As You Like It

As You Like Itis apastoralcomedybyWilliam Shakespearebelieved to have been written in 1599 and first published in theFirst Folioin 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance atWilton Housein 1603 (the house having been a focus for literary activity underMary Sidneyfor much of the later 16th century) has been suggested as a possibility.
As You Like Itfollows its heroineRosalindas she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousinCeliato find safety and, eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. In the forest, they encounter a variety of memorable characters, notably the melancholy travellerJaques, who speaks one of Shakespeare's most famous speeches ("All the world's a stage") and provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and disputing the hardships of life in the country.