As You Like It (31 page)

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Act 1 Scene 1

1.1
Location: the whereabouts of Oliver’s household is unspecified

1
Adam
name evocative of the biblical first man

2
poor
only

2
crowns
gold coins

3
charged
order was given to

3
breed
bring up

5
keeps at school
maintains at university

7
stays
detains

7
unkept
poorly maintained

9
stalling
stall accommodation

10
fair
in fine condition

11
manage
trained movements

11
riders
horse trainers

11
dearly
at great cost

13
bound
indebted

15
countenance
behavior/attitude to me/support

16
hinds
servants/farmworkers

17
as … lies
to the best of his ability

17
mines my gentility
undermines my status as a gentleman

18
grieves
vexes

21
avoid
put an end to

23
Go apart
stand aside

24
shake me up
abuse/scold me

25
make
do (Orlando picks up on the sense of “create”)

27
mar
ruin

28
Marry
by the Virgin Mary (perhaps plays on
mar
)

30
be naught awhile
i.e. be gone

33
prodigal portion
biblical allusion to the prodigal (wastefully lavish) son, who, having spent all his money, had to look after pigs and eat their scraps

36
orchard
garden

38
knows
is aware of/acknowledges the claims of

39
in … blood
because of our noble breeding

40
courtesy of nations
established custom of civilized society (i.e. rights of inheritance)

42
tradition
custom/surrender (of privilege)

42
blood
nobility/kinship/anger

44
is … reverence
accords you more of the respect that was due to him

48
young
immature/inexperienced

49
villain
scoundrel (Orlando plays up the sense of “low-born person”)

51
de Bois
“of the woods” (French, though probably anglicized to pronunciation “boys”)

52
begot
conceived

55
railed on
insulted

56
father’s remembrance
the sake of your father’s memory

62
qualities
accomplishments

64
exercises
activities/skills

64
become
suit

65
allottery
share, allocation

65
testament
will

69
will
(father’s) bequest/(your)wish

70
offend
vex/assail

76
grow upon
trouble/take liberties with

77
physic
cure

77
rankness
insolence/overgrowth/disease

78
neither
either

78
Holla
a shout to catch attention

82
So
if it

82
importunes
asks insistently for

86
morrow
morning

91
loving
i.e. loyal

93
good leave
full permission

98
ever
constantly

99
to stay
by staying

101
loved
i.e. one other

103
Forest of Arden
the Forêt des Ardennes in France; Shakespeare would have also known the Forest of Arden near Stratford-upon-Avon

105
Robin Hood
popular English outlaw who lived in a forest and robbed the rich to feed the poor

106
fleet
pass

106
carelessly
in a carefree way

107
golden world
in classical mythology, the earliest of ages, when life was idyllic

112
fall
(wrestling) bout

113
credit
reputation

114
tender
inexperienced

115
foil
defeat

117
withal
with this

118
stay … intendment
keep him from carrying out his intention

118
brook
endure

119
search
seeking

122
kindly requite
fittingly/graciously reward

123
underhand
secret

126
envious emulator
malicious disparager

127
parts
qualities

128
lief
willingly

130
look to’t
beware

131
grace … thee
gain honor at your expense

131
practise
scheme

132
device
stratagem

136
anatomize
dissect, reveal

140
payment
punishment

140
go alone
walk unaided

144
gamester
sportsman

145
gentle
wellborn/honorable/kind

146
device
ingenuity/intention/witty expression/conversation

147
sorts
social classes/types of people

149
misprised
despised/undervalued

150
clear
settle

151
kindle … thither
encourage Orlando to go to the wrestling match

Act 1 Scene 2

1.2
Location: the whereabouts of the court is unspecified

1
coz
short for “cousin”

3
would
wish

4
learn
teach

8
so
provided that

11
righteously tempered
correctly constituted/properly tuned

12
estate
fortune

15
like
likely

16
perforce
of necessity

20
sports
pastimes

22
make sport
have fun (plays on the sense of “have sex”)

22
withal
with (perhaps with play on “with all”)

23
neither … again
without being able to escape virtuously with no more than an innocent blush (
come off
plays on the sense of “have an orgasm”)

27
housewife
mistress of the household/hussy

31
bountiful blind woman
i.e. Fortune, traditionally depicted as a
blind
woman turning a wheel

33
fair
beautiful

34
honest
chaste/virtuous

35
ill-favouredly
ugly

36
office
role

38
lineaments
features

38.1
Touchstone
stone used to test the quality or genuineness of gold and silver alloys

40
fall … fire
i.e. come to disaster (by being burned and disfigured, by losing her virginity, or by contracting venereal disease)

41
wit
intelligence

41
flout at
mock

42
fool
i.e. Touchstone

44
natural
idiot

46
Peradventure
perhaps

48
whetstone
stone used for sharpening tools

50
wit … you
“Wit, whither wilt thou?” (i.e. proverbial; refers to one with “wandering” wits)

52
messenger
bearer of news/official employed to apprehend state prisoners

56
pancakes
these could also have savory fillings

57
naught
worthless

57
stand to
maintain, insist upon

59
forsworn
perjured

74
taxation
slander

78
troth
faith

80.1
Le Beau
“the handsome” (French)

82
put
force

85
marketable
i.e. like
pigeons
fattened for sale

87
lost
missed

88
colour
kind

92
laid … trowel
expressed excessively/bluntly

93
rank
standing as a wit (Rosalind plays on the sense of “foul-smelling” for a joke about farting)

94
losest
lose/let loose, release

94
old
ripe/stale/customary

95
amaze
bewilder

99
do
come

103
tale
puns on “tail” (as opposed to
beginning
)

104
proper
handsome/fine

106
bills
advertisements/legal documents

107
presents
legal documents; plays on
presence

110
that
so that

111
So
in the same way

112
dole
lamentation

121
any
anyone

121
broken
discordant/with parts arranged for different instruments (plays on the idea of broken
ribs
)

126.1
Flourish
trumpet fanfare, usually accompanying a person in authority