At Soulton, with our deep historical roots and a setting that often feels like a storybook come to life, we find ourselves frequently discussing the magic of Shakespeare with our visitors. And for good reason!
“As You Like It” is intrinsically linked to Soulton Hall, and it is here, in these very lands, that the play has its true birthplace.
This beloved comedy, brimming with romance, mistaken identities, and a joyous escape from the pressures of courtly life, draws direct inspiration from our very own landscape and history.
Sir Rowland Hill, the visionary who built the current Soulton Hall, is the inspiration for “Old Sir Rowland” in the play – a connection further cemented by his direct familial link to Shakespeare through his mother, Mary Arden. Moreover, Thomas Lodge Jr., whose prose romance “Rosalynde” was the direct source for Shakespeare’s play, knew these very woods during his boyhood here at Soulton. Indeed, the Shropshire countryside, including Soulton Wood, is traditionally part of the vast, historical Forest of Arden where the play is set, and our dancing pavement at Soulton Hall even shows the choreography of the “Dance of Harmony” that concludes the play!
Given these profound and unique links, we frequently explain the rich tapestry of connections between Soulton Hall and this wonderful play to our curious guests.
That’s why we’re thrilled to share a fantastic resource that offers a fun, unstuffy way to grasp the heart of “As You Like It”: the YouTube channel Sommer’s World Literature to go.
Their video, titled “As You Like It Explained in 9 Min Light-Hearted Video,” provides a truly cheerful and easy-to-digest summary of the play’s plot and characters, often using Playmobil figures and even Smurfs to bring the story to life! What you’re about to read below is a written account of that video’s banter-filled summary – a truly relatable way to get the play’s story laid out. Just a heads-up, this summary can be a bit raucous and features some “choice language,” keeping in line with its lighthearted and modern take on the classic!
