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RyanDowdy
10-28-2005, 05:54 PM
CELIA
Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal: but
love no man in good earnest; nor no further in sport
neither than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst
in honour come off again.

I am having trouble putting together exactly what Celia means by this statement. It seems she means that Rosalind should not partake in the sport of Love unless she can back-out of love with just a blush. But I would like to know EXACTLY what she is saying line-by-line. There seems to be a lot of humor between Rosalind and Celia here and in the following dialogueregarding Fortune and Nature, but I can't quite grasp this statement by Celia. Can someone help? Is there a book out there that will actually explain Shakespeare's meaning line-by-line. I understand the underlying themes, but grapple with the exact text in some instances. I often cudgel my brain with it! Thanks.

Ryan

papayahed
10-28-2005, 06:16 PM
Try Sparksnotes:

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/asyoulikeit/

RyanDowdy
10-30-2005, 04:25 PM
Thanks for the tip. That was pretty close to what I am looking for. It doesn't actually break down the text line-by-line, but I did find SparkNotes to be VERY informative.

Ryan

Rosalind
11-01-2005, 12:09 AM
CELIA
Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal: but
love no man in good earnest; nor no further in sport
neither than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst
in honour come off again.

Celia's saying not to make a commitment, as you say, but also, not to damage one's chastity. 'Pure blush' can refer to maidenly shyness or virtue, and if a girl backs off before getting in too deep, she 'mayst in hnour come off again,' or come away with honour and reputation intact.

They're just bantering though--it certainly doesn't read like a lecture on chastity.