The story in one page
Rosalind, daughter of the exiled Duke Senior, finds herself banished by her uncle, the usurping Duke Frederick. Rather than despair, she flees to the Forest of Arden alongside her cousin Celia and the court fool, Touchstone. To avoid unwanted attention, Rosalind dresses as a man named Ganymede. In the forest, they encounter a variety of locals, including lovelorn shepherds and the displaced Orlando, who is busy pinning terrible verses about Rosalind onto tree trunks. Rosalind, as Ganymede, offers to cure Orlando of his love-sickness by pretending to be her own self. After several rounds of cross-dressing comedy and pastoral confusion, the Duke reconciles with his brother, and four couples marry in a group ceremony.
Who's who
- Rosalind
A sharp-witted woman who disguises herself as Ganymede.
- Orlando
The youngest son who hangs bad poetry on trees.
- Duke Senior
An exiled ruler who prefers living in the wilderness.
- Celia
Rosalind's loyal cousin who becomes Aliena in exile.
- Touchstone
A fool who provides commentary on forest life.
- Jaques
A cynical nobleman who observes the forest's residents.
What it's really about
- Cross-dressing
- Used as a social mask in public spaces.
- Pastoral life
- A retreat from the pressures of court politics.
Why it's memorable
- A man claiming he loves so hard he might actually die.
- A woman in a man's outfit critiquing her own love poems.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
The couples marry, and Rosalind steps out of character to address the audience in the epilogue.
For your book club
- Is life in the woods actually better than the court?
- Does wearing a beard change how people treat you?