How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to The Norton Shakespeare, second edition, published in 2008.
Quote #10
ROSALIND
It is not the fashion to see the lady the
epilogue; but it is no more unhandsome than to see
the lord the prologue. (Epilogue 1-3)
When the actor playing Rosalind appears on stage at the play's end, he points out that most epilogues are spoken by male characters in Elizabethan drama. The statement also functions as a reminder of the gender politics of Elizabethan theater. Since women weren't allowed to perform in public plays, the role of Rosalind was definitely not played by a "lady." The part would have been given to a boy actor. Check out "Themes: Art and Culture" for more on this.