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LIFE IN THE FOREST OF ARDEN
In Act II. how are the elements of action, character delineation and
emotion intermingled?
Sc. i. gives us a picture of the banished Duke and his followers in
the Forest of Arden, already prepared for in Act I., introduces us to
the personality of the Duke, and in the conversation with the lords
prepares us for coming delights in the personality of Jaques. It does
not advance the action, at all. In sc. ii., the result of Celia's act
in going with Rosalind is shown in the bad Duke's consternation, who
determines that they shall be found, thus starting another thread of
action to be developed later. Sc. iii. the passional cause of action
in Oliver's hatred of Orlando reaches a crisis; Orlando is obliged to
flee to save himself from death. Sc. iv. shows Celia and Rosalind
arrived at their journey's end in the Forest of Arden, and making
arrangements with a shepherd for a comfortable little house to
rusticate in; thus is closed the thread of action started by the Duke
in banishing Rosalind. In the conversation of their new companions,
Corin and Silvius, we learn of the love of Silvius for the scornful
Phebe, which is another emotional impulse to action, later blending
itself with the plot. In sc. v. we meet Jaques, already mentioned, and
get another glimpse of the pleasant company in the forest, but they
are still quite detached from the active elements of the play. Sc. vi.
shows us how far Orlando and Adam have gone in their flight, and sc.
-
presents again the good Duke's court, develops further the
personality of Jaques, and prepares us, through his conversation about
the fool whom he had met in the forest, for the contact of one of the
threads of action with the element of inaction represented by this
good Duke's forest court, while in the sudden breaking in upon them of
Orlando it is brought into contact with another of the threads of
action.
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