‘Pastoral element is one of the main features in As You Like It’ Discuss in detail.
In As you Like It, the pastoral is juxtaposed with insincerity and dubious dealings of courtly life. The forest of Arden represents a refuge from the city. Although Arden is a hard place to live in, at least it is an honest place. There are also a lot of shepherds on this play and if anything says pastoral, it is shepherds. Shepherds represent honest work in nature, free of conniving and greed. The forest of Arden provides a place where societal norms can be tested. Everything from gender bending love to traditional loyalty is at play here.
