Shakespeare

As You Like It is set in a duchy in France, but most of the action takes place in the nearby Forest of Arden. Duke Frederick has usurped the Duchy and exiled his older brother, Duke Senior, who flees to the Forest of Arden. The Duke's daughter, Rosalind, has been permitted to remain at court because she is the closest friend and cousin of Frederick's only child, Celia.

Orlando, a young gentleman who has fallen in love with Rosalind, is forced to flee to the Forest of Arden with his servant Adam after being persecuted by his older brother, Oliver . Later, Frederick becomes angry and banishes Rosalind from court. Celia and Rosalind decide to also flee to Arden, with Rosalind disguised as a young man, Ganymede, and Celia disguised as his poor sister, Aliena.

Rosalind and Celia arrive in the Forest of Arden, where they buy a shepherd’s house and hire a shepherd, Corin to attend their flock. Orlando, meanwhile is littering the forest with love poems to Rosalind. She encounters him as Ganymede and tells him she can cure him of his love-sickness if he will pretend that she is Rosalind and woo her as such. Ganymede will attempt to show him how unworthy Rosalind is of his love. He accepts the challenge and swears that “he” cannot destroy his love for Rosalind.

There are other lovers who also people the Forest of Arden. One is Silvius who is madly in love with Phoebe. She disdains his love, and when she meets Ganymede, falls madly in love with “him.” Another is Jacques, a servant of Duke Senior, who meets, woos, and wins Audrey, a country shepherdess. Jacques must first run off William, who also loves Audrey. And lastly there is Oliver, who has a change of heart, and then loses his heart to Aliena.

In the end, all is revealed as Ganymede and Aliena reveal themselves to be Rosalind and Celia, and everyone gets married to their true loves. Duke Frederick also has a change in heart and restores the kingdom to his exiled brother, and thus everyone’s fortunes are restored as well.