Gender and Social Norms in Shakespeares As You Like It Essay -- Shake

Gender and Social Norms in As You deal It Shakespeare based his comedy As You Like It primarily on three different works. Its plot follows the basic structure of Rosalynde, published in 1590 by Thomas Lodge. The Tale of Gamelyn, written by an unknown author in the mid-fourteenth century, is a barbaric Middle English narrative that was found among Chaucers papers and provides further details for Shakespeares work. With the Forest of Ardenne serving as an escape for our main characters, Shakespeare takes his details from the countless robin redbreast Hood ballads popular in Medieval England. This paper will examine how Shakespeares adaptations and alterations of emphasis and plot from these source works have turned our attention to the percentage of gender norms in society, the restrictions of social norms, and human influence on ones future. Lastly, included is a brief discussion of how these factors might influence a production of this sharp and entertaining work. In Shakesp eares play, the question of womens role is central to theme and plot. By assuming the clothes and likeliness of a man, Rosalind treats herself to powers that are normally beyond her exceed as a woman (Spark 7). She is able to talk, walk and have the freedoms of a man, while having the heart of a woman. She is even able to court a fan of her own choice and train him in the art of love. Shakespeare focuses his work on the drastically different role that she can take under the guise of a man. In contrast, the novel Rosalynde, focuses only on the male concerns of the story. The entire story has been directed exclusively to men and made glaringly obvious in its premiss beginning with the words, To Gentleman Readers. Throughout the story, L... ...int.htm. Kuhn, Maura. Much Value in It. Shakespeare Quarterly 28 (Winter 1977) 40-50. Hanawalt, Barbara A. ed.. Chaucers England- Literature in Historical Content. Minneapolis University of Minnesota Press, 1992. Howard, Jean E., Intoduction to As You Like It. The Norton Shakespeare Ed. Stephen Greenblatt, et.al. New York W. W. Norton & Company, 1997. 1591-1599. Prendergast, Maria Teresa Micaela.Rennaissance Fantasies- The gathering of Aesthetics in Early Modern Fiction. Kent Kent State UP, 1999. Sparknotes. As You Like It, by William Shakespeare. 8 Nov. 2002 http//www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/asyoulikeit/. Strout, Nathaniel. As You Like It, Rosalynde, and Mutuality. Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 v. 41 no 2 (Spring 2001) 277-95. Tenney, Edward A.. Thomas Lodge. Ithica Cornell UP, 1935.