Understanding Shakespeare: As You Like It by Robert A. Albano - HTML preview

ACT V, SCENE 4: The Retort Courteous

Touchstone and Audrey arrive (at line 34), and Jacques jokes about their strange appearance. He comments that the couple are like a pair of strange beasts coming to Noah’s ark. He is suggesting that they are ill-suited for one another.

Touchstone assures Duke Senior that he had formerly belonged to the court, and he proves that he belonged by asserting that he has done the following:

1. He has trod a measure or danced
2. He has flattered a lady
3. He has been politic (shrewd) with his friends
4. He has been smooth (suave) with his enemies
5. He has bankrupted three tailors
6. He has been involved in four quarrels
7. He almost fought a duel in one of those quarrels

(lines 42-46)

Touchstone is making a mockery of life at court and courtiers. He is suggesting that the members of court essentially spend their time in trivial actions and trivial speech. The reference to the tailors indicates that noblemen often neglected to pay commoners for the services they performed, and the commoners were unable to take any action against them.

Jacques asks Touchstone about the duel that almost took place, and Touchstone mysteriously replies that the quarrel ended on the “seventh cause” (49). Jacques asks him to explain, and Touchstone