As You Like It

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Shakespeare’s As You Like It likely premiered in 1599, at a time when women still played a largely subordinate role to men in English society. Drawing from your studies in history and literature as well as ideas from film or novels, compile a list of 6-8 pieces of information about women in 16th and 17th century England—their daily lives, potential roles in society, manners of dress and speech, or other areas. You might consider female characters in other Shakespearean plays for ideas, as well as historical figures from the period such as Queen Elizabeth I.

Teaching Suggestion: Students might work independently or in pairs to compile lists, then share their ideas on the board or display for discussion (and fact-checking, if needed). Though women were generally subordinate to men in 16th and 17th century England, there were also notable exceptions to this rule: This century saw two important female monarchs assume the English crown—Queen Mary and later her half-sister Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth, in fact, rose to become one of the most important monarchs of English history, consolidating her country’s naval power and setting the stage for the unification of English and Scottish crowns. This prompt provides an opportunity to introduce the play’s theme of The Fluidity of Gender Roles. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topic.

• This academic article discusses the role of women in 16th century England by looking at women’s letters from the period.
• This article from the UK’s National Archives provides an introduction to the reign of Elizabeth I, keyed to a resource page illustrating the queen’s reign through her correspondence.

2. Shakespeare’s As You Like It is often described as a pastoral comedy. What is “pastoral” literature? What examples of pastoral literature have you encountered? Consider other pastoral plays (such as Ben Johnson’s The Sad Shepherd) as well as examples of pastoral writing in other genres (such as Theocritus’ Idylls, Virgil’s Eclogues, or John Milton’s Paradise Lost). You might also consider examples of pastoral elements in the visual arts and music. What characteristics are common to this style?

Teaching Suggestion: If readers have little background on the topic, they might work briefly together in groups of 3-4 to research the titles mentioned and other examples of pastoral elements in art, literature, and music, then create a group definition or description of the term to share and compare. Pastoral refers to a genre or style of literature, art, and music with its origins in antiquity. Pastoral writing represents aspects of the shepherd’s lifestyle in an idealized form, emphasizing the peaceful life of the country and the beauty of nature. As a motif, the pastoral concept has been prominent in many genres of literature, including poetry, romances and other novels, and plays. Pastoral art and pastoral music were also popular during certain periods. After instruction and/or discussion on pastoralism, students might make a prediction on the ways in which Shakespeare develops the theme of Court Versus Country Life in the play.

• This article from MasterClass provides a useful and beginner-friendly introduction to the pastoral genre of literature.
• This entry from the National Park Service's virtual exhibit Treasured Landscapes discusses the pastoral in the visual arts.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

In a brief reflective journal entry, invent an alter ego for yourself. What would your name be? Your profession? Your gender? What would your daily routine include? Describe your important characteristics and establish basic biographical details.

Teaching Suggestion: Urge students to think both creatively and critically with this assignment, giving focus to the social norms they would like to escape through their alter ego. Class discussion might address how our societies and communities impact our personal identities as well as the potential benefits and pitfalls of assuming an alternative identity.

Differentiation Suggestion: To encourage student agency and for students who might benefit from an opportunity in visual art, a visual representation of their character or alter ego with labels or captions could replace the journal entry; students could provide descriptions or biographies aloud when they share their artwork to the class.