and as an intro to Act 2- things move to a kind of vignette style for a bit now. there are 7 scenes in act 2 but they all kind of zip along....
2.1
a short scene introducing us to Duke Senior- the banished one. who seems to freaking love his banishment, or he's just REALLY good at making the best of things:
And this our life exempt from public haunt
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in every thing.
I would not change it.
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in every thing.
I would not change it.
We then hear of Jaques and how he has been mourning the deer they are killing and eating. The duke is amused my Jaques "matter"/dramatic reactions. I love Jaques. Maybe because I have a flair for the dramatic, maybe because I learned the ages of man speech long before I read AYLI, maybe because Professor Menzer referred to our graduating class as a hybrid between Bottom from Midsummer and Jaques (which which, for the most part, I emphatically agree). But more of Jaques when we actually get to him.
2.2
An even shorter scene back at court where Duke Frederick is rather upset that Celia and Rosalind have both run away. There's this gem of a line:
They found the bed untreasured of their mistress.
BEAUTIFUL.
then Frederick asks that Orlando be brought to him since he was informed the girls were talking about his wrestling performance. He also stipulates that if Orlando can't be found then his brother Oliver should come in his stead.
2.3
Adam informs Orlando that he needs to run away because Oliver is mad he did so well in the wrestling. Hmmm i wonder where he'll go? could it be THE WOODS?! Who wants to run AYLI and Into The Woods in rep?!?! LET'S DO IT! especially since AYLI is pretty damn musical/could easily be moreso- OH! what if you set some of the music to sondheim-ish melodies! My brain is really going now... I LOVE THIS IDEA! who wants to help me execute it/fund it?! come on universe. get to work!
anyway, back to charming old Adam, when Orlando expresses concern about begging Adam, his servant, replies:
But do not so. I have five hundred crowns,
The thrifty hire I saved under your father,
Which I did store to be my foster-nurse
When service should in my old limbs lie lame
And unregarded age in corners thrown:
Take that, and He that doth the ravens feed,
Yea, providently caters for the sparrow,
Be comfort to my age!
The thrifty hire I saved under your father,
Which I did store to be my foster-nurse
When service should in my old limbs lie lame
And unregarded age in corners thrown:
Take that, and He that doth the ravens feed,
Yea, providently caters for the sparrow,
Be comfort to my age!
That just makes me want to cry it's so genuine and sweet and faith filled. Orlando responds:
Thou art not for the fashion of these times,
Where none will sweat but for promotion,
Where none will sweat but for promotion,
This makes me think of those of us in jobs for love vs. money. And how I can see acting this way for theatrical ventures/ on behalf of things or people i truly love (don't most of us? do you know many actors with absolutely healthy/on track 401K plans?)
And Adam's response?
Yet fortune cannot recompense me better
Than to die well and not my master's debtor.
Than to die well and not my master's debtor.
I hope I live to be old and can be that content with what I've given my life to all those years.
2.4
and now we're back to Rosalind and Celia, and who is the first to complain?
ROSALIND
O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!TOUCHSTONE
I care not for my spirits, if my legs were not weary.
Meanwhile, instead of complaining Celia just decides- i can't walk further. we're staying here. and lucky her because Rosaline replies
THEATRE MAGIC! The stage is now the Forest of Arden regardless of scenery just by saying so and that's that. It's like Oberon's I am invisible line.
The talk of their new situation/surrounding is interrupted by some of the country natives- Corin and Silvius.
Silvius & Phoebe- the comedic delights of this play. and so enjoyably self indulgent. Silvius articulates what I think is one of the recurring events of the play:
Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
Wearying thy hearer in thy mistress' praise,
Thou hast not loved:
Wearying thy hearer in thy mistress' praise,
Thou hast not loved:
O Phebe, Phebe, Phebe!
Anyone I know who can't stand this play just gets SO SICK of hearing how much everyone claims to love everyone else in it. And I get sick of it too but i'm delighted by the mirror of human nature it shows/am tickled by the excess. Also, I think Corin is a fantastically underrated straight man throughout this comedy.
Rosalind gets to turn on the manliness for the first time in front of Corin and Silvius and ask after lodging for the sake of the woman with her. After they are assured of food and lodging Celia declares:
No one else seems to have an agreement to this positive note, but that's OK, we know Duke senior shares her sentiments.
