Act II, Scene 2

Summary

This short scene takes the audience back to the Palace of Duke Frederick. The duke is angry, for he has learned that Celia and Touchstone are missing. He fears that they have left with Rosalind. One of the lords enters to report that the gentlewoman who had attended Rosalind and Celia overhead their praises of Orlando and believes that he has joined the women. This information increases the duke's anger. He orders that Orlando be quickly found and brought to the court. If he is not found, Oliver, Orlando's brother, should be brought. Then the duke will make Oliver find Orlando. The Duke also orders speedy action to bring back Celia.

Notes

This scene is very brief, but it is tense and powerful. The duke's anger and tyranny is a sharp contrast to the happy, carefree mood of the previous scene, set in the Forest of Arden. It also serves to advance the plot, for the audience learns that Oliver will be sent into the forest to look for his missing brother, Orlando.

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