As You Like It in a location called the Forest of Arden. This may be intended as the Ardennes, a forested region covering an area located in southeast Belgium, western Luxembourg and northeastern France, or Arden, Warwickshire, near Shakespeare's home town, which was the ancestral origin of his mother's family—who incidentally were called "Arden". Frederick has usurped the duchy and exiled his older brother, Duke Senior. Duke Senior's daughter, Rosalind, has been permitted to remain at court because she is the closest friend and cousin of Frederick's only child, Celia. Orlando, a young gentleman of the kingdom who at first sight has fallen in
Characters in As You Like It Characters in As You Like It The following is a list of characters in William Shakespeare's "As You Like It". Duke Frederick is the younger brother of Duke Senior. Prior to the play he usurps power from his older brother. His hatefulness and paranoia are displayed when he banishes Rosalind, the daughter Duke Senior. However, at the end of the play, as Duke Frederick brings his army towards the forest to kill his brother, he happens upon a old priest who convinces him to take up the monastic life of peace and simplicity. Celia is the daughter of Duke Frederick.