As You Like It Character Descriptions

ADAM

Adam is the old faithful servant of the family of Sir Rowland de Boys. He offers all the savings of his thrifty life and faces all unknown perils to save the life of his young master Orlando from the clutches of his cruel brother.

AMIENS

Amiens is one of the lords attending Duke Senior in the forest of Arden. He agrees with the Duke when the latter says "sweet are the uses of adversity". He is not prepared to exchange his life in the forest with the comfortable life at the court. He is deeply attached to Duke Senior and, therefore, has willingly accompanied him to the forest of Arden.

ANDREW

Andrew is a shepherd lad. He is attracted by Touchstone's courtly manners and wit and Touchstone discovers in him rich honesty. Touchstone falls in love with Andrew. Their love is a parody of the romantic love of the hero and the heroine of the play.

CELIACelia is Duke Frederick’s daughter. When he took power, she became acquainted with her cousin Rosalind, and they were soon inseparable. Though she may love him, she does not like her father, particularly when he wrongs Rosalind; and when he banishes her, she insists on following along. It is she who has the idea that they run away to the Forest of Arden to seek Rosalind’s father. She is amused at her cousin’s falling head over heels for Orlando. She teases Rosalind mercilessly while still playing along with all her plots. She is somewhat more given to common sense than Rosalind, coming up with the idea of disguise, thinking to take their jewels and riches with them when they flee court, which allows them to buy the cottage where they stay, and preferring to take a nap to sighing over an absent lover. She falls in love with Oliver when they meet, and he with her, and they decide to marry. She is a great favorite of Touchstone’s, whom she persuades to follow her and Rosalind to the forest.

CHARLES

Charles is a professional wrestler whom Oliver tells to kill — or at least, maim — Orlando. Ironically, Orlando wins the match.

CORIN

Corin is an old shepherd that, despite being in love during his youth, has outgrown his folly and attained worldly wisdom. He feels badly for the enamored Silvius and tries to console him. He is a simple-hearted shepherd who is content with his lot, an innocent rustic with a good deal of humanity in him. Corin's simple way of looking at life and things around him make him an intellectually esteemed member of the play who frequently critiques the complexities of the court.

DENNIS
Dennis is a servant to Oliver.

DUKE FREDERICK
Duke Frederick is the villain of this comedy who banishes his elder brother Duke Senior and eventually also exiles his brother's daughter, Rosalind, from the ducal palace. Just before the play ends, he is converted by a religious hermit, and, henceforward, he chooses to lead a monastic life of peace and simplicity in the Forest of Arden and relinquishes the crown and lands he had taken.


DUKE SENIOR
Duke Senior is the elder brother of Duke Frederick. Having been banished by his usurping brother, Frederick, Duke Senior now lives in exile in the Forest of Arden with a number of loyal men, including Amiens and Jaques. His daughter Rosalind is kept at the court by Duke Frederick as a companion for his daugher Celia. Duke Senior appears as a contented man who rarely feels adversity. At the end of the play his kingdom is restored by Duke Frederick.

JAQUES

Jaques is a man of the world, a free spirit. In his travels, he has affected Continental mannerisms of speech and dress, and he believes that his ideas are terribly profound when actually they are very shallow and very generalized. Jaques is satirized by almost everyone with whom he holds "deep discussions." He is a follower of the exiled duke, Duke Senior.

JAQUES DE BOYS

Jaques de Boys is the second son of Sir Rowland de Boys and the brother of Oliver and Orlando. He only appears at the end of the play when he brings the news of Duke Frederick's reformation.

LE BEAU

Le Beau is a courtier in the Court of Duke Frederick; he commands the court.


LORD
Servant to Duke Frederick.


OLIVER DE BOYS
Oliver de Boys is the eldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys and the heir to his father's estates. In the beginning of the play he appears as a usurper like Duke Frederick. He ill-treats his younger brother Orlando, denies him good upbringing and education. He acts like a villain and even tries to kill Orlando by instigating the wrestler, Charles. By the end of the play he gets reformed and falls in love with Celia - which contributes to the happy ending of the play.


ORLANDO DE BOYS
Orlando is the younger son of the deceased Sir Rowland de Boys and brother of Oliver. He resents the harsh treatment he receives at Oliver's hands. He is portrayed as strong in both body and in his devotion to love. It is these qualities that make Rosalind fall for him as well. After angering his brother Oliver and later Duke Frederick, Orlando flees to live in exile in the Forest of Arden. There, he is accepted into the circle of the usurped Duke Senior and is eventually married to Duke Senior's daughter Rosalind.


PHEBE
Phebe is a pastoral girl beloved of Silvius, but she rejects him, while he suffers from the woes of love-sickness. Surprisingly, she falls wildly in love with Ganymede (Rosalind in disguise), yet finally she weds Silvius.


ROSALIND
Rosalind is the daughter of the exiled Duke Senior and niece to his usurping brother Duke Frederick. Her father is banished from the kingdom which breaks her heart. She then meets Orlando, one of her father's friends' son and falls in love with him. After angering her uncle, she leaves his court for exile in the Forest of Arden. Disguised as a shepherd named Ganymede, Rosalind lives with her sweet and devoted cousin, Celia (who is disguised as Ganymede's sister, Aliena), and Duke Frederick's fool Touchstone. Eventually, Rosalind is reunited with her father and married to her faithful Orlando.

SILVIUS

Silvius is a young shepherd who represents the romantic lover. He is madly in love with Phebe, a rural girl who does not return his love. Throughout the play, Silvius behaves like a love-sick youth, pining away for Phebe. Phebe treats him in an indifferent manner and exploits him to acquire the love of Ganymede whom she loves. She constantly rebukes Silvius, yet he longs for her love. Rosalind feels sympathy for him. Finally, he marries Phebe with the clever manipulation of Rosalind.

SIR MARTEXT

Sir Martext is a vicar from a nearby village, called to the forest to marry Touchstone and Andrew which does not happen at that time when Touchstone is dissuaded at the last moment by Jaques to wait and be married in a more respectable place such as a church.

TOUCHSTONE

Touchstone is Duke Frederick’s jester, and so fond of Celia that she is willing to abandon the court to follow her to the forest, for all that she does not enjoy rural life. Her folly is based on a solid ground of common sense, for she will have little to do with the high-flying phrases of love surrounding her, much preferring to mock poetry and to woo Andrew.
     We did some role reversals. In our play Audrey is called Andrew and William is called Willa. Touchstone is a woman who falls in love with Andrew and scares off Willa from pursuing Andrew.

WILLA

Willa is a country lass - humble and silly. She comes to profess her love for Andrew but during her conversation with Touchstone, does not show the depth of her feelings. She appears to be a coward. When she is threatened if she does not give up Andrew, she does not challenge Touchstone, her rival in love. Andrew's request that Willa should go away shows that the love between Willa and Andrew is superficial.

1ST PAGE
A servant to the banished Duke Senior.

2ND PAGE
A servant to the banished Duke Senior.