The second scene takes place at the court of Duke Frederick. Rosalind, the daughter of the banished Duke Senior, is unhappy because she misses her father.
Celia, the daughter of usurping Duke Frederick, tries to cheer up Rosalind and urges her to accept Duke Frederick as a substitute father. Celia explains that if their situations were reversed – if her own father had been the one who was banished – then she would gladly accept Duke Senior as her father. Celia thinks that Rosalind is obstinate and does not love her as much as she loves Rosalind. Celia fails to understand that Rosalind does love Celia but she also loves her father dearly – much more so, apparently, than Celia loves her own father.
In order to mollify Celia’s own unhappiness, Rosalind agrees to be mirthful and to keep her sadness hidden.
Celia is happy by Rosalind’s response and tells her cousin that when Duke Frederick passes away, then Celia will gladly hand over the rule of the Dukedom to Rosalind. Celia has no desire to rule, and she sincerely wishes to make her cousin happy.
Rosalind then suggests that, to take her mind off of her sadness, they should find some form of entertainment – they should “devise sports” (line 20). Rosalind then suggests that they discuss falling in love.
Celia agrees to the diversion and begins by punning on the word sport. Although the word