Question...


It's been a long time since I've read As You Like It, and I just have a question.

Is the role of Rosalind supposed to have her not change her voice at all from girl to Ganymede?

Because I found it hard to believe that Orlando (and the girl who fell in love with Ganymede) would mistake Rosalind for a man, or even a boy!

-Amanda

"She will remember your heart when men are fairy tales in storybooks written by rabbits"

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Eh, I guess it's a case of people seeing what they expect to see. I guess they both figured that "Ganymede" was just androgenous or something. I doubt Shakespeare gave such instructions as he gave so few.

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Actually, in Shakespeare's time, all female roles were played by men/young boys. Therefore the illusion would have been easier to create. Vocally, due to range, it is easier for a male voice to pretend to be 'female' than it is the other way around.

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In Shakespeare's time, women weren't allowed onstage. They were played by boys. So the idea of a woman impersonating a boy wouldn't have seemed quite so strange. It's only in more modern times that the idea of a woman being mistaken for a boy looks unbelievable.

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