As You Like It

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.6

Word count: 164K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Comme il vous plaira by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: French, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Apr 13, 2006

Editor's review

This is a French translation of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain eBook. The plot follows Rosalind, daughter of an exiled duke, as she disguises herself as a man and enters the Forest of Arden; the play is known for witty dialogue, pastoral scenes, and multiple love relationships, and its monologue on the stages of human life is especially often quoted. The value of the French translation lies in giving French readers direct access to the linguistic wit and stage rhythm of Shakespearean comedy, and in allowing comparison with the English original to observe how translation handles puns, banter, and verse passages. It suits French reading practice or use as a case text in comparative literature and translation studies; readers should note, however, that this is a translation rather than the original, and much of the pleasure of verse and wordplay is lost in conversion. Begin by understanding the characters' relationships and the main plot, then enjoy the wit and irony in the dialogue rather than wrestling with every allusion from the start.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with some French reading ability who want to read a Shakespeare translation
Scholars and students studying Shakespeare's reception and translation in the French-speaking world
Theater readers interested in comic structure and the motif of mistaken identity
Advanced readers who want to practice close reading in French through light comedy

Not a good fit for

Readers with no French who can read only Chinese or English
Users of introductory editions expecting line-by-line notes and a detailed guide
Readers who want only a plot summary and prefer not to read the dialogue itself

Reading tips

First sort out the characters and scene changes before entering the dialogue, to avoid confusion over names and mistaken identities.
Choose the scenes between Rosalind and Orlando for close reading, and observe how puns and irony come through in French.
Read key passages against the English original to see how the translator handles wordplay and verse.
After each act, close the book and retell the plot and characters' motives to check whether you have really followed the dialogue.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this the English original or a French translation?

This is a French translation of Shakespeare's As You Like It; the text is in French. It suits French reading but cannot replace the English original for studying Shakespeare's linguistic detail.

Can I read it if my French is not strong?

You need at least intermediate French reading ability. The dialogue contains many puns, allusions, and verse passages that can frustrate beginners; read a plot summary first, then try close reading of selected passages.

Does this electronic edition have notes and an introduction?

The materials indicate this is a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg, which usually does not include detailed scholarly notes or an introduction. For deeper understanding of allusions and textual issues, consult a scholarly edition with notes.

Why read a translation rather than the original?

A translation makes it easier for French readers to enter the plot and characters and can serve as an object of translation studies, showing gains and losses in language transfer. But studying Shakespeare's rhetoric and rhythm should still rely mainly on the English original.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.