As You like It

To what extent does Shakespeare explore the contrast between innocence and corruption in 'As You Like It'?

'As You Like It' explores the contrasts between innocence and corruption through it's depiction of the Court and it's values; consequently inflicted upon the innocent pastoral setting of Arden upon the arrival of courtly characters. The forest itself acts as a haven for the exiled, specifically for Duke Senior, who "is already in the Forest of Arden... where many young gentlemen flock to him everyday and fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the Golden World". This description immediately sets up Arden as the complete antithesis to the court - bucolic and free of corruption of the Court.

However, the innocent and tranquil setting of Arden created from inside the Court is immediately abolished through it's description by the usurped Duke Senior; Arden is not as welcoming as first thought. With the "churlish chiding of the winters wind" and it's "icy fang", Arden is presented as a hostile and harsh environment, contradicting the innocent and idyllic setting the audience and court charcters first imagined.

Yet in doing this, the Duke invokes his prophecy of comradery: "Now my co-mates and brothers in exile", alluding once more to the 'Robin Hood' imagery first referred to by Charles in Act 1. He eulogizes the stock simplistic pastoral life style, contrasting it to the "envious court": "Hath not old custom made this life more sweet/Than that of painted pomp?"

Although Duke Senior speaks triumphantly of embracing the stock pastoral lifestyle as he belives it to be, the hardships of the life are portrayed through Corin. The direct contrast of court characters to those such as Corin serves to expose the corruption of wealth and hierarchy. For example, Celia and Rosalind, on a whim, decide to buy Corin and his assets, so they can simply "waste (their) time in it". This clearly shows the corrupt nature of their courtly wealth; they are not living in the real world! Corin owns nothing. He is merely a "Shepherd to another man,/And do(es) not shear the fleeces that (he) graze." Corin is a character used to convey realism of rural England. Some will argue that this is an overt criticsm by Shakespeare.

Albeit, Duke Senior does not embrace this new pastoral setting as he should. The first act of corruption we see in Arden is the 'usurpation' of the deer, the "native burghers of this desert city". These actions are seen, by 'grieving' Jaques, as further act of usurpation, thus carrying forth the theme from the Court to Arden. The pastoral idyll is corrupted and marred by man.

Another piece of contrast used by Shakespeare in the exploration of innocence and corruption is the juxtaposistion