In As you Like It, the pastoral is juxtaposed with insincerity and dubious dealings of courtly life. The forest of Arden represents a refuge from the city. Although Arden is a hard place to live in, at least it is an honest place. There are also a lot of shepherds on this play and if anything says pastoral, it is shepherds. Shepherds represent honest work in nature, free of conniving and greed. The forest of Arden provides a place where societal norms can be tested. Everything from gender bending love to traditional loyalty is at play here.