Love, Act 1 Scene 2 As you like it.

To our generation, Love has many contexts, meanings and interpretations. However in Shakespearian times love was simply a word which meant you really liked something, there was no differentiation between contexts. In act 1 scene 2 we learn about Rosalind and Celia’s love, who are cousins. To the reader when we see the word love, it posts many questions about what kind of love and between whom. Celia and Rosalind’s relationship comes across as very intimate ‘Rose, my dear Rose, be merry’ this presents love as intimate and close between the two female characters.  

This love seems like something which you would find between married couples however in this instance it is between cousins, to many this may seem inappropriate as the context of the relationship seems too intimate to be between two family members.  Love is presented as foolish towards men in this scene, and they both exclaim their love for each other. Although this love may seem intimate, I feel it is in fact sisterly in some ways, it is merely portrayed in this way as a result of lack of context.

In Shakespeare’s plays there was only male actors, therefore in this case there is a serious deception in identity, confusing the love situation further, in this case Rosalind’s role would be played by a male actor would play a female role pretend to be a male and Celia would remain a female character throughout but also ultimately played by a male actor. This makes me wonder is Shakespeare is trying to somehow defeat context of love all together or her could possibly be trying to suggest that love is love, no matter who it is between. This is how I feel it could be portrayed, weather that be his intention or not I do not know.