"As You Like It," Act 2, Scene 4
lackpurity
SCENE IV. The Forest of Arden.
Enter ROSALIND for Ganymede, CELIA for Aliena, and TOUCHSTONE
MM:
Let's remember that Rosalind is the disciple of Celia. Celia and
Touchstone are Masters.
ROSALIND
O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!
MM:
Our soul is dragged around by mind and its negative tendencies.
Notice that she prays to Jupiter, the highest God.
TOUCHSTONE
I care not for my spirits, if my legs were not weary.
MM:
This is a spiritual axiom, given to us by the Stratford Sat Guru,
William Shakespeare. Those who are weary of the world, will be
inclined to follow a Master. Those, who are still too much in love
with the world, will not.
ROSALIND
I could find in my heart to disgrace my man's
apparel and to cry like a woman; but I must comfort
the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought to show
itself courageous to petticoat: therefore courage,
good Aliena!
CELIA
I pray you, bear with me; I cannot go no further.
MM:
For some reason, Celia has stopped the mystic ascent of Rosalind. She
has not explained why, yet.
TOUCHSTONE
For my part, I had rather bear with you than bear
you; yet I should bear no cross if I did bear you,
for I think you have no money in your purse.
MM:
Another spiritual axiom from the Stratford Sat Guru. We can't pay our
spiritual debts. We owe Satan, and only a Master can stand ransom for
us. Touchstone is a Master, and he says he would like it if the
disciple could bear part of the load of karma. Touchstone appears to
indulge in double-talk, but he is a Master, and is omnipotent. Saints
are like an institution, and here, it appears that Saint Touchstone is
coming to the aid of Saint Celia, in order to save the soul of
Rosalind.
ROSALIND
Well, this is the forest of Arden.
MM:
The forest of Arden represents the physical plane, which is ruled by
Satan.
TOUCHSTONE
Ay, now am I in Arden; the more fool I; when I was
at home, I was in a better place: but travellers
must be content.
MM:
Touchstone admits that he is the Guruavatar, sent to earth by God. It
was, obviously, a better place. When Saints come to this world, they
pass as human like us, i.e. fools. Guruavatars must be "content,"
i.e. they must acquesce in God's will. They know they have been sent
on a spiritual mission.
ROSALIND
Ay, be so, good Touchstone.
Michael Martin
Western Sat Guru
lackpurity
Enter CORIN and SILVIUS
Look you, who comes here; a young man and an old in
solemn talk.
CORIN
That is the way to make her scorn you still.
SILVIUS
O Corin, that thou knew'st how I do love her!
CORIN
I partly guess; for I have loved ere now.
SILVIUS
No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess,
Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover
As ever sigh'd upon a midnight pillow:
But if thy love were ever like to mine--
As sure I think did never man love so--
How many actions most ridiculous
Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?
MM:
Silvius and Corin are shepherds. They must be Masters, or Masters-To-
Be. Silvius and Corin are discussing Bhakti (Love) and the
distractions of mind, which are inimical to meditation.
CORIN
Into a thousand that I have forgotten.
MM:
Corin has, apparently, overcome the negative tendencies of mind.
SILVIUS
O, thou didst then ne'er love so heartily!
If thou remember'st not the slightest folly
That ever love did make thee run into,
Thou hast not loved:
MM:
Shakespeare continues to give us his lesson on Bhakti. Sometimes, our
follies cut deep grooves in our mind. Silvius says that Corin was not
SO MUCH in love with the world as others, perhaps. He might have had
just a thin veil between God and him.
SILVIUS continues:
Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
Wearying thy hearer in thy mistress' praise,
Thou hast not loved:
MM:
It means to praise the Master. It refers to Sat Guru Bhakti,
cryptically, of course.
SILVIUS continues:
Or if thou hast not broke from company
Abruptly, as my passion now makes me,
Thou hast not loved.
O Phebe, Phebe, Phebe!
MM:
We need to detach ourselves from the world and love the Master. Phebe
is a shepherdess, either a Master, or Master-To-Be. I've lost count
the total of Masters, or Masters-To-Be in this play. LOL.
Exit
ROSALIND
Alas, poor shepherd! searching of thy wound,
I have by hard adventure found mine own.
MM:
Rosalind is a follower of Celia, the Master. If we feel the lack of
love, it is intense longing, and this inspires us to search for a
Master. "Hard adventure," means we sometimes go through a lot of
follies and silliness, until we find ourselves at the feet of the
Master of the time.
TOUCHSTONE
And I mine. I remember, when I was in love I broke
my sword upon a stone and bid him take that for
coming a-night to Jane Smile; and I remember the
kissing of her batlet and the cow's dugs that her
pretty chopt hands had milked; and I remember the
wooing of a peascod instead of her, from whom I took
two cods and, giving her them again, said with
weeping tears 'Wear these for my sake.' We that are
true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is
mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly.
MM:
This is pretty much self-explanatory. Love for the world is folly.
We should, by meditation, direct our attention to the Holy Spirit
within, under the guidance of a Master.
ROSALIND
Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of.
TOUCHSTONE
Nay, I shall ne'er be ware of mine own wit till I
break my shins against it.
