As You Like It Act 5, Scene 3

 

As You Like It Act 5, Scene 3

Summary

In the brief Act 5, Scene 3, Touchstone and Audrey anticipate their wedding the next day. Audrey expresses her simple hope to become a respectable married woman ("a woman of the world"). They are approached by two pages from the banished Duke's court. Touchstone asks for a song, and the two pages sing "It was a lover and his lass," a pastoral lyric celebrating springtime, young love, and seizing the moment ("take the present time"). Afterward, Touchstone dismisses their performance as a foolish waste of time, and he and Audrey exit.

Analysis

This short, lyrical scene serves several important functions as the play moves toward its conclusion:

1.     A Lyrical Interlude and Thematic Reinforcement: The scene's primary purpose is to deliver the song. Its lyrics perfectly encapsulate the play's pastoral, romantic atmosphere:

o   It celebrates "springtime, the only pretty ring time," directly linking the natural world of Arden to the season of love and marriage.

o   Its carpe diem message—"take the present time, / For love is crownèd with the prime"—echoes the impulsive decisions driving the plot (like Oliver and Celia's instant marriage) and justifies the play's swift comic resolution.

o   The simple, repetitive "hey-nonny-no" refrain embodies the carefree, rustic spirit of the forest, providing a moment of pure, idealized pastoral harmony.

2.     Touchstone's Ironic Commentary: Touchstone's reaction—dismissing the "foolish song" as "time lost"—provides a jarring but characteristic note of cynical courtly wit. This creates a humorous contrast:

o   Content vs. Style: He critiques the artistic merit ("no great matter in the ditty," an "untunable" note) while ignoring the song's heartfelt theme.

o   The Court vs. The Country: His disdain represents the perpetual courtier's perspective, standing apart from and critiquing the simple pastoral enjoyment. His exit line underscores this dichotomy: he rejects the pages' natural artistry but must still rely on a country vicar (or a "natural" philosopher like Martext) for his wedding.

3.     Audrey's Characterization: Audrey's single line reveals her continued literal-mindedness and social aspiration. Her desire to be "a woman of the world" is a naive misunderstanding of the phrase (which typically means a sophisticated or experienced woman), highlighting her innocence and her view of marriage as social advancement.

4.     Structural Pause and Transition: Positioned between Rosalind's complex orchestration in Scene 2 and the grand resolution in Scene 4, this scene acts as a musical breather. It slows the pace, allows the themes of love and time to resonate lyrically, and builds anticipation for the promised weddings of the next day. The song universally blesses the idea of love, setting a festive tone for the finale.

In essence, this scene is a microcosm of the play's central conflict between natural feeling and artificial wit. The pages' song represents the unfiltered, rhythmic pulse of love and nature that the forest fosters. Touchstone's scoffing response is a final, feeble rearguard action of cynical courtly judgment, which the coming finale will overwhelmingly sweep aside in a celebration of the very springtime love the song praises. It is the calm, melodic prelude to the comedic climax.

 

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