Fate, for he brings up the concept in nearly every one of his plays (although not always so directly as in this instance). And Shakespeare often indicates (as Celia suggests here) that Fate is unfair to the majority of men and women.
Both the plot and subplot are examples of this unfairness. Duke Senior did not deserve to be saddled with a usurping brother, and Fate should not have allowed Duke Frederick to succeed in his plot against his brother. Further, Orlando did not deserve the fate of having an older brother who was devious and envious; and Oliver certainly did nothing to deserve being first born and thus the sole inheritor of his father’s estate.
Rosalind joins in Celia’s game of mocking Fortune, and she describes Fortune as being blind (line 29): Fortune does not look on the deeds of the people to whom she gives good fortune.
Celia agrees and then contributes an example to prove the point (line 31). Celia declares that women who are fair (beautiful) are usually not honest (virtuous), while virtuous women are usually ill- favored or ugly.
Rosalind contradicts Celia by arguing that beauty and virtue are not gifts bestowed by Fortune (at line 34). Rather, these gifts are bestowed by Nature. Nature was frequently personified as a creation goddess in early literature. But like Fortune, Nature did not always distribute her gifts fairly.
Celia defends her comment – in this game or sport or debate of mocking Fortune – by declaring that although Nature may be the one to make a “fair