Character of Touchstone in Shakespeares As You Like It :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

The Character of  measure in As You Like It   As You Like It features, like so more of Shakespeares plays, a professional clown, Touchstone, and its worth paying some attention to his case for what it contributes towards establishing and maintaining the upbeat odd quality of the play. For the jester is the constant commentator on what is going on. His humour, pointed or oppositewise, thus inevitably contributes to the audiences awareness of what is happening, and the way in which other characters treat him is often a key indicator of their sensibilities. Touchstone is one of the gentlest and happiest clowns in all of Shakespeare. He comments on the action, makes jokes at other peoples expense, and offers ironic insights almost their situation. But throughout As You Like It, much(prenominal) traditional roles of the fool are offered and taken with a generosity of spirit so that his remarks neer shake the firm comic energies of the play. When he ridicules O rlandos verses, Rosalind laughs along with him. When he points out to Corin (in 3.2) that the shepherd must be damned for never having lived at court, Corin takes it as good natured jesting (which it is). When Touchstone takes Audrey away from her agrarian swain, William, t here(predicate) are apparently no hard feelings (although much here depends on the staging). In this play, the professional jester participates in and contributes to a room of social interaction which is unqualified by any more staid and serious reflections. This makes Touchstone real different from the rancour fool of king Lear or from the most complex fool of all, the sad Feste of Twelfth wickedness , both of whom offer comments that cast either a shrewd, melancholy, or bitter irony on the proceedings.   Touchstone himself becomes the target of much humour by his immediate attraction to Audrey, the foul country lass. There is something richly comic here, seeing the staunch apologist for th e sophisticated life of the court boil down so quickly to his animal lust. But the satire here is very good humoured. Touchstone himself acknowledges the frailty of his vows and does not attempt to deceive anyone about his intentions.