Bros For Life

The opening scene sets the tone of the play and therefore is important in revealing the mood of the characters and how the story unfolds. Orlando, the youngest of the three sons of Sir Roland de Bois is lamenting to his servant, Adam, that he has been hard done by. His dead father has bequeathed the eldest son, his brother, Oliver all his wealth and power. While the middle brother is being educated, he was left a paltry sum and is treated without respect or in a way accustomed to a gentleman of his status.

“I his brother, gain nothing under his growth, for the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I .Besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the something that nature gave me his countenance seems to take from me; he lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the place of a brother, and as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education,” (Act 1 Scene 1 11-18) - Orlando

The scene first of all shows the traditions of the time where the first born is given higher position status and reverence purely due to accident of birth and based upon love, talent or any other deserving quality.

“The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first-born, but the same tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us ; I have as much of my father in me as you,” (Act 1 scene 1 40 – 44) - Orlando

Further, since much of the play deals with the complexity and fragility of human relationships, the opening scene reveals the strife between two men bound by a common mother and sharing the same blood. Despite, this instead of love we have jealousy, and bitterness and hatred tying these two men together. And yet despite their estrangement, there still lies respect albeit wrapped in threats and insults.

“I am no villain; I am the youngest son of Sir Roland de Bois, he was my father, and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from my throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so,” (Act 1 scene 1 50- 54) - Orlando.

The play discovers that any event can affect the relations we keep and friends can turn to foes and back again. The play ends with the reconciliation of the brothers ultimately showing that blood is thicker than water. Brother to brother bonds have been explored from the Bible when stories first emerged of the Prodigal son and then we have seen stories such as Kane and Able. Rivalries are often stronger between siblings than between two people not sharing the same DNA. In direct contrast within the same Act I we see the love and bond between Celia and Rosalind who are mere cousins, but treat each other like sisters. Shakespeare, often shows turmoil entwined in the complex maze of human emotions as the theme of many of his plays, drawing from real life but in a more larger than life dramatic narrative. The words of the players are often more stronger in conveying human strife than simply violence showing the pen is mightier than the sword.