Sc. i. gives us a picture of the banished Duke and his followers in the Forest of Arden, already prepared for in Act I., introduces us to the personality of the Duke, and in the conversation with the lords prepares us for coming delights in the personality of Jaques.  It does not advance the action, at all.  In sc. ii., the result of Celia’s act in going with Rosalind is shown in the bad Duke’s consternation, who determines that they shall be found, thus starting another thread of action to be developed later.  Sc. iii. the passional cause of action in Oliver’s hatred of Orlando reaches a crisis; Orlando is obliged to flee to save himself from death.  Sc. iv. shows Celia and Rosalind arrived at their journey’s end in the Forest of Arden, and making arrangements with a shepherd for a comfortable little house to rusticate in; thus is closed the thread of action started by the Duke in banishing Rosalind.  In the conversation of their new companions, Corin and Silvius, we learn of the love of Silvius for the scornful Phebe, which is another emotional impulse to action, later blending itself with the plot.  In sc. v. we meet Jaques, already mentioned, and get another glimpse of the pleasant company in the forest, but they are still quite detached from the active elements of the play.  Sc. vi. shows us how far Orlando and Adam have gone in their flight, and sc. vii. presents again the good Duke’s court, develops further the personality of Jaques, and prepares us, through his conversation about the fool whom he had met in the forest, for the contact of one of the threads of action with the element of inaction represented by this good Duke’s forest court, while in the sudden breaking in upon them of Orlando it is brought into contact with another of the threads of action.

III

LOVE IN THE FOREST OF ARDEN

At the opening of Act III. what results have been brought about by the action so far?  Everybody in the play except Oliver and the bad Duke has arrived in the Forest of Arden.  In sc. i. of Act III. the hatred of the Duke is still active as a force, and Oliver through this means is also sent off to finally bring up in the Forest of Arden.  The Duke’s attitude as a motive force having worked itself out in its relation to Orlando and Rosalind, the emotional cause of action in the love of Rosalind and Orlando is free to develop, and the remainder of Act III. is devoted chiefly to the presentation of the situation between the lovers, which, owing to the disguise assumed by Rosalind, gives rise to the charming inconsistencies attending the wooing of a proxy Rosalind who is in reality Rosalind herself.  Around these central lovers, whose characters Shakespeare unfolds, revolve other interesting personalities.  Touchstone meets his fate in Audrey.  Phebe still scorns Corin and perversely falls in love with Ganymede.  The action is only advanced to the extent that Rosalind learns the state of Orlando’s mind while he still remains in ignorance as to hers.