As You Like It Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to The Norton Shakespeare, second edition, published in 2008.

Quote #7

OLIVER
O that your Highness knew my heart in this:
I never loved my brother in my life.
FREDERICK
More villain thou. (3.1.13-15)

You know things are bad when even Duke Frederick thinks you are a villain. We should also point out that Duke Frederick is being a total hypocrite here. After all, he snagged his own brother's title and then booted him and Rosalind out of his dukedom. 

Quote #8

ROSALIND
I met the duke yesterday and had much
question with him: he asked me of what parentage
I was. I told him, of as good as he. So he laughed
and let me go. But what talk we of fathers, when
there is such a man as Orlando? (3.4.33-37)

Love-struck Rosalind shows that when a person falls in love, familial ties and loyalties can quickly fade into the background. Because Orlando is in the Forest of Arden, Rosalind is so not interested in talking about her encounter with her exiled father, whom she hasn't seen in a really long time. We also notice that, once Rosalind starts spending time with dreamy Orlando, her relationship with her BFF/cousin Celia fades into the background.

Quote #9

SECOND BROTHER
Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day
Men of great worth resorted to this forest,
Address'd a mighty power; which were on foot,
In his own conduct, purposely to take
His brother here and put him to the sword:
And to the skirts of this wild wood he came,
Where meeting with an old religious man,
After some question with him, was converted
Both from his enterprise and from the world,
His crown bequeathing to his banished brother,
And all their lands restored to them again
That were with him exiled. This to be true
I do engage my life. (5.4.159-171)

It's a good thing As You Like It is a comedy and not a tragedy. Otherwise, it's not likely that Duke Frederick would suddenly and miraculously "convert" from being a usurper and would-be murderer to a repentant brother who is willing to return his older bro's dukedom.