Hsc Belonging

We can only achieve a sense of belonging in an environment which fosters understanding and acceptance.

Everyone desires to truly belong; and depending on one's acceptance and understanding of those bound to us, including ourselves, whether it be physically, mentally, and/ or spiritually, if we give ourselves time to genuinely acknowledge and appreciate each other, one may see the blossoming creation of mutuality. Shakespeare, Marsden, Tan and Lee drive their characters into various experiences which challenge the aforementioned notion.

Time possesses the ability to either nurture one's belonging or to destruct it. However our different experiences within the environment whom interacts with time, whether it be objective or relative, solely impacts on one's capability of truly belonging. Shakespeare specifically uses the pastoral setting in As You Like It to physically present an environment of tranquillity, healing and restoring true values. The forest of Arden is clearly the framework of where time is non existent, where one is to “fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world” as recalled by Charles. The characters' sense of time is based on their interior “clock”; therefore however one feels and not how others control them reflects on their self understanding, acceptance and consequently their self-belonging. Specifically Rosalind; for after being removed from the court world she is able to liberate freely with the absence of time and consciousness. Hence enabling her to literally take on a new appearance, in order to attain a new perspective on life from her newly acquired sense of belonging, whilst also heightening the dramatic irony and humour throughout the play. Uniquely, noted by an unknown author “Rosalind is the perfect example of someone who functions on intuition rather than intention”.

We see that Shakespeare intentionally weaves through both the forest and court world consecutively, hence we are presented with a clear...