As You Like It by Edith Nesbit

Name: As You Like It
Author: Edith Nesbit

Duke Frederick seizes the dukedom of his brother and banishes him to the Forest of Arden, where the exiled Duke lives as a bold forester. His daughter Rosalind stays on at court with Celia, Frederick's daughter, the two loving each other as sisters. At a wrestling match, Orlando, youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys and himself kept from his inheritance by his brother Oliver, defeats the fearsome Charles after Rosalind and Celia urge him not to risk it; Rosalind gives him a chain, and both fall in love. Frederick, resentful of Orlando's father, soon banishes Rosalind too. She and Celia flee to Arden, Rosalind disguised as the youth Ganymede and Celia as Aliena; they buy a shepherd's flock and settle there. Orlando, fleeing Oliver's threats, also comes to Arden and joins the banished Duke, but spends his time carving Rosalind's name on trees and hanging love sonnets, which Ganymede and Aliena find. Not recognizing Rosalind, Orlando befriends the shepherd youth, who offers to impersonate Rosalind so as to cure him of his love-folly; instead Orlando visits daily and pours out his true feelings to her unknowing. Orlando later finds Oliver asleep, threatened by a lioness, and saves him despite their enmity, being wounded in the arm. Oliver repents, the brothers reconcile, and Oliver, charmed by Aliena, falls in love with her. Ganymede faints on hearing of Orlando's danger. Oliver and Aliena plan to marry; Orlando, envying his brother's happiness, is told by Ganymede that he too shall marry Rosalind. At the wedding gathering, Ganymede asks the Duke and Orlando if they will accept Rosalind if brought before them; both agree. Rosalind returns in her own dress, reunites with her father and Orlando, and the two couples, Orlando and Rosalind, Oliver and Celia, are married together in the forest, with a shepherd and shepherdess wed the same day. Frederick, shown his wickedness by a hermit, restores the dukedom to his brother and retires to a monastery.

By Edith Nesbit · First published 1907 · Genre: Romance, Comedy, Romantic Comedy · 1,787 words

First lines

There was once a wicked Duke named Frederick, who took the dukedom that should have belonged to his brother, sending him into exile. His brother went into the Forest of Arden, where he lived the life of a bold forester, as Robin Hood did in Sherwood Forest in merry England.

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Genres

Romance — Orlando and Rosalind's love story forms the central narrative, from love at first sight through romantic devotion to marriage, with secondary romance between Oliver and Celia.
Comedy — Driven by comic mistaken identity achieved through cross-dressing disguise, witty banter, and humorous misunderstandings arising from characters failing to recognize each other.
Romantic Comedy — Combines romance and comedy as co-equal driving forces, with the narrative's humor and pleasure deriving from the central romantic conflict complicated by hidden identity.
Adventure — Features action sequences and danger including wrestling match, violent lion attack, escape from tyrannical court, and perilous journey through forest wilderness.

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As You Like It is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1907 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Edith Nesbit
Date: 1907 CE
Language: English
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Adventure, Fairy Tale
Length: 1,787 words
Structure: 1 section, 33 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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