The Bible: "As (Shakespeare) Like(d) It"

I'm a bit of a mythology newbie myself. Before taking this class, previous experience exploring classical mythology being almost exclusively rooted in my 6th and 9th grade classrooms (yes, that long ago). Dissecting Shakespeare for the myth is something that admittedly doesn't come as intuitively to me as it does to others. However, here's my best crack at looking at Acts I & II of As You Like It. The first thing I noticed was stylistic--unlike Midsummer Night's Dream, the characters seem to speak in prose about as often as they shift into the lyrical sonnet style that Shakespeare uses so prominently.

My observations to Shakespeare's Biblical allusions may seem a bit trivial and obvious, but I found them to make for an interesting inclusion. In class, we already went over the big ones. The ever prevalent element of feuding brothers cannot be explored without considering the Cain and Abel. The banishment of Orlando and Duke Senior into the uncivilized forest of Arden ties back to God's banishment of Men from the Garden of Eden, etc., etc.

First off, pointing out the fact that the tension between Orlando and Oliver has ties to the parable of the prodigal son does not require much reading between the lines. Orlando speaks out against the pathetic conditions to which Oliver subjects him:

Shall I keep your hogs and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent that I should come to such penury? (I.1, 35-7)

It's the prodigal son with a twist: Oliver subjects Orlando to life like a peasant, depriving him of the education and fortune promised in his father's will. Orlando pleads that age has no effect on the fact that he is as much Sir Roland de Boys' son as Oliver is, and that he is entitled to an inheritance that would liberate him from the grip that Oliver holds. It's the kind of reasoning that allowed the prodigal son in the parable to go out on his own, and arguably the father had this mindset when he welcomed the son home after taking a walk on the wild side. If I had to sum that rationale it up in a few words, I suppose they would be unconditional entitlement.

Another interesting bit jumped out at me when Orlando was pitted against Charles in a wrestling match. Charles, the duke's wrestler, was described in class as a "badass" of sorts. Orlando went into it as an underdog. Does this remind you of something? Well, it should.

True, no beheading took place in this instance, but Orlando's defeat of Charles is unmistakably a David and Goliath story. Orlando accepts the challenge and overcomes insurmountable odds against him to overcome Charles, with enough energy to spare as he cockily declares "I am not yet well breathed" when the duke calls the match to stop. Granted, Orlando is banished for victory and not lauded like David was, but you get the idea.

I'm really impressed with the quality of blogging going on in the class. While mine is not quite as high-brow as others, hopefully it effectively conveys what I like about Shakespeare and about As You Like It. The Bible with a twist--and I assume it only gets better.