Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CHARLES

in As You Like It — Shakespeare, William

Metadata

PlayAs You Like It
AuthorShakespeare, William
Year (catalogued)1623
First performance1599
Decade1620s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyLord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
Speech prefix(es)Cha. | Charles. | Char.
Words480
Characters2458
Typicality0.35 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.10
BritDrama no.1237
ClusterCluster 17 — Intriguers & schemers

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Good morrow to your worship. Oh no; for the Dukes daughter her Cousin so loves her, being ever from their Cradles bred together, that he would have followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her; she is at the Court, and no less beloved of her Uncle, then his own daughter, and never two La die loved as they do. They say he is already in the Forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live Like the old Robin Hood of England : they say many young Gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time carelessly as they did in the golden world. Marry do I sir: and I came to acquaint you with a matter: I am given sir secretly to understand, that your younger brother Orlando hath a disposition to come in disguised against me to try a fallen: to morrow sir I wrestle for my credit, and he that escapes me without some broken limb, shall acquit him well: your brother is but young and tender, and for your love I would be loath to foil him, as I must for my own honour if he come in: therefore out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal, that either you might stay him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into, in that it is a thing of his own search, and altogether against my will. I am heartily glad I came hither to you: if he come to morrow, I'll give him his payment: if ever he go alone again, I'll never wrestle for prize more: and so God keep your worship. Farewell good Charles. Now will I stir this Game ster: I hope I shall see and end of him; for my soul (yet I know not why) hates nothing more then he: yet he's gentle, never schooled, and yet learned, full of noble devise, of all sorts enchantingly beloved, and indeed so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprised: but it shall not be so long, this wrestler shall clear all: nothing remains, but that I kindle the boy thither, which now I'll go about. No, I warrant your Grace you shall not entreat him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first. There's no news at the Court Sir, but the old news: that is, the old Duke is banished by his yond her brother the new Duke, and three or four loving Lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new Duke, therefore he gives them good leave to wander. Come, where is this young gallant, that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth?

Plot summary

Plot — As You Like It
Before the start of the play, Duke Senior was usurped and banished by his younger brother Frederick. Some loyal lords have gone into voluntary exile with him in the Forest of Arden, but his daughter, Rosalind, has remained at court with her beloved cousin, Celia. Upon inheriting his father’s estate, Oliver has neglected his responsibility to educate his younger brother Orlando, keeping him instead in rustic poverty. Orlando remonstrates with Oliver about it without success, then asks for his small inheritance, determined to make his own way in the world. He intends to compete against Charles the wrestler, who has challenged all comers at a forthcoming court show. Charles consults Oliver, concerned that he may injure the young man, but Oliver persuades him that Orlando is a bad lot and that the world would benefit if Charles were to kill him in the match. In the event, Orlando is victorious, but Duke Frederick’s pleasure in his success disappears on learning that he is the son of Sir Rowland, a personal enemy. Rosalind falls in love with Orlando, but he is too tongue-tied to speak to her. Frederick banishes Rosalind. She and Celia flee to the forest in disguise, taking the court fool Touchstone with them; for security, Rosalind poses as a youth, Ganymede, and buys a cottage on arrival. Frederick hears rumours that Orlando may have absconded with them. Meanwhile, Oliver attempts to murder Orlando by burning down his lodging, so the young man escapes to the forest with the old servant Adam, who offers his life savings to finance their departure. Oliver is unable to produce his brother at Frederick’s command, so Frederick confiscates his property until he does so, In Arden, Adam’s strength fails him, so Orlando tries to force a meal out of the local foresters, only to find that they are Duke Senior and his entourage, and only too happy to succour the needy servant. Orlando hangs love-poems to Rosalind on the trees. He encounters ‘Ganymede’, who offers to cure him of love by role-play: ‘he’ will pose as Rosalind, and Orlando will woo ‘her’. When he fails to arrive on time for a session, ‘Ganymede’ encounters another pair of lovers: Silvius dotes on Phoebe, who rejects him. 1600 | ‘Ganymede’ intervenes, disdaining Phoebe’s self- conceit, which makes Phoebe fall in love with ‘him’. She persuades Silvius to carry what she says is a taunting letter to ‘Ganymede’, but it turns out to bea - love-poem. When Orlando finally turns up, the play-~ acting begins, and…