

Study Guide

logo

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare, Jen Lancaster

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare, Jen Lancaster

Study Guide

logo

Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

Study Guide

logo

Coriolanus

William Shakespeare, Steve Cavanagh

Coriolanus

William Shakespeare, Steve Cavanagh

Plot Summary

logo

Cymbeline

William Shakespeare, Amy A. Bartol

Cymbeline

William Shakespeare, Amy A. Bartol

Study Guide

logo

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Study Guide

logo

Henry IV, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary

logo

Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Study Guide

logo

Henry V

William Shakespeare, Larissa Ione

Henry V

William Shakespeare, Larissa Ione

Plot Summary

logo

Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary

logo

Henry VI, Part 1

William Shakespeare, Greg Iles

Henry VI, Part 1

William Shakespeare, Greg Iles

Plot Summary

logo

Henry VI, Part 3

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare, Will Wight

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare, Will Wight

Plot Summary

logo

King John

William Shakespeare

King John

William Shakespeare

Study Guide

logo

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare, Jessica Day George

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare, Jessica Day George

Study Guide

logo

Measure For Measure

William Shakespeare, Lynsay Sands

Measure For Measure

William Shakespeare, Lynsay Sands

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare, Leni Zumas

Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare, Leni Zumas

Study Guide

logo

Othello

William Shakespeare

Othello

William Shakespeare