As You Like It: Language and Writing
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Overview
As You Like It: Language and Writing explores one of Shakespeare’s best-known comedies. It considers the literary and theatrical contexts in which Shakespeare was writing; examines, in detail, the different forms of language used in the play and considers ways in which language and meaning have changed over time, and are affected by performance. Each chapter contains a ‘Writing matters’ section which provides suggestions for activities that can further enhance a student’s understanding of the play. This informative guide to Shakespeare’s popular comedy equips students with the critical skills to analyze its language, structure and themes and to expand and enrich their own responses to the play.
Abigail Rokison-Woodall examines the literary and theatrical context, the language and the style of As You Like It, focusing on the conventions of verse and prose, rhetoric, theatrical genres and the treatment of language in performance.
The book provides detailed analysis of the play’s literary and theatrical context
It offers a clear but rigorous analysis of the language of the play
Abigail Rokison-Woodhall explores the way in which the meaning of the play develops and changes in performance
INTRODUCTION
DATING THE PLAY
THE FIRST FOLIO AND ITS COPY
THE ELIZABETHAN THEATRE
BLANK VERSE DRAMA
THE CONVENTIONS OF PROSE
A CLASSICAL EDUCATION
1) LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT
GENRE
FESTIVE COMEDY
PASTORAL
SOURCE AND SETTING
CHARACTERS
METATHEATRE
MASQUE
WRITING MATTERS
2) LANGUAGE: FORMS AND USES
VERSE AND PROSE
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
ASIDES AND SOLILOQUIES
RHETORIC
WRITING MATTERS
3 LANGUAGE OVER TIME
ISSUES OF INTERPRETATION
CONTEMPORARY REFERENCES, CHANGING MEANINGS AND ARCHAIC LANGUAGE
INTERPRETATION OF LANGUAGE ON THE MODERN STAGE
AS YOU LIKE IT ON FILM: WHERE PICTURES DO THE WORK
WRITING MATTERS
4) PERFORMING THE LANGUAGE
PERFORMING METRE
PERFORMING RHETORIC
PERFORMING ‘YOU’ AND ’THOU’
WRITING MATTERS
Bibliography
- Title: As You Like It: Language and Writing
- Authors: Abigail Rokison-Woodall, Dympna Callaghan
- Series: Arden Student Skills: Language and Writing
- Publisher: The Arden Shakespeare
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Pages: 168
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781350120440, 9781350120419, 1350120413, 1350120448
- Resource ID: LLS:9781350120440
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-22T14:37:57Z
Abigail Rokison-Woodall is Lecturer in Shakespeare and Theatre, The Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK and was formerly a professional actor.