"A lean cheek, which you have not; a blue eye and sunken, which you have not; an unquestionable spirit, which you have not; a beard neglected, which you have not;" (II.iii.44)
One of this play's theme's my group addressed was "all is not what it seems." This is just one of countless examples showing the theme. This quote is from the conversation between Rosalind, dressed as Ganymede, and Orlando, when she tells him that he must not be in love because "love is merely a madness" and he does not look mad. Although it seems he isn't in love according to Rosalind, Orlando is truly in love with her.
Another obvious example is when Rosalind decides to dress as a man and use that to tell Orlando how to "woo" her. Although everyone except Celia believes Rosalind is Ganymede, she is actually a woman.
My last example of this theme is in Act II Scene 4, in the conversation between Rosalind and Touchstone. During the talk of love, Rosalind contradicts the popular thought that Touchstone is a fool since he is a jester. But while most people are just amused by him, Rosalind points out to him that, "Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of," showing that he is actually one of the more witty characters in the story, just with a bad reputation.
One argument against this theme is Jaques's character. The reader is introduced to "the melancholy Jaques" (II.i.18) and that's exactly what the audience gets. Later on, he cries for a deer that's been shot, calls Orlando "Signior Love" out of sarcastically, and at the end of the play, leaves the wedding party because he's got better stuff to do. So the seemingly melancholy Jaques was indeed a Debbie Downer. What you see is what you get.... At least he has a cool name.
One of this play's theme's my group addressed was "all is not what it seems." This is just one of countless examples showing the theme. This quote is from the conversation between Rosalind, dressed as Ganymede, and Orlando, when she tells him that he must not be in love because "love is merely a madness" and he does not look mad. Although it seems he isn't in love according to Rosalind, Orlando is truly in love with her.
Another obvious example is when Rosalind decides to dress as a man and use that to tell Orlando how to "woo" her. Although everyone except Celia believes Rosalind is Ganymede, she is actually a woman.
My last example of this theme is in Act II Scene 4, in the conversation between Rosalind and Touchstone. During the talk of love, Rosalind contradicts the popular thought that Touchstone is a fool since he is a jester. But while most people are just amused by him, Rosalind points out to him that, "Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of," showing that he is actually one of the more witty characters in the story, just with a bad reputation.
One argument against this theme is Jaques's character. The reader is introduced to "the melancholy Jaques" (II.i.18) and that's exactly what the audience gets. Later on, he cries for a deer that's been shot, calls Orlando "Signior Love" out of sarcastically, and at the end of the play, leaves the wedding party because he's got better stuff to do. So the seemingly melancholy Jaques was indeed a Debbie Downer. What you see is what you get.... At least he has a cool name.
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