The As You Like It Quotation Workshop
For each of the quotations assigned, the groups in charge should determine the following:

1. Who is speaking to whom
2. When in the play the speech takes place (act, scene, line)
3. What it means in its immediate context
4. How it "resonates" with the play as a whole

The purpose of these quotations is to help you think about the play, both microscopically and macroscopically. Read these passages carefully. Identify where they come from in the play and who is speaking to whom. Then, determine what the passages mean within their specific location: what is the character saying, what does it mean at the moment? Last of all, think about what the passage means in terms of the play as a whole: does it have a larger significance when you think about those words against the backdrop of the whole play? Is the passage prophetic? Ironic? Illuminating? All of the above? Something else?

As You Like It Quotations
Here are the quotations for As You Like It. They're shorter than we've had before, which means more thinking about how they relate to the rest of the play. Remember to determine who is speaking and to whom, when the speech occurs, what it means in its immediate context, and how it resonates with the play as a whole.

Quotation for Groups 2 & 5
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.

Group 2: P.C. Paul, Holly S. Daugherty, Robert Yu, Amber Shipp, Benjamin G. Field-Pickering, Minmin Bao
1. The toad was popularly believed to be poisonous and to have in its head a jewel, the toadstone. This quotation can be found at (2.1.12-17). Duke Senior who is living in banishment is speaking to Amiens, one of the lords attending on him and two or three other Lords dressed as foresters.

Translation
Adversity can have its benefits
Like the ugly, poisonous toad that
wears a precious jewel in its forehead;
In this life, far away from the civilized world,
We can hear the language of the trees, read the books of the running streams,
hear sermons in the stones, and discover the good in every single thing.
(Crowther, John. No Fear Shakespeare: As You Like It. Sparks Notes, NY, NY, 2004)

Duke Senior suggests adversity can have its benefits (Crowther). Duke Senior was banished from the courts and now lives in the forest. Like the toad that sheds his skin, the Duke has also shed his skin of the courts or civilization or begun a second life. He seems to suggest that he too has a jewel in his head like the toad that protects him from the dangers of the forest. Instead of hearing human conversations in the courts, he hears conversations within the trees, probably referring to the wind as it rustles the branches. This seems to suggest that the sounds of the forest substitute as his society satisfying the human need to socialize with other human beings. The Duke finds stories in the sound of the running streams. Books during his time were read aloud and not silently as we read. One would read aloud. [Christopher, people did read to themselves during this period, passing around manuscripts and copying them by hand into copybooks so they could have the poems or essays themselves. It's also thought that the quartos (smaller printed books) were published especially for women readers who would read in the privacy of their own homes. RF=Dr. Farabaugh] Therefore the sound of the moving water in the streams substitute for his need to hear books recited. Summons obviously, were recited by pastors within the church, but the stones recite their own summons and once again substitute for this need. He hears in his ears the language of the forest and all of that language is good. He hears an adversity of language in the forest that substitutes for the language he hears in civilization. He has learned to accept this adversity and has found the language more pure and less bawdy than the language of civilization.

Shakespeare is playing with the language of human beings in matters of love, sex, and marriage most of which is anything but pure courtly language in a Renaissance ideal. Orlando, out of all the characters, is the only follower of these ideals with his lousy poetry. The rest of the characters who are in love have more realistic ideals on love and it is this very realism that is the bawdiness of the courts and civilization. On the other hand, the Duke suggests that the forest is absent of this bawdiness and sways more towards the side of the Renaissance ideal. The Duke seems to suggest that within the forest he has shed the filthy language of the courts and has accepted a more pure skin of language, that being the language of the forest. P.C. Paul

This acceptance of the language of the forest of Ardenne by Senor and his foresters reflects the magical appeal of forests represented in the middle ages. Though most of the lovers were realistic about what they wished to achieve, the fact that they were in the forest, far away from civilization, gave a sense of eloping in a fantasy type situation.

I agree with how you took comparison of the forest to the abscense of the court. This reminds me of when Orlando was carving poetry in the barks later on, literally posting "tongues," "books," etc on the forest at face value.

