This scene, in which we see the love and deep friendship
that Rosalind and Celia have for one another and also Rosalind and Orlando meet and fall
mutually in love after Orlando has triumphed in a wresting match, is normally analysed
in terms of the relationship that Rosalind and Celia have. It is important to note how
their loving relationship compares with the discord between the Dukes and also between
Orlando and Oliver. Yet also in their conversation Shakespeare introduces two key
concepts: Fortune and Nature, which Rosalind and Celia talk about using clever and
ingenious wordplay. Consider the following speech:
When Nature hath made a fair creature may she not
by Fortune fall into the fire? Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune, hath
not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off the
argument?
We can thus see the
central opposition between these two states. Even though someone like Orlando is gifed
by Nature in terms of his strength and good looks, Fortune acts against him in terms of
his relationships and how he is regarded by those in power. These two rival concepts
return many times throughout the play and act as motifs as Nature wars with
Fortune.
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