As You Like It Act 2, Scene 5

 

As You Like It Act 2, Scene 5

Summary

In the Forest of Arden, Amiens sings a pastoral song ("Under the greenwood tree") celebrating the simple, carefree life of those who shun ambition and are content in nature, where the only enemies are "winter and rough weather." The melancholic Jaques eagerly requests more, claiming he can "suck melancholy out of a song." He avoids Duke Senior, finding him "too disputable."

After the group sings another stanza, Jaques offers a mocking, cynical parody of the song. His version suggests that anyone who leaves wealth and ease for the forest life is a fool ("turn ass"), and he invents a nonsense refrain, "ducdame," which he claims is a "Greek invocation to call fools into a circle." He then exits to sleep or rant, while Amiens goes to join the Duke.

Analysis

1.     The Pastoral Anthem & Its Cynical Undercutting:

o   Amiens' song is the purest expression of the pastoral ideal in the play. It glorifies freedom from social ambition, harmony with nature, and a community united under the greenwood tree. It serves as the official "theme song" for Duke Senior's exiled court.

o   Jaques' parody acts as a satirical critique of this ideal. His verse implies that the exiles are not noble refugees but stubborn fools who have irrationally chosen hardship. The refrain "ducdame" (likely a nonsensical coinage) reduces the idealized community to a circle of gullible idiots. This highlights Jaques' role as the internal skeptic who questions all sentiments.

2.     Characterization of Jaques:

o   Consummate Melancholic: His declaration that he can "suck melancholy out of a song" perfectly defines his character. He actively cultivates sadness and finds intellectual pleasure in deconstructing joy. He doesn't want to be cheered; he wants material to feed his reflective gloom.

o   The Detached Observer: His avoidance of Duke Senior ("He is too disputable for my company") is key. Jaques prefers solitary contemplation and witty commentary over earnest philosophical debate or community action. He stands apart, commenting on the circle he refuses to join fully.

o   The Mocking Wit: His parody showcases his intelligence and verbal dexterity, but also a deep-seated contempt for naive optimism. His humor is not joyous but biting and corrective.

3.     Thematic Tension:

o   The scene stages a direct conflict between two worldviews: Utopian Idealism vs. Cynical Realism. The song represents the escape from a corrupt world into a purer one. Jaques counters that this escape is itself foolish and that human folly is universal, merely transplanted to the woods.

o   Appearance vs. Reality: The scene questions the true nature of the forest idyll. Is it a sanctuary for the virtuous, or just a gathering place for deluded runaways? Jaques forces the audience to consider the less romantic perspective.

4.     Dramatic Function:

o   Comic Relief and Intellectual Edge: The scene provides musical comedy but with a sharp, satirical bite, courtesy of Jaques. It prevents the pastoral setting from becoming sentimentally one-dimensional.

o   Deepening the Forest's Ambiguity: It ensures that Arden is not just a simple paradise but a space for philosophical contest. The coexistence of the celebratory song and its parody establishes the forest as a place where multiple truths can be held in tension.

o   Foreshadowing Jaques' Role: His final line about railing "against all the first-born of Egypt" foreshadows his later, more famous set-piece speeches (like the "All the world's a stage" soliloquy), where his melancholy will expand into a grand, theatrical critique of all human life.

In essence, Act 2, Scene 5 is a musical debate. Through song and parody, it encapsulates the central philosophical divide within the Forest of Arden itself. Amiens’ melody offers the comfort of the pastoral dream, while Jaques’ discordant verse insists on waking up to its possible absurdities. The scene confirms that Arden is not an escape from human complexity, but a stage for its examination.

 

Location: United States

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