Effectiveness of the Climax in “ As you like It”.
Every story narrated or dramatized has an artistic structure which may be called its architectural design. Every story arises out of a conflict. There are two main movements required to achieve a movement of Complication and a movement of Resolution. Between these two movements the plot will develop through many ups and downs which follow a well regulated course. Natural division of a drama are five folds among which climax is one of them. We will focus on the climax of “As You Like It”.
The climax or crisis of this drama is reached in the second scene of Third Act Which is also the mathematical centre of the play and it also the meeting point of all the interludes irrespective of Court, wood and the Country. In this respect also it is the central scene. This long scene consists of several episodes all happening in one place all converging to one culminating point namely the meeting of Orlando and Rosalind and the mutually arranged mock courtship.
The scene opens appropriately with a love poem of Orlando which reveals that the love-bud that was just sprouting in Act 1.sc ii, has now fully blossomed into a flower. This meeting between Orlando and Rosalind is the climactic point in which Rosalind is transformed .It is only the presence of Orlando which can evoke from her this dazzling play of wit and fancy .
In this plot, the climax also occurs in the gathering in the forest. Rosalind and Celia remove their disguises, which have stood in the way of Orlando and Oliver consummating their love for them. It also opens the way for Silvius to win Phebe and for Touchstone to marry Audrey.
The previous scene , the first scene of Act lll heightens the dramatic effect by dramatic contrast Shakespeare seems to have ignored the natural sequence of events .The point at which the complication ends and the Denouement begins is called climax. In the famous forest scene , our heroine Rosalind disguised as a young man meets Orlando who has been addressing love sonnets to her and hanging them on branches of trees in utter despair. Herself remaining unrecognised, Rosalind succeeds in persuading the love sick Orlando to woo her in masquerading. In the unfolding of this great love at first sight consists the main themes of this drama, and their wooing in masquerade is the main action .Rosalind fully exploits this ticklish situation to taste the depth and sincerity of her lover’s passion and also to give him lesson in the lore of love.
The wooing scene in “ As you like it” is different from the levels of awareness and ignorance which make the scene interesting dramatically .As Rosalind disguised as Ganymede questions and argues with Orlando who does not know Ganymede’s identity , there is much fun as well as serious comment implicit for the audience.
There are two levels of awareness at work in the scene .The audience’s awareness is at one with Rosalind’s. To this extent the climactic scene is structurally simple. But it is magnificent.
The wooing scene exploits the gap between the awareness and exploitation is not thin .At the beginning Rosalind knows everything and Orlando nothing; it is the same at the end .However at the end of the scene Rosalind’s conviction about Orlando’s love has received a final confirmation.
The union of Rosalind and Orlando in happy wedlock has been the objective aimed at from the beginning and this is now finally attained. But the crowning achievement of the heroine lies not only in her own happiness but also in winning happiness for others. All the different pairs of lovers have their heart’s desire fulfilled. And here lies the dramatic significance and effectiveness of the climax scene.
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Prepared by Chandi Halder (M.A. English) 7699243332
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