Orlando Timeline and Summary

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• 1.1: Orlando is hangin' with the family servant, Adam. He complains that Oliver is supposed to be in charge of making sure he (Orlando) is educated and well-bred, but instead Oliver treats him worse than the horses they keep. Orlando feels the spirit of his father growing stronger; it makes him want to rebel against his brother, but he's not sure how.
• 1.1: Oliver shows up, and Orlando goes at it with him, asking what he's done to be treated so badly. Orlando admits that he's fine with Oliver getting all the land and inheritance (because he's older), but he reminds his brother not to forget that both of them have their father's blood. The two get into a little fisticuffs match, and Orlando takes Oliver by the neck. He demands that his brother allow him to learn and be treated like a gentleman, or else give him the little sum their father left for him and let him be on his merry way.
• 1.2: Orlando has come to challenge Charles, the court wrestler, in a match where he's clearly the underdog. Rosalind and Celia plead with Orlando not to have his skull crushed. He replies that he'd just like their good wishes, as he's happy to die, has no friends to mourn him, and plenty of nothing to fill the space he leaves behind. Orlando, not exactly Little Miss Sunshine, then kicks Charles's butt. On meeting Duke Frederick after the fight, he announces he is Sir Rowland de Boys' son. Hearing it displeases the Duke, Orlando announces he'd rather keep his hateful name than be adopted into the Frederick family any time soon.
• 1.2: Orlando is reeling from the thanks of Rosalind and Celia, but more particularly, of Rosalind, whom he thinks is hot. He has defeated Charles, but his nervousness gets the better of him around this girl. He asks after the girls to find out their identity, and leaves the court when Le Beau tells him the Duke is out for blood, so he should really be on his way. He leaves, announcing he definitely has a thing for Rosalind.
• 2.3: Adam meets Orlando on his way home from the match and informs him that Oliver plans on burning him alive in his bed once he gets home. Dismayed, Orlando asks what he can possibly do now, or where he can go. He could beg or become a highway robber, but this doesn't so much suit his lifestyle choices, and he seems resigned to become the victim of his brother's malice.
• 2.3: Adam cheers Orlando with the idea that they'll live on Adam's accumulated savings (which is mighty generous of his servant). Orlando praises Adam for being a faithful, old-school kind of guy, and decides they'll run off together and find some low and degrading means of employment.
• 2.6: Orlando gives a hearty speech to Adam, who is starving, as they trek around in the Forest of Arden. Speeches aren't as good as food, though, so Orlando sets off in search of something edible.
• 2.7: Orlando runs into Duke Senior's feasting party and, sword drawn, threatens to kill them if they don't give him some food, ASAP. After he is chided by Duke Senior for being a bit rude, Orlando apologizes and speaks beautifully on his need for pity, being on hard times as he is.
• 2.7: After everyone gets past the whole threatening-while-brandishing-a-knife thing, Orlando asks them to hold off eating for just a bit while he runs to get Adam, like a doe finding her fawn. (He said that.) Thus Orlando falls in with the merry men of the forest, and more importantly, their yummy and very edible lunch.
• 3.2: Once nourished, Orlando papers the forest with little poems he's written for Rosalind, whom he can't stop thinking about. He's full of bad poetry and love.
• 3.2: Orlando bandies about with Jaques, and they discuss how much they dislike each other. As for Orlando and his unrequited love, Jaques invites the youth to rail against Fortune for a time and have a whining session about their misery. Orlando reminds us that he's an upstanding guy when he says that he won't utter a bad word against anyone but himself, whom he knows best. If being in love is his biggest fault, he's happy about it. Still, he suggests that Jaques drown himself, which is not so nice.
• 3.2: Rosalind/Ganymede pounces on Orlando, and mostly leads a philosophical conversation on the nature of time, while Orlando pipes in with the occasional question. Finally he comes to the point of claiming that he's the fellow vandalizing the forest with terrible poetry. He says he can't be cured of his love, and to prove it agrees to "woo" the youth, who he will pretend is Rosalind.
• 4.1: Orlando shows up to woo Rosalind/Ganymede, though he is an hour late. As Rosalind goes on and on, again Orlando has just a few questions. Still, he does jump to the good part, which is that he'd kiss Rosalind before he talked to her. Then he agrees to a mock marriage with Rosalind/Ganymede. After some more dithering about, Orlando takes some abuse for heading off to have dinner with Duke Senior. Despite the grief, he promises to return in two hours or so.
• 5.2: Orlando conferences with Oliver over the fact that he's known Aliena two minutes and would like to marry her. The irony of this situation—that Orlando couldn't even talk to Rosalind before he wanted to marry her—is lost on him (fortunately, though, not on us). Orlando then chats with Rosalind/Ganymede about the crazy kids Celia and Oliver, and points out that his heart is heavy to see his brother married when he himself is so deeply in love (and so deeply unsatisfied). He hears the happy news that Rosalind/Ganymede will find Rosalind for him, after professing his love for her.
• 5.4: Orlando reveals to Duke Senior that he's not sure whether Rosalind/Ganymede will deliver, and that he hopes so, but he fears not.
• 5.4: Orlando tells Duke Senior that the first time he saw Rosalind/Ganymede, he was sure the boy was Rosalind's little brother, yet he still bought the story of the whole forest upbringing (and didn't know he was wooing his cross-dressed lover).
• 5.4: Orlando is shocked and surprise to see Rosalind show up. He gets quickly to the business of marrying her.