The Seven Ages

Made by-P.HarshavardhanRoll-389th BTHE SEVEN AGES-By William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare born on 26 April 1564,was an english poet ,playwright and an actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in theenglish languageand the world's pre-eminent dramatist.He is often called "Bard of Avon".His extant works consist of approximately38 plays and 154 sonnets, and two longnarrative poems. His plays have been translated into every languageand are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players,They have their exits and entrances,And one man in his time plays many parts,His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchelAnd shining morning face, creeping like snailUnwillingly to school. And then the lover,Sighing like furnace, with a woeful balladMade to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justiceIn fair round belly, with good capon lined,With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,Full of wise saws, and modern instances,And so he plays his part. The sixth age shiftsInto the lean and slippered pantaloon,With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side,His youthful hose well saved, a world too wide,For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,Turning again towards childish treble, pipesAnd whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,That ends this strange eventful history,Is second childishness and mere oblivion,Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

The Seven Ages of Man is taken from William Shakespeares famous play, As You Like It (Act-II, Scene-VII), describes the seven phases in a mans life-from childhood to old age. The world is a global stage and all men and women presented here are mere puppets in the hands of destiny. Just like the infrastructures of a stage, the world has its own entrances and exits. Every man in his full lifetime has many parts to play. His total number of acts in his lifetime is the seven ages. Summary

The first and foremost act of every human being is the stage of infancy , where he makes his presence felt by crying at the top of his voice and many a times vomiting any food or drink that is repulsive, at the nursing arms of his mother. This period normally last till four years of age.

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The second stage is the whining schoolboy where he learns to utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint. His shiny morning face and his satchel; a small bag, sometimes with a shoulder strap; he creeps like a snail and not willing to go to school.

The third stage is his early youth, the peak of love and high romance. He sighs like a burning furnace and sings the sad ballads of romance; full of woe; affected with, characterized by, or indicating woe: woeful melodies; to impress his lovers heart. The impression of her reply can be seen in her eyebrows.

The fourth stage is that of a soldier where life if full of obligations, commitments, compliances, oaths and vows. His beard is like a leopard or panther. He endlessly fights for his honor, a full presence of mind which is sudden and quick in quarrel and a heart to maintain a dignified reputation.

The fifth stage is the adult-hood where a man tries to live like a judge. His belly becomes bigger than normal. He is conscious about his diet and consumes a good intake of capon;His eyes are severe with seriousness and his beard is leveled to a formal cut. He is to take a lot of correct decisions to keep up with the ever changing times. So this stage is the most powerful stage in life.

The sixth stage is the middle-age. He prepares himself for the next level in life i.e. old age. He learns to relax from the hustles of life. His strength begins to weaken and spends more time within the roof of his house. He looks like a buffoon and an old fool in his rugged old slippers. He hangs his spectacles on his nose for reading and all his youthful hose; a flexible tube for conveying a liquid, as water, to a desired point. His voice begins to descend to a lower tone

The last stage is the old-age where he enters his second childhood. It is also the beginning of the end of his eventful history. It is also the stage of oblivion; the state of being completely forgotten or unknown; the state of forgetting or of being oblivious; official disregard or overlooking of offenses; He is without everything; without teeth, eyes and taste.

Life is a game, you win and you die. Life has its entrances and exits, This means we are all born and we all die at some point.

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