It seems that within As You Like It, there are a plethora of family connections to behold. And within connection, I actually mean conflict. Orlando and Oliver obviously have many problems. Orlando wants to determine what his own identity is by adventuring into the real world and discovering who he wants to become. Through education, travel and experience, Orlando can work towards this goal. Unfortunately, Oliver regards him as inferior and unimportant. Therefore Oliver seems to have a large condescension for his brother.
Not only does Oliver disregard Orlando but so do the public servants. Despite the fact that Orlando won the wrestling match between him and Charles, Duke Frederick still seems to dismiss him simply because of who his father was. For me, this brings upon the question, should one's identity be defined by the past troubles of family members? Should Orlando be punished for what his father did? And why is Jaques allowed to experience the real world while Orlando is stuck at home? These questions pursue the connections of identity within As You Like It.
I feel that Orlando yearns to be his own person and this is even demonstrated by his interactions with Rosalind. He desires connections with women and seems to desire forging his own identity by forging a new present for himself. This also seems to be what Rosalind and Celia are doing for themselves as well. Should Rosalind be punished because her father is isolated and banished? It seems that Duke Frederick simply dismisses individuals based upon their family history and whether or not it coincides with the Duke's value system. And once again, this prompts the question, why should the Duke's opinions hold more weight than other's opinions.
Overall, I suppose I am prompting the fact that I do not believe in the fact that family can define who you are. If you choose to let your family history define you, then that is your own choice. An individual can forge their own pathways by being their own person and going out to do something about it, as shown by Orlando wrestling Charles and by Rosalind and Celia fleeing. Overall, identity should be based upon one's individual belief system. Not the public's opinion.
1 comment:
I find this really interesting to think about. I believe one's family is a giant factor in how you develop your individual belief system, so one can not be truly separated from their family history. I think it would take a lot of work to move away from that completely if it is at all possible.
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