Oliver & Orlando

            In Act I, Scene I, Oliver, the eldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys is having a conversation with Charles, the wrestler from the from Duke Frederick’s court. Charles has basically come to warn Oliver to try to convince Orlando not to wrestle him because he will get hurt. Charles warns Oliver out of love for him but Oliver isn’t concerned about Orlando’s well-being. Oliver basically drags his brother name through the dirt. He stated, “It is the stubbornest young fellow of France, full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man’s good parts, a secret and villainous contriver against me his natural brother.”      

 I think maybe Oliver said such bad things about Orlando because he feels threaten by his younger brother.  Oliver in the beginning of the play comes off as selfish because he has denied Orlando of a proper upbringing. Orlando stated, “You have trained me like a pleasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentlemanlike qualities.”  After Oliver threatens Orlando, Orlando overpowers him grabbing him by the throat and confronts him about the way he has been treated. Oliver maybe fears that just like Duke Frederick, the younger brother of Duke Senior banished his brother then maybe one day Orlando will overpower him and take control of their father’s fortune. Oliver tried to convince Charles that he should do what he must with Orlando during the wrestling match because he is not a good guy.

 Oliver basically lies about Orlando because it is truly Orlando who has been wrong because Oliver has not provided him with the things that he was instructed to provide in their father’s will. Oliver has this unexplained hatred for Orlando and he makes it clear that he wants to see him hurt. He stated, “I hope I shall see an end of him, for my soul—yet I know not why—hates nothing more than he. Oliver appeared to be jealous of Orlando which is probably the reason he has denied Orlando of what was promised to him by their father. Oliver explained in Act I, Scene II, “he’s gentle, never schooled and yet learned, full of noble device, of all sorts enchantingly beloved, and indeed so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprized.” 

In this scene Oliver reveals some of his own insecurities about himself in comparison to his brother, Orlando. He acknowledged that Orlando even though he has denied him of a proper upbringing, has turned out to be a pretty well-rounded guy.  Orlando is still smart though he hasn’t been to school; he is noble, and loved by people who Oliver described as despising him. Oliver saw the chance to get rid of Orlando with the wrestling match against Charles and he took advantage of it. He convinced Charles it was Orlando, who is against him and Charles stated, “I’ll give him his payment.” Oliver is convinced his problems are over with Orlando after the wrestling match. He stated, “But it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all.”