As You Like It: Language and Writing

Abigail Rokison-Woodall is Lecturer in Shakespeare and Theatre, The Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK and was formerly a professional actor.

INTRODUCTION

DATING THE PLAY
THE FIRST FOLIO AND ITS COPY
THE ELIZABETHAN THEATRE
BLANK VERSE DRAMA
THE CONVENTIONS OF PROSE
A CLASSICAL EDUCATION

1) LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT

GENRE
FESTIVE COMEDY
PASTORAL
SOURCE AND SETTING
CHARACTERS
METATHEATRE
MASQUE
WRITING MATTERS

2) LANGUAGE: FORMS AND USES


VERSE AND PROSE
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
ASIDES AND SOLILOQUIES
RHETORIC
WRITING MATTERS

3 LANGUAGE OVER TIME

ISSUES OF INTERPRETATION
CONTEMPORARY REFERENCES, CHANGING MEANINGS AND ARCHAIC LANGUAGE
INTERPRETATION OF LANGUAGE ON THE MODERN STAGE
AS YOU LIKE IT ON FILM: WHERE PICTURES DO THE WORK
WRITING MATTERS

4) PERFORMING THE LANGUAGE


PERFORMING METRE
PERFORMING RHETORIC
PERFORMING ‘YOU’ AND ‘THOU’
WRITING MATTERS

Bibliography