“As You Like It” Discussion
Details
Minneapolis Central Library
(Downtown Minneapolis)
300 Nicollet Mall - Room N-202
Minneapolis, MN 55401
There is underground parking beneath the library, off 4th St. S., for about $5. Go in to the Library lobby and then in to the book stacks area. Take the elevator or stairs up to the 2nd floor, then go all the way to the left.
This is a discussion about the play, not a reading or showing of it.
Do you not know I am a woman? When I think, I must speak.
– Rosalind, in As You Like It; Act 3, Scene 2
I pray you do not fall in love with me,
For I am falser than vows made in wine.
– Rosalind, in As You Like It; Act 3, Scene 5
THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
Then, the whining school-boy with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then, a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then, the justice,
In fair round belly, with a good capon lined,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws, and modern instances,
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
– Jaques, in As You Like It; Act 2, Scene 7
SYNOPSIS OF PLAY (from the Folger Library)
FREE VIDEOS - FULL PLAY (YOUTUBE)
• Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (2009)
• Corinth Films (Laurence Olivier, Elisabeth Bergner) (1936)
FREE VIDEOS - OTHER (YOUTUBE)
• Tim Nance: Shakespeare’s As You Like It Discussion and Summary
• Animated Shakespeare - As You Like It
KANOPY APP
Download the free app. Then link your library account to it. This will allow you free access to many Shakespeare plays. You can also watch the Shakespeare series “Upstart Crow” for free.
ARTICLES
• Wikipedia: As You Like It
• SparkNotes: As You Like It - Overview
• SparkNotes: As You Like It - Full Play Summary
• SparkNotes: As You Like It - Full Play Analysis
• SparkNotes: As You Like It - Themes
• SparkNotes: As You Like It - Motifs
• SparkNotes: As You Like It - Symbols
• A Modern Perspective: As You Like It by Susan Snyder
• Thrice welcome: The power of three in As You Like It by Austin Tichenor
• The Play’s the Thing: As You Like It
• Five things to look for when you watch As You Like It by Ben Lauer
• Dramaturg’s Notes: As You Like It by Michele Osherow
• Further Reading: As You Like It
PODCASTS
• Approaching Shakespeare (Emma Smith): As You Like It
LOCAL LIVE PERFORMANCES OF AS YOU LIKE IT
• Shakespearean Youth Theatre, Crane Theater, Minneapolis (July 17 - Aug. 1, 2026)
GENERAL RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
• The Folger Shakespeare Library has free and paid (includes notes) downloadable texts of all of Shakespeare’s plays.
• The Folger Library: Shakespeare Documented has copies of original documents from Shakespeare’s time.
• PlayShakespeare: The Ultimate Free Shakespeare Research
• Podcast: “Approaching Shakespeare”
• Podcast: “Shakespeare Unlimited” Play by Play
• Play On Podcasts
• SparkNotes 101: Shakespeare [Excellent synopses of all the plays.]
• Shakespeare After All by Marjorie Garber [Excellent analysis of all the plays.] Kindle edition only $5.99!
FACEBOOK PAGES
• The Official William Shakespeare Page
• Shakespeare Study Group
• William Shakespeare: His Works and His World
APP
• Shakespeare App
BEST SHAKESPEARE USED BOOK SELECTIONS IN THE TWIN CITIES
• Midway Books, St. Paul
• The Book House, Minneapolis
• James & Mary Laurie Booksellers, Minneapolis
• Magers and Quinn, Minneapolis
• Half Price Books