The Anxiety of Attire: The Troubling Subtext of As You Like It.

The Anxiety of Attire:

The Troubling Subtext of As You Like It

Question:

Did anyone find it odd that Orlando cannot tell Rosalind from a man?

A slight historical interlude:

  Sumptuary laws were enacted in England during this time

These made it a crime to wear certain clothes e.g. a woman wearing a man’s clothing.

Driving force behind the laws is a fear within society about the role of identity?Do the clothes make the man or the man the clothes?Theaters were often running up against this problem.

Basis in Structuralism

Symbols signify meaning

Order results from an agreed upon meaning for a symbol: signifier = signified

Disorder would result from disagreement on what a symbol means: signifier = ?

Structuralism and Sumptuary Laws

Signifier

A Dress

Woman

Structuralism and Sumptuary Laws

Signifier

pants

Signified

MAN

Structuralism and Sumptuary Laws

KING

Contradictions

However, England was full of problematic symbols

As You Like It’s Connection

Looking at As You Like It, look carefully throughout the play to find examples or instances of the Renaissance Anxiety about attire and disordering society:

Why does Rosalind change her appearance?

What characters change appearance?

How do these changes negatively or positively impact society?