As You Like It

William Shakespeare, c. 1599

Shakespeare’s comedy of Rosalind, banished from her uncle’s court, who flees to the Forest of Arden disguised as a young man and there meets Orlando, who has also fled.

Start reading23 scenes, about 23,000 words

Famous quotes

O, how full of briers is this working-day world!
Act I, Scene III, spoken by RosalindIn context
- Work
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.
Act I, Scene III, spoken by RosalindIn context
- Beauty
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.
Act II, Scene I, spoken by Duke SeniorIn context
- Nature
- Wisdom
Under the greenwood tree,
Who loves to lie with me
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird’s throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither!
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
Act II, Scene V, spoken by AmiensIn context
- Music
- Nature
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
Act II, scene vii.In context
Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude.
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Act II, Scene VII, spoken by AmiensIn context
- Character
- Nature
Time travels in divers paces with divers persons. I’ll tell you who time ambles withal, who time trots withal, who time gallops withal, and who he stands still withal.
Act III, Scene II, spoken by RosalindIn context
- Time
Sell when you can; you are not for all markets.
Act III, Scene V, spoken by RosalindIn context
- Advice
- Clever Jabs
Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?
Act IV, Scene I, spoken by RosalindIn context
- Happiness
Men are April when they woo, December when they wed. Maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives.
Act IV, Scene I, spoken by RosalindIn context
The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.
Act V, scene iIn context
- Wisdom
For your brother and my sister no sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy
Act V, Scene II, spoken by RosalindIn context
- Love
Your “if” is the only peacemaker; much virtue in “if.”
Act V, Scene IV, spoken by TouchstoneIn context
- Comedy
- Talking
If it be true that good wine needs no bush, ’tis true that a good play needs no epilogue.
EpilogueIn context
- Acting

Act I

Scene IAn Orchard near Oliver’s house
Scene IIA Lawn before the Duke’s Palace
Scene IIIA Room in the Palace

Act II

Scene IThe Forest of Arden
Scene IIA Room in the Palace
Scene IIIBefore Oliver’s House
Scene IVThe Forest of Arden
Scene VAnother part of the Forest
Scene VIAnother part of the Forest
Scene VIIAnother part of the Forest

Act III

Scene IA Room in the Palace
Scene IIThe Forest of Arden
Scene IIIAnother part of the Forest
Scene IVAnother part of the Forest. Before a Cottage
Scene VAnother part of the Forest

Act IV

Scene IThe Forest of Arden
Scene IIAnother part of the Forest
Scene IIIAnother part of the Forest

Act V

Scene IThe Forest of Arden
Scene IIAnother part of the Forest
Scene IIIAnother part of the Forest
Scene IVAnother part of the Forest

Epilogue