Why does rosalind become ganymede

He banished Rosalind from his court because she reminds the people of her exiled father: "Thou art thy father's daughter. There's enough! He tells Celia, "You are a fool. Thus, the stage is set for Rosalind to join her father in the Forest of Arden. There can be little doubt that Orlando will soon join the group, for we have seen that Oliver's temper is much like Frederick's. The plot is further complicated at this point with a dramatic device that was a favorite of Elizabethan audiences; when the two girls decide to go forth alone in the world, they go in disguise.

This is reflected in the play. The first example of homoerotic desire and wanting sexual freedom in the play is between Rosalind and Celia. Also, later in the play as Rosalind dressed as Ganymede falls in love with Orlando, Celia speaks against Orlando. Another example of desiring sexual freedom and homoerotic desire in this play is the interaction of Rosalind as Ganymede and Orlando.

Orlando makes comments to the disguised Rosalind that suggests a homosexual attraction to the male figure of Ganymede in the play. Also, when describing a past love affair to Orlando Rosalind as Ganymede, repeatedly refers to the partner in this affair as a man. Even though Rosalind identifies her hidden "fear" with being a "woman," she also seems to recognize that masculinity can be imitated or faked. If a cowardly man can pretend he's a tough guy by "swashing" around with an axe on his thigh and a boar-spear in his hand, then so can Rosalind.

In other words, Rosalind knows that gender is a social role that can imitated and faked. After all, Shakespearean actors faked it all the time on a stage that prohibited women from acting in public theaters.

In Shakespeare's time, all female roles were performed by men. After she reaches the safety of the forest, where her disguise is no longer necessary, Rosalind remains in drag and even befriends Orlando, who thinks "Ganymede" is actually a teenage boy. For many literary critics, Rosalind stays in her man pants because it offers a special kind of freedom.

For more about the importance of Ganymede check out "Symbolism. Shakespeare heroine sounds pretty awesome, don't you think? The best way to get at Rosalind is to realize she's one of Shakespeare's only characters that you'd actually like to be with while trapped in an elevator. Here Rosalind offers the plan to let Orlando come and pour affection on her.

Meanwhile, she'll make him so miserable by scorning his affections that he'll be out of love in no time flat. She does, however, notice that he hasn't shown up for their meeting, which is not such lover-ly behavior. Celia points out that it's probably because he isn't in love. Rosalind counters that Orlando swore he was in love.

She is obviously not so full of sense at this point, as she says that she ran into her father and joked with him for a bit before going off to do her own thing and no, she didn't reveal her identity. We know where her priorities are as she sighs, "But what talk we of fathers when there is such a man as Orlando? She diagnoses him with the sadness of travelers, and says other generally unhelpful and mean things until he goes away. She says she might as well be wooed by a snail.

After laying the abuse on thick, she decides to stop being mean and asks him to woo her again. She refuses him a kiss and warns that lovers only kiss when they run short of stuff to talk about.

While Orlando swears he'll die if she won't love him, Rosalind goes back to being cynical. People die of all sorts of things, she says, like drowning, spears, and having their brains dashed out with a club, but never from love. Again, she delivers more abuse, and then she demands he marry her.

After the fake marriage, she points out that women are awful once you've married them, and you can't love them forever, as they only get nastier with old age. Finally, she says a woman's wit becomes so awful that she can convince you that it's sensible for her to be in your neighbor's bed, as perhaps she'd gone there to look for you.