As You Like It Monologues & Audition Scenes

Characters: Rosalind

Rosalind breaks the fourth wall to deliver the play's epilogue, playfully acknowledging the conventions of theater and gender. She charms the audience by 'conjuring' both the men and women to like the play, using wit and a reference to her own cross-dressing disguise to secure their applause.

Characters: Orlando

Orlando expresses his deep resentment toward his eldest brother, Oliver, who has neglected his education and treated him no better than a farm animal. He confides in the loyal servant Adam, declaring that he can no longer endure this indignity and feels his father's spirit prompting him to revolt.

Characters: Phoebe

Phoebe attempts to convince Silvius (and herself) that she is not in love with the disguised Rosalind, despite her detailed and obsessive physical description of the youth. She oscillates between criticism and admiration before deciding to send a 'taunting' letter to mask her true attraction.

Characters: Rosalind

Disguised as the youth Ganymede, Rosalind delivers a sharp-witted rebuke to the shepherdess Phoebe for her cruel treatment of the devoted Silvius. She humbles Phoebe's vanity by critiquing her appearance and urges her to accept a good man's love while she has the chance.

Characters: Jaques

Jaques delivers a cynical yet profound meditation on the cycle of human life, comparing existence to a theatrical performance. He outlines the seven stages of man, from infancy to extreme old age, highlighting the inevitability of decline and the performative nature of social roles.

Characters: Rosalind, Orlando

Rosalind, disguised as the youth Ganymede, attempts to convince Orlando that love is a treatable mental illness. She proposes a complex game where Orlando must woo 'him' as if he were his beloved Rosalind, claiming this role-play will eventually cure his heartache.

Characters: Jaques

Jaques delivers a cynical yet profound meditation on the seven stages of human life, from infancy to old age and eventual death. He compares the world to a theater where every individual is merely an actor playing a sequence of roles.