However, I took the analogy of the toad a bit differently. Rather than comparing the forest life to the court life, I took the toad analogy as more of a direct statement that, though the way one live's their life may be rough and unflattering, therein lies a treasure of great value. Robert Yu

1. Who is speaking to whom: Duke Senior is speaking to his forest men
2. When in the play the speech takes place (act,scene, line): 2.1.12-17
3. What it means in its immediate context: This speech is meant to bolster the men's courage at having been banished from the court. Duke Senior is trying to get them to make the best of things.
4. How it "resonates" with the play as a whole: Most of the characters in the play are banished in one way or another and this speaks to everyone, saying that comfort can come from unexpected places. This also suggests that adversity can help mold people into better people that a carefree life in court could not.
5. Look up words: I looked up a few words in the OED which might be helpful last night. Here they are:

   HAUNT: the act or practice of frequenting or resorting to a place, and also companionship, society, or company
   ADVERSITY: the condition of adverse fortune (adverse): unfavourable, hurtful, dertrimental
   USE: a trust or confidence reposed in a person for the holding of property, etc., of which another receives or is entitled to the profits or benefits
   Holly S. Daugherty

Also, just a question: We all agreed that this passage can be seen as a pep talk for the men. Does anyone else agree that this is a pep talk for the Duke Himself? Amber Shipp

Group 5: Andrea D. Clarke, Laura M. Duffy, Gursimran K. Grewal, Jessica D. Richardson, Rebecca L. Stern
This quotation is taken from Act 2 Scene 1 LInes 12-17 spoken by Duke Senior, directed towards Amiens and two or three other Lords. I found a website that is about frog myths, (a .edu site) and it actually refers to As You Like It on the website. I set a link to it below. --Rebecca Stern

Frog Myths

And So I Shed My Skin, and Walked Away New:

Frogs, Toads, and the Secret of Transformation

The life cycle of frogs and toads involves at least one major transformation, from tadpole to adult. Many also shed their skins regularly as they grow, and some species eat the shed skin. These spectacular transformations may explain why many cultures see frogs and toads as symbolic of re-creation, or as keepers of the secrets of transformations.

The Olmec tribes created images of a toad god of rebirth, eating its own skin. It is reborn by consuming itself, caught in a cycle of death and rebirth, like people, and like the natural world itself.

In many ancient Chinese tales and legends, the toad is a trickster and a magician, a master of escapes and spells. But he is also the keeper of the real, powerful secrets of the world, such as the secret of immortality. Many legends involve a wandering wise man called Liu Hai and his three-legged toad companion Ch'an Chu. The toad knows the secret of eternal life, and for his friendship reveals the secret to the wise man. In Japan a similar legend involves the Gama-Sennin, also known as Kosensei, a wise old man with a hunched body and a warty face. Kosensei wanders the land with his toad companion, who teaches him the secret powers of herbs, including the secret of immortality.

Interestingly, many of these Asian tales refer to the secret of immortality as a fungus growing from the toad's forehead. It has been suggested that this may be a link to the many shamanistic traditions of the Americas, where hallucinogenic compounds derived from frogs and toads are used for religious rituals of communion with the spirit world and self-transcendence.

Poison, Hallucination, Transcendence:

The Alchemical Amphibian

One of the other forms of power that frogs and toads wield in many cultures and myths is chemical, or alchemical: frogs are viewed as the purveyors of poison or of powerful drugs, which can heal or induce hallucinations. In many cases, these myths have some foundation in truth, as some species contain compounds both poisonous and hallucinogenic. Many tribes of South and Central America have used compounds from frogs and toads as poisons and hallucinogenic drugs for religious rituals.

In medieval Europe, toads were viewed as evil creatures whose blood was a potent poison and whose body parts had strange powers. Some of these views were created by writers from Classical Greece and Rome, whose opinions held great sway. Pliny the Elder imputed many strange powers to toads: a toad's presence will silence a room full of people; a small bone from a toad's right side will keep water from boiling; a bone from the left side will repel the attack of dogs.

A widely held superstition concerned the fabulous "Toad-Stone," a jewel that was supposed to be found inside the toad's head. This jewel, placed in a ring or a necklace, would heat up or change color in the presence of poison, thereby protecting the wearer from foul play. In Shakespeare's play As You Like It, the Old Duke says,

"Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head."

Toads were also commonly seen as evil spirits, or as the "imp" or "familiar" who accompanied witches, assisting them in their evil designs. These familiars could also be cats, crows, insects, or dogs. In the annals of the witch trials at St. Osyth (England), Ursula Kempe's young son testified that one of her four familiars, a black toad named Pigin, had once called illness in a young boy. Toads were also popular as poisonous ingredients in potions. It was said that "the women-witches of ancient time which killed by poysoning, did much use toads in their confections." Male witches were also purported to use toads for their poisonous magic. Such folklore and popular mythology is the result of Inquistion propaganda and does not reflect Pagan religions. End Website Entry

I looked up a few words just to refresh myself with their meaning.

