Duke Frederick is the brother of and the usurper of his throne. While he initially allows , Duke Senior’s daughter, to remain in the company of his own daughter, , he then forces her, too, to leave court, on a seeming whim. Then, when he finds that Celia is missing and might be with , he forces Oliver to bring Orlando back to court, at the threat of death. Frederick is a forceful ruler, who often seems to assert his power just because he can. In the end, however, he undergoes a spiritual transformation after meeting a religious man on the road, and gives the dukedom back to Duke Senior, its deserving holder.