Belonging

The fundamental aspect of belonging is more than often associated with security and acceptance. The possession of these essential elements guides humanity into happiness. It is however only when an individual is capable of transforming into their true character that genuine belonging can be experienced and sheltered, a place like a home. Hence, belonging is not only a desire to be attached to something but also endorses deeper-rooted aspects. These aspects are exposed in the play ‘As You like It’ by William Shakespeare, the poem ‘We are going’ by Kath Walker and the picture book ‘Belonging’ by Jeanie Beaker.
As you like it represents characters discovering a sense of belonging for themselves through the development of relationships with each other under the influence of a place, and that place is the natural setting of the Forest of Arden. This idea is conveyed in Act 2, Scene 1, in the setting in the Forest of Arden. This is juxtaposed with the courtly setting, where belonging is challenged. This is shown by the use of alliteration from Duke Seniors dialogue. ‘Painted pomp’ and ‘envious court’. This helps to characterise the court as a place of falseness and danger. This emphasizes the fact that the court is somewhere that the characters do not wish to belong and would rather be alienated from. The idea of belonging to place is also exhibited in Scene 2, Scene 4, where Celia and Rosalind arrive at Arden after Rosalind having been banished by her uncle Duke Frederick also Celia’s father. Celia being noble to her cousin banishes herself from the court and embarks with Rosalind as well as Touchstone to Arden. There they decide to belong by becoming households in this setting. ‘Buy thou cottage, pasture, and the flock’, symbolises their willingness to belong in the forest by buying a house in Arden.   Orlando and Adam who also venture away from the court into Arden also find themselves having to strive for shelter, food and safety. They’ve decided to escape the court...