Shakespeares as You Like It and One Related Text free essay sample

AOS Belonging Sometimes we belong most in the places we shouldnt and vice versa. Discuss this referring to your set text and one related text. For human beings, belonging creates a connectedness that helps nurture self-esteem and confidence. The social and cultural milieu provided by society offers a range of specific roles and circumstances that a person is expected to abide by and a person is rewarded with the the knowledge that they belong if they play these roles as well as possible. However, circumstances beyond control can lead a person to being unable to fulfill the expected roles enabling a sense of isolation and not belonging. This can be particularly seen in As You Like it and Tim Burton’s 2010 movie remake of Alice in Wonderland, both of which have protagonists that have little control over their own circumstances and are as a consequence isolated and at odds with places where they should belong. We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares as You Like It and One Related Text or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In As You Like It, the traditions and dispositions of society push characters to play certain roles. Rosalind, the protagonist of As You Like It, has no control over the societal and gender expectations laid before her. Despite being the most intelligent, active and interesting character in the play, she is confined into the expected female role, suppressing her personality, in an attempt to fit into and belong at the court which embodies the societal expectations of the period. Her attempts at conformity lead her to initially feel fear at seeking out the forest of arden as such a place would be dangerous to a woman and yet she overcomes this by transcending gender boundaries, choosing to masquerade as a man. While disguised as a man Rosalind is able to unleash her true personality and fully explore her identity. It can be seen that had Rosalind not used the role of Ganymede within the forest, she may have been left in a largely passive role similar to that of Celia who is unable to shake off the constraints of her femininity. Despite having new found freedoms in her role as Ganymede, Rosalind is still an oddity even among the banished nobles of the forest, having to concoct stories to explain her amazing intellect and command of language. While she does not belong within the constraints of the court neither does she truly belong in the forest of arden. The article, Belonging in Arden: back to nature or nature as you like it? Clearly points out that Rosalind is ‘a shape-shifter, a chameleon, who does not properly belong anywhere neither within one place, nor within one gender’ This inability to belong is not within Rosalind’s control and is influenced by the societal expectations of gender present in the period. Rosalind is hence forced into a situation where she must conform and suppress her personality in order to fit in or otherwise be a continually acknowledged outsider. By stepping out of the play at the end, Rosalind demonstrates that she belongs more to the theatre, stretching across all time and in all places than she belongs to any one play or one period. Within Alice in Wonderland societal constraints and expectations lead to a fixed group identity and the enhancement social isolation. Similar to Rosalind, Alice does not fit into the role she is expected by society to play. However, Alice makes little attempt to conform to the expectations and as a result constantly feels awkward and isolated in society. The expectations of society make Alice believe that she had not choice but to conform as all decisions regarding her life are made outside of her control. Within Wonderland, Alice struggles with the importance and instability of personal identity and this doubt is further nourished by her constantly changing physical appearance. The many examples of rapid physical growth and regression in size also symbolize Alice’s gradual emotional growth. By the end of the movie she has grown in all senses; size but also in her capacity to think independently such as using the magic potions to her advantage. Alice, just like Rosalind, has no control over the expectations and the circumstances of her life in the real world. While she is unable to change or influence what is expected of her, she is also unwilling to conform and as such is regarded as an oddity and something of an outcast. In Wonderland, Alice is placed firmly control of her own life as she is told that no one can decide the course of her life for her. By not having to conform to the will of others, Alice is able to explore and understand her own desires and motives, discovering her true worth, identity and ultimately a sense of belonging. For both texts, external factors such as the environment have a large influence on a sense of belonging or not belonging. Both Rosalind and Alice find themselves at odds with the environments that they should naturally belong to, the court and upper class Victorian society. The environment is completely beyond their control and forces the inhabitants to conform or be outcasted. In this, the Ascot Manor, symbolic of the hidebound Victorian culture, can be likened to the vitriolic Court of As You Like It. In both locations the inhabitants strive to quell any aspects of individuality in a combined effort to fit in, creating a fixed group identity that outcasts anyone who is different. Within these places, characters have little to no control over their situation beyond choosing to conform and thus loose part of their individuality or to stand apart and be shunned. Similarly, Wonderland can be likened to the Forest of Arden as both are places that the protagonists choose to embrace and are portrayed as positive environments in which there is a great liberty and equality among inhabitants. Within both places the characters can choose how to live and act without having to worry about conformity or outside expectations. Social and cultural expectations that are beyond the ability of an individual to control can greatly hinder belonging. When not abiding by set social conventions a person is socially isolated and can come to doubt their own sense of identity. In both As You Like It and Alice in Wonderland, the effect of circumstances outside of a person’s control can be seen to greatly hinder a sense of belonging. Once the protagonists are able to take control of their circumstances, they are able to fully explore and discover their own identity, creating an enhanced sense of belonging.