Shakespeare 's play As You Like It serves to challenge conventional views of comedies, plays that most audiences would expect to end in a complete and happy resolution. This play dispels such notions through the myriad negative viewpoints it presents about marriage. For instance, the play 's characters continually discuss and laugh about the inevitability of being cuckolded. Furthermore, the homoerotic overtones that pervade the play may indicate that not all of the characters may find themselves content in a conventional heterosexual marriage. I affirm that the continual jesting about marriage throughout As You Like It demonstrates that the play 's four marriages are bound to end in unhappiness. Traditionally, comedies and tragedies follow
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First of all, a disconcerting idea is the speed at which these marriages occurred. This is seen in at least three of the play 's four marriages, including those of Rosalind and Orlando; Celia and Oliver; and Audrey and Touchstone. The latter is most noteworthy. This couple is in such a rush to be married that they plan to hire a country priest to officiate their wedding, only to be dissuaded by Jaques. Later, Audrey states that "the priest was good enough" (5.1.3), indicating a desire to be legally and recognizably wed potentially to consummate their relationship, since sexual relations would only be legal through the context of marriage in Shakespeare 's England. This idea is best enforced by Touchstone 's statement, "Sluttishness may come hereafter" (3.3.40), indicating that women can only behave promiscuously in marriage. Furthermore, waiting for sexual fulfillment in marriage feels like an eternity according to Rosalind, who …show more content…
Looking deeper into the text, it appears inevitable that the married men will at some point be cuckolded. Even Orlando and Rosalind, with their seemingly fateful "love at first sight" scenario are likely bound to this same destiny. Marriages for the wrong reasons, whether to conform to societal expectations of a heterosexual marriage, to mask one 's own homoerotic inclinations, or to be able to legally engage in sexual relations, are only bound to end in unhappiness. Since no explicit outcome is given, the audience is only left to wonder about the ultimate fate of the four newlywed
First of all, a disconcerting idea is the speed at which these marriages occurred. This is seen in at least three of the play 's four marriages, including those of Rosalind and Orlando; Celia and Oliver; and Audrey and Touchstone. The latter is most noteworthy. This couple is in such a rush to be married that they plan to hire a country priest to officiate their wedding, only to be dissuaded by Jaques. Later, Audrey states that "the priest was good enough" (5.1.3), indicating a desire to be legally and recognizably wed potentially to consummate their relationship, since sexual relations would only be legal through the context of marriage in Shakespeare 's England. This idea is best enforced by Touchstone 's statement, "Sluttishness may come hereafter" (3.3.40), indicating that women can only behave promiscuously in marriage. Furthermore, waiting for sexual fulfillment in marriage feels like an eternity according to Rosalind, who …show more content…
Looking deeper into the text, it appears inevitable that the married men will at some point be cuckolded. Even Orlando and Rosalind, with their seemingly fateful "love at first sight" scenario are likely bound to this same destiny. Marriages for the wrong reasons, whether to conform to societal expectations of a heterosexual marriage, to mask one 's own homoerotic inclinations, or to be able to legally engage in sexual relations, are only bound to end in unhappiness. Since no explicit outcome is given, the audience is only left to wonder about the ultimate fate of the four newlywed