Risky Boundaries Between Homosocial
and Homosexual Relationships
During the 16th century,
London went through a religious reformation with the rise of the Protestant community.
The Protestant reformations lead the public in a moral crusade against most
things promoted by the theatre companies, things that influenced bad and sinful
behavior. Shakespeare’s play, As You Like
It, imbedded a primary sinful component of homosocial relationships within
the storyline. Protestant opinions righteously believed that close homosocial relationships
should be closely watched, that male and females had specified gendered
clothing, and that marriage was a union specifically between man and woman. As You Like Its main character, Rosalind,
embodies both male and female characteristics
putting into question the other character’s perceptions of their own
sexuality.
The heroine of this play is
Rosalind the daughter of an exiled Duke who must make her way through the world
by pretending to be a man. This gender pretense creates an interesting dynamic
between her and other characters that she interacts with. The most interesting
thing about this character and her relationships is the way that her character projects
a lesbian appeal with other female counterparts, Celia and Phoebe. The
relationship that Rosalind has with Celia is, at the surface, a relationship
between two cousins who are extremely close, but beneath that there are
specific times when there seems to be a bigger story behind Celia’s affections toward
Rosalind. The scene that comes into mind is in act I scene 3. Duke Frederick is
throwing Rosalind out of court and Celia comes to Rosalind’s defense and boldly
states, “Pronounce that sentence then on me, my liege. I cannot live out of her
company” (1.3. 89-90). This scene clearly display’s Celia’s feelings toward
Rosalind and how open she is about expressing what their relationship means to
her. Along with the previous scene, Celia claims Rosalind as her own and is
open in how she addresses and reacts to Rosalind’s misfortunes, “O my poor
Rosalind, whither wilt thou go” (1.3. 94). Act I scene 3 with Rosalind’s
banishment has extensive examples of Celia’s deeper feelings for Rosalind
including this line where Celia is openly voicing her feelings towards
Rosalind, where Rosalind does not necessarily reciprocate these feelings, “Rosalind
lacks then the love which teacheth thee that thou and I am one. Shall we be
sundered? Shall we part, sweet girl” (1.3. 102-4). Despite Celia’s strong feelings
for Rosalind she also expresses strong feelings against marriage. “Marry, I
prithee do, to make sport withal; but love no man in good earnest, nor no
further in sport neither than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst in honor
come off again” (1.2. 26-9). This scene depicts Celia as a female who openly
rejects the idea of marriage in front of another woman she shows extensive affections
to, making this notion of rejection dangerous in a society that is weary of the
dangers of homosocial bonds. Celia is an interesting character because she
wants the best for Rosalind and does not abandon her in any situation, where
she encourages Rosalind’s affection toward Orlando, yet there are scenes where
Celia is disapproving of Rosalind’s love for Orlando and sets doubt within
Rosalind over Orlando’s feelings. In act III scene 4, where Rosalind is pacing
and wondering why Orlando has not come to court her, Celia ascribes herself to
Rosalind and demonstrates her deeper feelings as she tells Rosalind that
Orlando has no feelings of love for her, “Yes, I think he is not a pickpurse
nor a horse-stealer, but for his verity in love, I do think him as concave as a
covered goblet or worm-eaten nut” (3.4. 21-4). At the end of act 3 scene 4, Celia
seems especially displeased by how much Rosalind dotes over Orlando:
“O,
that’s a brave man. He writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave
oaths, and breaks them bravely, quiet traverse, athwart the heart of his lover,
as a puny tilter that spurs his horse but on one side breaks his staff like a
noble goose; but all’s brave that youth mounts and folly guides” (3.4. 38-43).
Celia
tells Rosalind pointblank that she does not think he was honest when telling
her he was in love, or rather he is not in love anymore. Creating this sense of
doubt for Rosalind shows how much Celia wants Rosalind to hesitate with her
feelings for Orlando. Rosalind not fully convinced by this discourse is interrupted,
interfering in the misfortune of the couple Phoebe and Silvius in act III scene
5.
This play transitions from an
environment of nobility within royal court to shepherds in the forest. With
this setting change, Rosalind, the female protagonist also transforms herself
to disguise herself within the new environment of the forest; she conceals
herself with male clothing, and becomes a man named Ganymede. As a man she
meets Phoebe some village girl who is being pursued by Silvius, a shepherd. This
moment occurs in act 3 scene 5, Rosalind, now Ganymede is upset to see Silvius’
looking pathetic and Phoebe’s haughty attitude, and approaches the couple. Ganymede
interrupts the couple by insulting both parties, but especially attacking
Phoebe and scolding her for rejecting Silvius, but as this happens Phoebe
realizes an attachment toward Ganymede. “Sweet youth, I pray you chide a year
together. I had rather hear you chide than this man woo” (3.5. 69-70). During
this interaction Rosalind, begins to realize that Phoebe is starting to show
interest in Ganymede, “He’s fall’n in love with your foulness. And she’ll fall
in love with my anger” (3.5. 71-73). Within this relationship there seems to be
a sense that Phoebe has taken to the male persona that Rosalind is embodying as
Ganymede. Phoebe abandons the man that is attempting to court her and is
attracted to a man who is fact a woman, “Dead shepherd, now I find thy saw of
might: ‘Who ever loved that loved not at first sight’” (3.5. 86-7). Rosalind
has successfully become a man, with the way she has presented herself and this
has attracted the attention of another woman, creating another love line
displaying a homosexual attraction. The only relationship that Rosalind seems
to crave and seek is the relationship with Orlando, even when she is Ganymede.
