Michele Cannon

ENGL 339

Marx

2/11/05

The Dichotomy of Time

The concept of time in Shakespeare’s As You Like It is one of many instances in this play in which the merits of city life are pitted against the merits of country life. Some characters—for example, Orlando--relish in the loss of exact time, giving way to the natural timekeeping rhythms of the forest. On the other hand, Rosalind clings to the strict count of minutes and scheduling that is kept at court. Shakespeare displays both contrasting opinions on time as valid.

The first clue of the laxity of life in the forest is given by Charles the Wrestler in his report of court news to Oliver. “They say he is already in the Forest of Arden, and many merry men with him, where they live . . . and fleet the time carelessly as they did in the golden world” (I.i. 111-115). The exiled Duke and his entourage spend most of the day singing, playing games, finding food, and eating. It is not an always an easy life, but definitely a life bereft of worrying about an agenda. Orlando also adopts the time as inconsequential lifestyle, wittily replying to Ganymede’s inquiry of the “o’clock”. He remarks, “You should ask me, what time o’day. There’s no clock in the forest” (III.ii. 297-298[SM1] ).

To further illustrate the concept of the triviality of time in the forest, Shakespeare omits the time-consuming and often complicated processes involved in change when the characters are in the forest[SM2] . After his brother saves his life, Oliver immediately flips from despising Orlando to loving him. Although there is powerful motivation for Oliver’s change of heart, the instantaneous reaction leaves out any struggle between Oliver’s previous feelings and his new discovery about his brother. Phebe meets the gathering in the forest believing she will marry her love Ganymede, but instead is wed to Silvious whom she previously was repulsed by. However, when the truth of Ganymede’s identity is revealed, Phebe happily marries Silvious. Beyond initial surprise, the repercussions of Rosalind’s deception and Phebe’s loss of her love are not addressed in the text.

Conversely, Rosalind is used to living life by a schedule. For example, Duke Frederick gave her a time limit of ten days to get at least twenty miles from the court when he banishes her. Despite having escaped to the forest, Rosalind still allows time to govern her life as it did when she lived at court. In only her second meeting with Orlando she attempts to test his love for her by asserting that true lovers always know the time. “Then there is no true lover in the forest, else sighing every minute and groaning every hour would detect the lazy foot of Time as well as a clock” (III.ii.299-301). Rosalind becomes terribly upset when her love Orlando does not meet with Ganymede at the exact time of his promise. She pouts, “Nay, and you be so tardy, come no more in my sight” (IIII.i. 48-49[SM3] ).

As each character represents a differing concept of time, the marriage of Rosalind and Orlando weds the two opposing views. Neither outlook is proven wrong. Just as the marriage of two people allows them the company and compliment of the other person, the contrasting concepts of time are shown as necessary to compliment each other rather than exist in solidarity. Shakespeare reminds readers that life in the Forest of Arden is temporary by restoring the members of the court to city life, but does not discount the virtues of careless timekeeping and in doing so does not approve of city life over country life or vice versa. Rather, using the characters of Orlando and Rosalind, he suggests that balance between the two must be struck, and each way is necessary to fully realize life in the other[SM4] .