ADVERSITY: (dictionary.com) a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress. an unfortunate event or circumstance.
EXEMPT: (dictionary.com) to free from an obligation or liability to which others are subject, release.

This quotation is taking place in (2, 1, 12- 17). Duke Senior is talking to Aimens and a couple other lords. He’s telling them that adversity, which is defined above, has many different benefits, just like the ugly, poisonous, toad that wears a jewel in his head. He then tells them that their life, which is far from the public, is good. They can find the talking of the trees, read the books of the streams, hear sermons in the stones and most of all find good in everything. Duke Senior is telling them that their move to the forest was a proper thing to do. ~Simran

I agree with above about the scene and lines in which this quote is taken and that Duke Senior is talking to Aimens. Duke Senior is telling Ameins that he can see the potential in many things that you would not normally see any good in. He is saying that you have to look past the outward appearance and look more closly at the object and past what it looks like. ex. the toad with the jewel. I think what he is saying here goes along with the theme of marriage in this play, and the many different love relationships.Mnay of the relationships have love despite how the person looks and in other situations, specifically with Orlando and Rosalind, she wants to make sure that his love is truly without apperances. Duke Senior is also supporting all of those who moved into the forest. He says that by getting away from the court they are able to appreciate nature and the wonderful things that she produces. He is able to experience things that the rich living in castles would never be able to experience and sees the beauty in things that he may have no considered beautiful. ~Andrea

Quotation for Groups 1 & 4
Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

Group 1: Bryan D. Dalina, Christopher Fenlon, Adrienne V. Hawkins, Thomas Noble, Katherine M. Schmitt

1. Who is speaking to whom: Rosalind to Orlando
2. When in the play the speech takes place (act,scene, line): Act 4, Scence 1, lines 91-92
3. What it means in its immediate context: No one's ever died from love. The stories of men dying are all false- and they had real life causes- drowning or clubbing to death
4. How it "resonates" with the play as a whole: Its symbolic of the realistic nature of certain parts of the play. "don't be a fool" it seems to say- love's not that grand and not that powerful. Real life things are often proximate causes.
5. Look up words: I don't think there are any words to look up here. ~Katherine M. Schmitt

I think that in terms of the larger theme of the play as a whole, this quote also shows the hypocritical nature of love. True, Rosalind is scorning the typical image of love that Orlando presents, but she herself fell right into love's trap the minute she thought that Orlando was going to stand her up. She also faints, in a very feminine way, when she sees the blood on the hankercheif that Orlando sends by way of excuse for his absence. Rosalind is in the unique position to be critical of love while at the same time experiencing the very emotions she criticizes. ~Adrienne V. Hawkins

To me this scene seemed more than a little confusing since there's a lot of things going on. It opens with Rosalind and Jaques playing word games and Rosalind messing with him for being so melancholy. Then Orlando arrives and he begins where he left off pretending Ganymede is Rosalind which is actually true, adding to the comedy and confusion. As you read this act it becomes clear that Orlando still does not know Ganymede is Rosalind, or at least he is playing along if he does know and this is where it becomes a little confusing. You have to wonder by the way these two characters sometimes interact, whether Orlando actually knows he's talking to Rosalind in disguise or if he is just continuing the game that she started in act 3 scene 2. Personally I don't think he knows but I think he must suspect something since she couldn't possibly change her appearance enough to hide her resemblance. If Orlando does love her, then its very likely that he paid close attention to her prior to they're being in the forest. One would think he would be able to identify her in disguise at least enough to raise his suspicion. -Bryan D. Dalina

In our group, we seemed to have conflicting opinions as to why the phrase "and worms have eaten them" was in there. Personally, I think it's for the comical aspect of the play. The play is, in fact, a comedy, and by throwing in something completely unexpected, especially in dealing with such serious topics as love and death, the phrase "and worms have eaten them" is there for comic relief. Furthermore, the audience would need a break from all the serious subject matter, so it also serves as a catharsis, a time where Shakespeare is inadvertantly telling the audience, "Ok, you can laugh now." -Christopher Fenlon

Group 4: Zachary M. Dow, Dorothy E. Garrett, Shanna M. Kibler, Sarah S. Sood, Fatimah Walee
Okay, I don't have my book with me right now, so I'm not sure of the location within the play, but I know that this is a quote taken from the lines of Rosalind disguised as Ganymede. Rosalind is talking to Orlando and reacting to his Petrachan displays of love, such as pinning the poems on the trees. This quote shows Rosalind's realistic view of love and quite frankly says that, although love can be painful, no one has ever truly died from a broken heart. ~Shanna M. Kibler