MM:
Touchstone is a Master, and he is omniscient, but he is, nevertheless,
humble.
ROSALIND
Jove, Jove! this shepherd's passion
Is much upon my fashion.
MM:
A prayer to Jove! Rosalind is always thinking of Jove, or Jupiter, it
seems. Rosalind is congruent with the Master, Touchstone.
TOUCHSTONE
And mine; but it grows something stale with me.
MM:
Touchstone has been a passionate lover for a long time, apparently.
CELIA
I pray you, one of you question yond man
If he for gold will give us any food:
I faint almost to death.
TOUCHSTONE
Holla, you clown!
ROSALIND
Peace, fool: he's not thy kinsman.
MM:
Celia is disguised. Rosalind knows it, but Touchstone doesn't.
Rosalind is defending her Master, Celia.
CORIN
Who calls?
TOUCHSTONE
Your betters, sir.
CORIN
Else are they very wretched.
MM:
Christ said, "You have all sinned."
ROSALIND
Peace, I say. Good even to you, friend.
CORIN
And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.
ROSALIND
I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed:
Here's a young maid with travel much oppress'd
And faints for succor.
CORIN
Fair sir, I pity her
And wish, for her sake more than for mine own,
My fortunes were more able to relieve her;
But I am shepherd to another man
And do not shear the fleeces that I graze:
My master is of churlish disposition
And little recks to find the way to heaven
By doing deeds of hospitality:
Besides, his cote, his flocks and bounds of feed
Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now,
By reason of his absence, there is nothing
That you will feed on; but what is, come see.
And in my voice most welcome shall you be.
MM:
He has his own Master. The Master's real form is Holy Spirit. Christ
called it Living Water, drinking which we will never thirst again, or
Bread of Life. Shakespeare is using a similar metaphor, here. We
need to feed on the Holy Spirit, by meditation.
ROSALIND
What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?
CORIN
That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,
That little cares for buying any thing.
ROSALIND
I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
Buy thou the cottage, pasture and the flock,
And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.
CELIA
And we will mend thy wages. I like this place.
And willingly could waste my time in it.
MM:
When we reach certain levels within, by meditation, we need to feed on
the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we would be tempted to stay there, as
those planes can be very beautiful. Shakespeare says it would be a
waste of time, to sightsee. John The Baptist said, "Make straight the
way of the Lord."
CORIN
Assuredly the thing is to be sold:
Go with me: if you like upon report
The soil, the profit and this kind of life,
I will your very faithful feeder be
And buy it with your gold right suddenly.
Exeunt
MM:
Masters have omnipotence, so they are able to stand as a ransom for
us. They are able to "buy Satan," much as conglomerates often buy up
little companies, today. They had a mind-boggling, limitless amount
of spiritual wealth.
Mr. Bad Example
lackpurity said:
I wasn't going to interrupt your exegesis, misguided though it may be
(one hint about your last entry--"fond" had another meaning back in
Shakespeare's day), but I have to comment on this:
> CELIA
> I pray you, one of you question yond man
> If he for gold will give us any food:
> I faint almost to death.
>
> TOUCHSTONE
> Holla, you clown!
>
> ROSALIND
> Peace, fool: he's not thy kinsman.
>
> MM:
> Celia is disguised. Rosalind knows it, but Touchstone doesn't.
> Rosalind is defending her Master, Celia.
Touchstone is clearly addressing Corin here. Celia asks one of them to
question Corin, Touchstone--in typical Touchstone fashion--calls and
insults him at the same time, Rosalind calls him on it, and Corin says:
> CORIN
> Who calls?
It's much more straightforward than you're making it out to be.
--
Dance like it hurts.
Love like you need money.
Work when people are watching.
lackpurity
> In article <1174581153.933848.263...@n59g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
> lackpurity said:
>
> I wasn't going to interrupt your exegesis, misguided though it may be
> (one hint about your last entry--"fond" had another meaning back in
> Shakespeare's day), but I have to comment on this:
>
> > CELIA
> > I pray you, one of you question yond man
> > If he for gold will give us any food:
> > I faint almost to death.
>
> > TOUCHSTONE
> > Holla, you clown!
>
> > ROSALIND
> > Peace, fool: he's not thy kinsman.
>
> > MM:
> > Celia is disguised. Rosalind knows it, but Touchstone doesn't.
> > Rosalind is defending her Master, Celia.
>
> Touchstone is clearly addressing Corin here. Celia asks one of them to
> question Corin, Touchstone--in typical Touchstone fashion--calls and
> insults him at the same time, Rosalind calls him on it, and Corin says:
>
> > CORIN
> > Who calls?
>
> It's much more straightforward than you're making it out to be.
MM:
All right. It was Corin. Shakespeare is teaching us that Masters
come in disguise. Rosalind, although not yet a Master, is disguised.
Celia is disguised, and now, Touchstone says that Corin is in
disguise, as a clown. Clowns play on our emotions. Masters do, too.
They appeal to them, to see if we are receptive. What Touchstone said
could be taken as an insult, but it is true. All Masters are
disguised as ordinary human beings.
Michael Martin