as you like it

In As You Like It, Shakespeare presents diverse perspectives of city life and country life. Though acts one to three, the comparison of the pastoral versus court lives have been repeatedly implied. Often, it is pastoral life that is admired by a number of characters, yet Shakespeare indicates frequently that it is not an ideal a life as many of the characters assumes it is. In doing so, Shakespeare caricatures the convention of pastoral romance …

…the seriousness of his situation, only to comment that country life has a timeless quality compared to the strict regimentation of the court. In conclusion, it is apparent that in As You Like It, Shakespeare looks as if he is praising the virtues of the pastoral life at the cost of the city life, yet ultimately he provides a more equalized view. Both urban and rural lives are shown to have their advantages and disadvantages.