Act 2 Scene 1 is our introduction to the forest of Arden and the banished Duke Senior. It lies between scenes which illustrate the corruption of the court, the stress of court life, and the aggressive, merciless character of the "angry Duke". In such a position it is perfectly placed to emphasise the contrast between the fickleness of court life and the honesty and simple joy of country life. This contrast forms the essence of the 'pastoral' genre, very popular in Elizabethan times, and of which As You Like It is an example. The pastoral genre typically centres around troubled courtiers wh…