In the passage she continues to list a number of people through history who felt they wanted to die from love or a broken heart but failed to do so, which furthers her seemingly academic nature to the whole process. She says basically says love is a lie and goes on and on. In a way she is protecting herself, her identity, but also testing Orlando at the same time, she is pretending to be his antithesis while really she loves him deeply. -Zachary M. Dow

This is Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede, speaking to Orlando. The line is from Act 4, Scene 1, lines 91-92. I agree with what Shanna said about the quote showing Rosalind's realistic view on love. In the context of the rest of the play, I think there's also some irony to the quote. Going along with what Zach said "she is pretending to be his antithesis while really she loves him deeply" Rosalind is mocking Orlando's declarations of love for her, yet she is not immune to love herself. Later when Orlando is late for their meeting, she freaks out, showing that love can make her act a little silly too. ~Dorothy E. Garrett

Quotation for Groups 3 & 6
Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy.
This wide and universal theatre
Presents more woeful pageants than the scene
Wherein we play in.

Group 3: Mark D. Denz, Holly L. Johnson, Shira M. Pilarski, Eric J. Smith, Arthur T. Williamson
(2.7.138-141) Duke Senior to Jaques

Duke Senior says we are not the only people who are unhappy. I think the Duke is considering this old man (Adam) dying of hunger and in his own situation being banished by his brother, Frederick, he contemplates that his circumstances are not as bad as others in the world.

Also, I think this scene gives us a picture of this fair and kind ruler. Duke Senior is content and easy-going. He tells Orlando to go and find Adam... "we will nothing waste till you return" This is a compassionate reply to Orlando's need. The Duke is not just going to save Adam some food but he is not going to touch the food until Orlando returns with Adam. ~Holly Johnson

I think it is consistent with the themes of the play as well. Each character is experiencing "woeful pageants." This means that everyone is unhappy, but also that everyone is together in their unhappiness. This idea is made clear in Arden, where everyone can see that they are not alone in their unhappiness. -Shira M. Pilarski

Objection!

Hmmm, but what of line 136, "This wide and universal theatre?" When I first looked over that, I thought it encrypted meaning beyond "others" in a general sense. The first idea that came to my mind was that it was in a way breaking the fourth wall - I could see in my mind the actor playing the Duke having his arms outstretched as he spoke those five words - stretched towards the members of the audience. The Duke 'realizes' that his lot as a character is a ghost to the realities of the audience.

Another way I thought is that the line was foreshadowing some of the unhappiness to come in Arden. These matters of love turned into beasts of woe and brooding - be it Orlando's, Silvius's, or Phoebe's - will join the Duke's in his unhappiness. -Eric J. Smith

Group 6: Jasmine L. Curry, Meghan M. Fay, Heidi A. Harrison, Amy Lynn Herstein, Sarah A. Melchior, Emily H. Saltsman
As far as I can tell, Duke Senior is telling Jaques that they are not the only people who are unhappy in the world. The world is filled with things that are more sad than what they are going through. In response Jaques says the famous lines: "All the world's a stage/ And all the men and women merely players."

According to Oxford Dictionary:

Wide: to the full extent; far from a particular point or mark.
Universal: affecting, or done by all people or things in the world or in a particular group; applicable to all cases.
Present: being or occurring in a particular place; existing or occurring now; expressing an action now going on or habitually performed, or a condition now existing.
Pageant: a public entertainment consisting of a procession of people in elaborate costumes, or an outdoor performance of a historical scene. -Emily Saltsman

I think among other things that this quote is used to further introduce us to the characters of Duke Senior and Jaques. Duke Senior shows that he has the ability to look at the bigger picture in life and that he has a sense of other people’s feelings. I believe that this shows that he would be a better ruler than his brother. Jaques could have responded in many ways to the Duke’s thoughts but his response is negative and extensive. He could have just agreed or disagreed with the Duke. The main element that brings all the characters to the forest is their misfortune; it’s what allows the characters to all meet again. It’s also important to notice that a big element of this play is "acting a part." -Sarah Melchior

Hey everybody, I found it odd that Jacques was so against killing the deer in the forest or animals in general because they were in the woods, trying to get away from the harshness of the city and they very thing that makes the forest different than the city is the fact that there are these individuals that are running around, helpless fools of love's spell and indulging in the many aspects of love and Jacques wants no part of that. I also think that Duke likes the fact that he can get a break from all the love crazed characters when he toys with Jacques. The duke knows that jacques will turn his words into something far more drawn out and finds it amusing. -Fatimah Walee