Write on Shakespeare’s Wit and Humour in "As You Like It"

Shakespeare's "As You Like It" is one of the prominent humorous comedies. It keeps us smiling most of the time because of the richness of wit and humour. "As You Like It" is an illustration of humour shown in dissimilar characters of the drama. The dramatist has infused amusing humour of different tunes and tones in the drama. 

 

 Shakespeare’s Wit and Humour:

One can find at least three different types of humour as displayed by various characters in the play "As You Like It". Wit of Rosalind gives us a very strong kind of humour, Touchstone is employed in the court as a fool so his humour is very proficient while Jaques is out rightly identified for his depressed so his humour is gloomy.

 

Shakespeare’s Wit and Humour in "As You Like It":

 

In the play "As You Like It", Rosalind, the principal character of the

drama is an embodiment of energetic, natural and healthy humour. We find her laughing over a secret joke with Celia, teasing Orlando and tantalizing Phebe and Silvius. The best illustration of Rosalind's healthy sense of humour and good wit are to be found in her meeting with Orlando and in the mock wooing. Disguised as a man Rosalind induces Orlando to make love to her and says; "Come, woo me, woo me; for now I am in a holiday humour and like enough to consent." She makes another memorable remark in this scene, a good sample of her sparkling wit about the outlook of men and women before and after their marriage. Rosalind says:

 

 "Men are April when they woo, December when they wed. Maids are May when they are yet maids, but the sky changes when they are wives."

 

An expert fool is Touchstone and his humour is healthy also and it is free from bitterness. His wit is light-hearted. Humour of Touchstone’s is defined as personal humour. Touchstone’s professional wit does not own that excellence of spontaneity which we find in Rosalind’s natural wit.  He mocks at the verse which Rosalind has found on a tree which we find in the course of the play. He satires her references to her falling in love with Jane Smile and that he had taken his revenge upon a rival who too had visited his beloved’s house at the time of the night. Further he kissed the cow's udder because Jane Smile's hands had come into contact with the udder when she had milked the cow. He enjoys much fun at the cost of Audrey the women whom he wishes to many and whom ultimately he does marry. He says about her:

"A poor virgin, Sir, an ill favoured thing, Sir, but mine own."

 

We then come to Jaques cynical wit, which is in direct contrast with that of Rosalind. Pointing out the weaknesses of others, Jaques is decent but Jaques is too sensitive when he is the object of their humor. His humour makes him disappointed with life which had made him a pessimist. We find Jaques skeptical wit in his division of man's life into seven pans where he defines only the unpleasant sides of human beings. At the moment when everyone in the play is in his or her happiest mood, Jaques remains natural by the joyful situation and he says:

 

"There is sure another flood toward, and these couples are coming to the ark. Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools."

 

Humour, as we know is fun, laughter, and satire which are also there in "As You Like it". The tricks of Phoebe, Audrey, Touchstone, Silvius and provide laughter. The wit of Celia and Rosalind is glittering. And Jaques melancholic disposition itself produces a smile in the audience.

 

In the above discussion we may say that "As You Like It" contains a plenty of jollity, laughter and pleasure. It has been called the happiest and sweetest of the comedies of Shakespeare because the sky in the drama is never cloudy. If the sky does become cloudy the clouds are sure to melt away soon, giving way to sunny sunshine.

 

You Can also Read:

• Importance of the Forest of Arden in As You Like It.

• As You Like It as a Romantic Comedy.