Touchstone

Play

As You Like It

Summary

Touchstone is the court jester who accompanies Rosalind and Celia into exile in the Forest of Arden. A professional fool of the highest order, he exposes the pretension and folly of those around him through relentless wordplay, parody, and philosophical digression. Unlike the natural fools of other plays, Touchstone is a highly educated wit who uses his licensed foolery to deflate pastoral romance and courtly convention alike. He woos and marries the country girl Audrey, though with conspicuous irreverence toward the institution.

Notable Quotations

"The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly." *(I.ii)*

"Truly, I would the gods had made thee poetical." *(III.iii)*

"When a man's verses cannot be understood, nor a man's good wit seconded with the forward child Understanding, it strikes a man more dead than a great reckoning in a little room." *(III.iii)*

"I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one." *(V.iv)*

Cross-references

• As You Like It — the play
• Comedies — genre
• character_rosalind — his mistress whom he accompanies into exile
• character_jaques — who envies his motley coat and philosophical license