2.5
Amiens sings a song. there is the possibility for SO MUCH song and dance in this play. I'm astonished more high schools don't perform it!
When the song is over Jaques wants more and we get a first taste of his wit:
AMIENS
My voice is ragged: I know I cannot please you.JAQUES
I do not desire you to please me; I do desire you to sing.
and Jaques gets his way because most of the rest of the scene is singing and dancing.
2.6
Adam is faint with wandering in the wood and thinks he will die. Orlando comes through and encourages him:
Why, how now, Adam! no greater heart in thee? Live
a little; comfort a little; cheer thyself a little.
a little; comfort a little; cheer thyself a little.
Orlando leaves to find Adam food and tells Adam him he better not die before the food comes!
2.7
The only scene in this act that actually feels like a full length scene.
Says very wisely, 'It is ten o'clock:
Thus we may see,' quoth he, 'how the world wags:
'Tis but an hour ago since it was nine,
And after one hour more 'twill be eleven;
And so, from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe,
And then, from hour to hour, we rot and rot;
And thereby hangs a tale.'
Thus we may see,' quoth he, 'how the world wags:
'Tis but an hour ago since it was nine,
And after one hour more 'twill be eleven;
And so, from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe,
And then, from hour to hour, we rot and rot;
And thereby hangs a tale.'
This is one of those observations that it is just so difficult to think about how true it is and how painfully accurately Shakespeare deals with mortality. I also love the continuing concept of the wise fool as well as the phrase thereby hangs a tale- i know its a popular saying but it is certainly not one I use much and I should.
A worthy fool! Motley's the only wear.
I love this. We'll talk more about the freeing nature of Motley/beeing a fool when we get to All's Well.
I must have liberty
Withal, as large a charter as the wind,
To blow on whom I please; for so fools have;
And they that are most galled with my folly,
They most must laugh.
Withal, as large a charter as the wind,
To blow on whom I please; for so fools have;
And they that are most galled with my folly,
They most must laugh.
When I was teaching at MBC, and I'm sure I'll use this again if I teach a similar survey course, I tried to explain to my students that a lot of the satirical Greek/Roman plays (and obviously we can continue this throughout theatre history) were like the equivalent of our Daily Show or Colbert Report as far as engaging citizens with the politics in a way that's digestible thanks to the humor. When thinking back on this parallel it makes me wish I could see a production with Jon Stewart as Jaques and Colbert as Touchstone (though I'd love to see him as Silvius as well. because Colbert is one of my favorite people ever.) Anyway, the scene changes with the dramatic entrance of Orlando:
Enter ORLANDO, with his sword drawnORLANDO
Forbear, and eat no more.
Jaques does not seem phased by this threat
JAQUES
Why, I have eat none yet.
(don't you want someone on stage to do a makeshift rim shot noise in that moment?!) The openness/compassion with which Duke Senior deals with the situation is lovely and makes me wish we could solve all our criminal problems this way:
DUKE SENIOR
Art thou thus bolden'd, man, by thy distress,ORLANDO
Or else a rude despiser of good manners,
That in civility thou seem'st so empty?
You touch'd my vein at first: the thorny point
Of bare distress hath ta'en from me the show
Of smooth civility:
The whole thing is very Les Mis without the misery to me. I always wonder how long the duke has been banished and/or just how hungry Orlando is if he does not recognize Duke Senior. Has he never seen him before? There is a kind of "reveal" at the end of the act that isn't really a reveal at all... anyway, as Orlando leaves to go get Adam, the Duke takes a moment to let this experience enforce his perspective/possibly change the perspective of those with him:
Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy:
This wide and universal theatre
Presents more woeful pageants than the scene
Wherein we play in.
Perspective. then Jaques breaks it down with his all the world's a stage speech which. is. perfect. but I feel has been covered many time and I have nothing compelling to say about it aside from again, the mortality issue and looking that straight in the face is so compelling and necessary. So in lieu of commentary have this picture which sums it up:
And now that Adam and Orlando enter the stage again, what else is there to do but go back to singing?
DUKE SENIOR
Welcome; fall to: I will not trouble you
As yet, to question you about your fortunes.
Give us some music; and, good cousin, sing.
SONG.
And on they go singing and dancing to close out Act 2. and when the singing's over, the Duke and Orlando go to talk about parentage/old frienships/etc. and that's Act II.
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