Shakespeare Character Blog - Term 4

This is what I imagine my character 'Second Lord to Duke Senior' would've looked like. I imagined he would have fine clothing because he works alongside Duke Senior who was like royalty. However, I didn't want his clothing to overpower the Duke Senior.

This is also how I imagine my character 'First Page' looks like.
This character lives in the forest and because she sings I imagined that it would be a women, also considering I play a man in my previous role. Their clothes aren't anything special because they do not rank high in terms of class.

Above was my interpretation of what I think my character would wear, however I had later discovered the actual clothing that would be made to suit my characters. This has helped me understand my characters more because initially I thought the 'Second Lord to Duke Senior' would still dress up quite upper-class, however, from living in the forest for a while I discovered that they would've been wearing the same/ similar clothes to the 'Pages'. This has allowed me to discover more about my characters personality now that they're living in the 'Arden Forest'. I've now adapted a less posh voice and rather turned it into a more country accent, with the choice of less restriction to my movements, because my character has finally discovered freedom in the 'Arden Forest'.

Shakespeare Character Blog - Term 4

Role's Of my characters

First Page:

The role of my character 'First Page' is to work alongside 'Second Page'. We live in the Forest of Arden.

We also keep people entertained in the forest, as we both sing a 'Song'.

Second Lord to Duke Senior:

The role of my character is to agree and work alongside Duke Senior.

Also, this character’s role is to inform Duke Senior of things going on. ‘O, yes, into a thousand similes, first for his weeping into the needles stream, ‘poor deer’ quoth he’…

Another role of the Second Lord to Duke senior is to so as Duke Senior asks. ‘We did my Lord…’

What my Characters thinks of themselves

First Page:

They are good time keepers. ‘…we kept time; we lost not our time’.

They (First and Second page) are good singers. ‘You are deceived sir…’

Second Lord to Duke Senior:

 He believes that he has a care for the animals in the forest ‘To fright the animals and to kill them up in their assign’d and native dwelling place’.

He is living a good and rich life ‘Upon that poor and broken bankrupt there?’

What other characters say about my characters

First Page:

Touchstone thinks they are bad singers ‘…yet the note was very untenable…’

Touchstone says we waste time ‘…I count it but time lost to hear such a foolish song…’

Second Lord to Duke Senior:

Duke senior believes we’re of a higher class. ‘Now my co-mates and brothers in exile…’

Duke Senior believes that we may enjoy living in the forest because it’s free ‘Are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court?’

Shakespeare Character Blog - Term 4

Themes of 'As You Like it'
There are several themes in Shakespeare's play 'As You Like It'. Some of the themes include: Love, Foolishness & Folly, Contrasting Regions, Gender, Family, Transformation, and Philosophical Viewpoints.
The theme of love comes into the play because, Shakespeare demonstrated throughout this play how love can make people do risky things which can lead them into trouble. For example, the character 'Orlando' is pretty in love with 'Rosalind', as he says 'No Jewel is like Rosalind'.
Additionally, the theme of Foolishness & Folly comes into the play because, throughout it makes it clear that humans beings can be quite ridiculous at times. Throughout the play there is some ongoing foolish behavior. For example, one character 'Touchstone' is known as a 'licensed fool', as he is able to also get the fun side out from other characters! Also, my character 'First Page' and the other 'Second Page' begin to sing to Touchstone in the forest, from my gathering the two characters are being quite comical.
Furthermore, the themes of contrasting regions is explored throughout 'As You Like It', because there are such different environments in which several characters live in at one point of the play. The 'French Court' contrasts largely with the 'Arden Forest', because it shows the differences between the city and the countryside, in which the audience can decide for themselves is the city life better than the country life? The 'Arden Forest' is a place of simplicity, freedom and self-discovery for exiles seeking refuge, however, in 'As You Like It', most of the characters end up going back to the 'Court' as the life there is of a much more higher standard.
Gender is also another theme in the play, for example, when 'Rosalind' escaped to the woods, she disguises herself as a young man 'Ganymede'.
Also, the theme of family plays a large role as there is a lot of betrayal between families, which drive the plays action, which reminds us that family cannot always be counted on to be loyal or loving. This is evident in the play as Oliver get the wrestler 'Charles' to try and kill Orlando!
The theme of transformation is also in 'As You Like It' as the character 'Rosalind' literally cross-dresses and transforms herself into a boy ('Ganymede'). Also, unlike physical transformations in the play, there are also psychological or spiritual transformations, as 'Jaques' undergoes some ideological transformation in the 'Arden Forest', he begins to feel the sense of nature ('Poor Deer quoth he'), similarly the characters 'Oliver' and 'Duke Frederick' change their evil ways upon entering the woods.
Lastly, the theme of Philosophical Viewpoints is also included in the play as every character in 'As You Like It' has their own opinion on nature of life, love, etc. However, the play never sums up to a definitive answer, rather Shakespeare left that to the audiences to decide for themselves.