The homosexual undertones of the play are
roughly established between the female characters, Celia and Rosalind,
confusingly Phoebe and Ganymede, but the focus of the play revolves around the
relationship between Orlando and Ganymede. The play is centered around a
homosocial relationship between Ganymede and Orlando that gets pushed to a
limit of homosexual boundaries when they begin their courtship. “I would cure
you if you would but call me Rosalind and come every day to my cote and woo me”
(3.3. 433-5). Interestingly, Orlando reciprocates those feelings of love and
courtship to Ganymede, since Ganymede has convinced Orlando to role-play, where
Ganymede is Rosalind, to cure Orlando of his love sickness. “Now, by the faith
of my love, I will. Tell me where it is” (3.2. 436-40). The fact alone that
Orlando has agreed to these terms set by Ganymede indicates an acceptance of an
open “love affair” blooming between two men. The homosexual relationship
between Orlando and Ganymede reaches a critical moment in act IV scene 1 when
Orlando comes to woo Ganymede as Rosalind and they begin to banter back and
forth, where Rosalind, uses her male persona to convey her true feelings toward
Orlando. “Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight, I had as life be wooed
of a snail” (4.1. 54-6). This interaction leads to Ganymede proposing that
Celia marry the pair, “Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing? —
Come, sister, you shall be the priest and marry us. —Give me your hand,
Orlando. —What do you say, sister” (4.1. 128-131). Then Orlando accepts the
proposal of another man, “Pray thee marry us” (4.1.132). This scene is an
excellent example to show the convergence of man with man, clearly pointing out
that the relationship between two men is put out in the open with a single
witness, through Celia’s eyes. Mentioning the union between these men through
marriage delivers a clear message of how homosexuality can be perceived within
the play as a risk of homosocial relationships. The homosexual relationships
are not only interesting regarding Rosalind’s character, but Orlando’s
perception of his love situation creates an intriguing insight into the male
view regarding these certain relationships. It is fascinating how Orlando is
open about his theoretical relationship with Ganymede and he seems to really
take Ganymede for Rosalind and publicly recognizes this relationship. He
accepts the relationship so much that he even presents Ganymede to his brother,
Oliver in act IV scene 3. Orlando relays a message to Ganymede through his
brother Oliver and refers to Ganymede still as Rosalind, “Orlando doth commend him
to you both, And to that youth he calls his Rosalind He sends this bloody napkin.
Are you he?” (4.3. 95-7). This idea that Oliver was aware of a male youth who
is his brother’s lover emphasizes the public significance his relationship with
Ganymede holds. The homosexual relationships that are littered throughout As You Like It present an interesting
view into the way homosexual relationships were discussed and viewed, but as
expected there is always a cautionary fix at the end.
Despite the overt display of homosexual relationships
within the play, Shakespeare must still conform to the public ideals and morals
and reaffirm Ganymede’s sex and conserve the essence of marriage. The end of
the play every young couple that was present got married, but none of which
were gay. Orlando marries the restored Rosalind, Oliver “saves” Celia from her
sexuality and marries her, saving Celia’s from her overt disapproval of married
life, and lastly Phoebe realizing that she must marry Silvius, due to Ganymede
being a no-show. The idea of marriage seems to be an important part of society
and in that case the happiest people got married, even though they had to
abandon a certain part of themselves.
The epilogue is where the play is
summarized in a nice package and the author can put an endnote for the audience
and this is where the idea that the homosexual relationships seen throughout
the play are pure fiction and should not be carried on outside of the theatre. Within
the epilogue there must be an obvious declaration of women love men and that
men love women, “If I were a woman, I would kiss as many of you as had beards
that pleased me, complexions that liked me, and breaths that I defied not”
(Epilogue.17-20). This part defines the way that sexuality was perceived during
this time, where a male actor would be playing Rosalind/ Ganymede and would be
reciting the Epilogue, reaffirming gender norms through the speech:
“I
charge you, O woman for the love you bear to men, to like as much as this play
as please you… And I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to woman—as I
perceive by your simpering none of you hates them” (Epilogue 12-6).
These
lines change the outcome of the plays focus on homosexuality, restating how
interactions between men and woman should properly take place.
As
You Like It
defines sexuality in its own terms by reinterpreting homosocial relationships,
despite ending in a traditional manner. Rosalind is a convincing embodiment of
a female and male character that threads homosexuality within the play. She
obstructs those notions through a heteronormative instinct that arises beyond
her male façade and through her love for Orlando. This depiction of confused
homosocial relationships demonstrates the radicalness exhibited by 16th
century theatre and their ability to satirize the religious censors of the
time. Though the theatre was able to mock the notions proposed by religious
efforts, the theatre continued to face the reformation and dealt with religious
doctrine putting pressure on societal norms, increasing the censor on homosexual
storylines.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. 1599. Ed. Barbara Mowat
and Paul Werstine. New
York. The
Folger Shakespeare Library. 1997.
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