The friendship between Rosalind and Celia Free Essay Example

This passage is an extremely important part to the play, as it is when Rosalind and Celia decide to leave and go to the Forest of Arden. Celia’s father, Rosalind’s uncle threatens Rosalind and banishes her from his court. We see, in this passage, just how close Rosalind and Celia are, not just as cousins but as friends too. It is easy to tell that they are friends but all friends have their problems. In this case Celia is a very loving and caring cousin who appears to want to do anything for her friend, whereas Rosalind seems a little bit more laid back and relaxed.

I shall explore the relationship between them, how they treat each other.

This particular passage is very emotional; Rosalind is concerned and worried about what’s going to happen to her and Celia willing to give up everything for her cousin. At the beginning of this passage, we can tell from Rosalind’s short answers that she is very depressed; ‘I have more cause’, ‘That he hath not’.

The short and blunt answers show how much Rosalind is suffering. There is also a contrast in how Rosalind speaks compared to how Celia speaks. When Celia answers Rosalind, she speaks very passionately. ‘For, by this heaven, now at our sorrows pale, say what thou canst, I’ll go along with thee’

We can tell just how much Celia cares for her cousin, she is willing to dress up in old and ragged clothes for her, and leave her rich lifestyle; ‘I’ll put myself in poor and mean attire, And with a kind of umber smirch my face;’ Rosalind doesn’t even appear to be very grateful to her cousin and simple over takes her idea; ‘Were it not better, Because that I am more than common tall, That I did suit me all points like a man? ‘ She is getting very excited and worked up about the plan and the roles seem to change.

She becomes much more powerful and dominant, compared to how we saw Rosalind earlier when she was upset and spoke bluntly;

‘I have more cause’ Even though the roles have changed, it doesn’t change Celia’s love for her cousin, she now begins to questions Rosalind on the idea as if it were here plan all along; ‘What shall I call thee when thou art a man? ‘ She appears to want to do anything for Rosalind and is clearly risking a lot. Celia is willing to anger her father by going to her uncle, Rosalind’s father; ‘To seek my uncle in the Forest of Arden’ Celia doesn’t want Rosalind to leave and attempt it alone, ‘And do not seek to take your change apon you’ She is saying she doesn’t want her to take sole responsibility for her change of state.

Again the love Celia has for Rosalind is astonishing, considering Rosalind doesn’t quiet return the love in the way Celia wants. The language in this passage is very expressive and moving. The language Celia uses to express her feelings for Rosalind and how she doesn’t want her to go is beautiful and dramatic; she sets the atmosphere very well. The passage is in verse and very emotional for both of the girls. Celia’s rhetorical questions turn the mood from depressed to passionate; ‘Shall we be sund’red? Shall we part, sweet girl? ‘ We can get a real sense of the love Celia holds for Rosalind.

When Rosalind’s sprits are lifted by Celia’s plan she begins to articulate her feelings in a strong way; ‘a boar-spear in my hand; and -in my heart Lie there what hidden woman’s fear there will-‘ The pause before ‘in my heart’ and the enjambment, stresses on the word heart which is what this passage is mainly about, Rosalind’s love in her heart for Orlando. The passage showed me a type of love between Rosalind and Celia; you could almost describe it as unrequited love. Celia is so desperate to please Rosalind that she is willing to do anything and I think we can see how far she is willing to go for Rosalind.

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