"OLIVER: ...but say with me, I love Aliena; say with her that she loves me; consent with both that we may enjoy each other: it shall be to your good; for my father's house and all the revenue that was old Sir Rowland's will I estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd.
ORLANDO: You have my consent. Let your wedding be to-morrow..." pg. 69
One thing that always frustrates me about Shakespeare's plays is that the main characters always fall in love at first sight. It might just be because I don't believe in the concept or it might be the fact that I enjoy the building of a relationship more than the relationship itself, but it's something I've often struggled with in his works. The fact that Rosalind falls in love with Orlando not even the first time she speaks to him, but the first time she sees him fight is just completely silly to me. That would be like someone today falling in love with one of the Pacers just because they saw one basketball game. It's impossible and unreasonable. Oliver's relationship with Celia is even more unbelievable. He is marrying her basically as soon as he meets her. It has all the qualities of an arranged marriage except that they aren't even being forced to marry a complete stranger, they're choosing it! Completely ridiculous if you ask me. I guess there's only so much time a playwright has to work with though, so love at first sight is probably the best option. It's just not very pleasing to those of us who actually enjoy the story behind the love.
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