Shakespeare's Methods Of Alluding To Love In Ayli

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The Methods Shakespeare uses to allude to homoeroticism in As You Like It William Shakespeare’s plays cover an array of topics focused on sexuality, from gender reversal to adultery to bestiality. But perhaps the most consistent and emphasized topic is homoeroticism. This focus on homoeroticism proceeds from the prohibition of women on the English stage and the subsequent female roles young boys would play.When looking at As You Like It Shakespeare is subtly hinting at the acceptance of Homoeroticism. When Rosalind decides to dress up as a man ‘And therefore look you call me Ganymede’ she is highlighting gender as a main theme in the play and showing women as clever and powerful who are capable of looking after themselves, but the idea of cross-dressing brings homoeroticism into the themes. In this essay I am going to talk about the different methods Shakespeare uses to allude to homoeroticism in As You Like It. I am going to focus on the friendship between Rosalind and Celia and the relationship between Ganymede and Orlando. The first method I am going to look at is the intimate relationship between Celia and Rosalind. At first it seems that they are just cousins and really good friends but the more you read between the lines it seems that their relationship may be a little more intimate that we first thought. Homoeroticism is different than heterosexuality in which there may be feelings of desire and longing between two members of the same sex but not necessarily the desire for sex acts. Celia challenges the depth of Rosalind’s love by saying that Rosalind would not be depressed if she had her love. ‘Herein I see thou lov’st me not with the full weight that I love thee’ Here she is talking about romantic love. When Celia is talking about Rosalind to the Duke she describes her relationship with her in great detail. ‘I did not then entreat to have her stay,
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