As You Like It is a
pastoral comedy by
William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the
First Folio, 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at
Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility.
As You Like It follows its heroine
Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin
Celia to find safety and, eventually, love, in the
Forest of Arden. In the forest, they encounter a variety of memorable characters, notably the melancholy traveller
Jaques who speaks many of Shakespeare's most famous speeches (such as "
All the world's a stage" and "A fool! A fool! I met a fool in the forest"). Jaques provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and disputing the hardships of life in the country. Historically, critical response has varied, with some critics finding the work of lesser quality than other Shakespearean works and some finding the play a work of great merit.