As You Like It by William Shakespeare questions and answers

As You Like It by William Shakespeare questions and answers | As You Like It by William Shakespeare broad / long / descriptive important questions and answers for class - 11 | WBCHSE

Q. Who were the two participants in the wrestling match? Whom did Celia and Rosalind try to dissuade? What was the result?

Ans :- The two participants of the wrestling match were Orlando, son of Rowland de Boys and a practiced wrestler of the court.

           Celia and Rosalind tried to dissuade Orlando from the wrestling match.

        Rosalind and Celia were afraid of Charles, the court's wrestler who was Orlando's opponent. They thought that Orlando will be defeated and killed. So they tried to change Orlando’s mind from the imminent fight. But Orlando became more determined to prove his valour in front of the ladies. The words of the ladies worked wonder. He defeated his opponent quite surprisingly. Rosalind and Celia were the happiest persons for Orlando's win.

Q. Who was Orlando?  Describe the first meeting between Orlando and the banished Duke.

Ans :- Orlando was the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys. 

           When Orlando came with Adam to the forest, both of them became very hungry and tired.  Orlando then went out to search for food.  Suddenly he came upon the company of the Duke and his friends who were then having dinner. Finding out food there, Orlando drew out his sword to grab the food from the Duke and his men.  But the Duke very politely asked him the reason for his behavior. Thereafter the Duke asked him to have dinner with them.  Then Orlando spoke of Adam.  The Duke then asked him to bring Adam so that he, too, could dine with them.  Orlando did so. After dinner when the Duke came to know that Orlando was his friend's son, he took Orlando and Adam under his care.

Q. How was the banished Duke’s life in the Forest of Arden?

Ans :- In the Forest of Arden the banished Duke lived a happy life  with his followers. They got accustomed to a lazy life in the forest. They felt more relaxing than the court's life. They took shelter under the shed of trees and watched the playful sports of the deer during Summer. They suffered from the cold winds during winter season. The Duke realized that they were the true counsellors. They did not flatter like men. The Duke learnt how to use the adversities of the forest like medicine extracted from the head of a poisonous toad. He got lessons from nature – he found tongues in trees, books in streams, sermons in stones and good in everything. He enjoyed the true freedom of life.

Q. Sketch the character of Rosalind.

Ans :- Rosalind is the central female character in As You Like It. She is the young beautiful daughter of the banished Duke. She was also thrown out of the dukedom like her father. But she still remains in the palace being a companion to Celia. Rosalind is a kind - hearted, young lady. When she finds that a young person like Orlando participates in an unequal challenge, by her kind words she tries to dissuade him from fighting. Rosalind is intelligent. When Celia and she go to the Forest of Arden, she disguises herself as a country lad and calls herself Ganymede for safety. Rosalind is of romantic nature. She likes to hear from Orlando how much he loves her. However, her simplicity and purity of nature make Orlando love her. In the end, both of them get married. Indeed, she is the heroine of the story.

Q. Sketch the character of Orlando.

Ans :- Orlando is the major male character of As You Like It. He is the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys. Orlando is a brave young man. He has strong determination. When Celia and Rosalind try to dissuade him from participating in the wrestling match, he does not keep their request. Instead, he fights the unequal match and wins successfully. Orlando is a generous person. When Sir Rowland died, he was placed in Orlando under the care of his eldest son, Oliver. But Oliver deprived Orlando of proper education and care. But, when Oliver confronts danger, Orlando saves him putting his own life at risk. Orlando loves Rosalind earnestly. He expresses his love by writing love sonnets addressed to her on the bark of trees in the Forest of Arden. Orlando's bravery, generosity, love, forgiveness make him the real hero of the story.

Q. How did Rosalind win Orlando’s heart? 

Ans :- A wrestling match was arranged between a practised wrestler, Charles and an inexperienced young man, Orlando. Celia and Rosalind tried to dissuade Orlando from it because they thought that Charles will defeat Orlando easily. During the conversation with Orlando, Rosalind came to know that he had none in this wide world to lament over him. Rosalind felt an inclination towards him and almost fell in love. The words of the ladies worked wonder. Surprising all, he won the bout. When the real identity of Orlando was disclosed that he was the son of Rowland de Boys, her father’s best friend, Rosalind was extremely glad. She consoled him with kind words. She gave a chain from her neck as a token of love. Thus Rosalind won Orlando's heart. 

Q. Why was Oliver proved an unworthy brother? Why did Oliver wish to destroy Orlando?

Ans :- Sir Rowland de Boys requested his elder son Oliver to bring up his brother with proper care. But Oliver did not obey his responsibilities. He did not even educate his brother in a school. So, he proved himself as an unworthy brother.

              Though Orlando was Oliver's younger brother he was jealous of him. He did not tolerate Orlando because he grew up to be a fine man without proper care like wild plants. That was why Oliver wanted to destroy Orlando in any means. It was Orlando who had arranged for the uneven wrestling match in the court thinking that Orlando will be defeated and killed.

Q. Who were Ganymede and Aliena? How did they find out Orlando in the Forest of Arden?

Ans :- Ganymede and Aliena were actually the pseudonyms of Rosalind and Celia respectively. Ganymede was the daughter of the banished Duke and Aliena was the daughter of the unlawful Duke, Frederick. After reaching the Forest of Arden, one day Ganymede and Aliena went out to roam in the forest. They suddenly noticed Rosalind's name carved on the bark of the trees. There were also some love sonnets, all addressed to Rosalind, attached to them. When they were surprised to think how it was possible in the forest to have Rosalind's name carved, they met Orlando. They could easily identify him as he was wearing the chain, given earlier by Rosalind, around his neck. Thus the two ladies found Orlando in the Forest of Arden.

Q. How did Adam prove his loyalty towards his master? 

Ans :- Adam was an old and faithful servant of Sir Rowland de Boys. He had a special affection for Orlando. He always thought about Orlando's goodness. One day he overheard that Oliver had devised a plan to burn his brother Orlando at sleeping time. He instantly warned Orlando of the impending danger and advised him to flee from there. He helped him with gold amounting to five hundred crowns. He also requested him to take him on the journey so that he could serve him. Thus Adam proved his loyalty towards his master, Orlando. It was more than master servant relationship.

Q. Narrate in your own words the experiences of Rosalind and Celia when they reached the Forest of Arden.

Ans :- Rosalind and Celia went out to search for the lawful Duke who was Rosalind's father. Before doing so, they disguised themselves in the names of Ganymede and Aliena respectively. When they reached the Forest of Arden, they had to face many problems. They could not get any inn or food or good accommodation. They became very hungry and tired. Suddenly they realized that they were lost. Just then they met a countryman. They asked him where they could get good food and accommodation in exchange of money or gold. Thereafter they bought the house and sheep owned by that countryman's master. They decided to stay there till they could find that part of the forest where the banished Duke was staying with his followers.