William Shakespeare(1564-William Shakespeare(1564-1616)was born in Stratford-1616)was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is considered upon-Avon. He is considered by many to be the greatest by many to be the greatest

dramatist of all time. He wrote dramatist of all time. He wrote 154 sonnets,two long 154 sonnets,two long

narrative poems and about narrative poems and about three dozen plays. three dozen plays.

Shakespeare used poetic and Shakespeare used poetic and dramatic means to create dramatic means to create

unified aesthetic effects. In unified aesthetic effects. In verse he perfected the verse he perfected the dramatic blank verse.dramatic blank verse.

All the world's a stage,All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and entrances; They have their exits and entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchelThen, the whining schoolboy with his satchelAnd shining morning face, creeping like snailAnd shining morning face, creeping like snailUnwillingly to school. And then the lover,Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier. Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier. Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,Jealous in honour , sudden, and Jealous in honour , sudden, and quickquick in quarrel, in quarrel,Seeking the bubble reputation.Seeking the bubble reputation.Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,In fair round belly, with good capon lined,In fair round belly, with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws, and modern instances; Full of wise saws, and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slippered Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,pantaloon,With spectacles on nose and With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, pouch on side,

His youthful hose, well saved, a His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wideworld too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,manly voice,

Turning again toward childish Turning again toward childish treble, pipestreble, pipesAnd whistles in his sound. Last And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,scene of all,That ends this strange eventful That ends this strange eventful history,history,Is second childishness and Is second childishness and mere oblivion,mere oblivion,Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.taste, sans everything.

The theme of the Seven Ages of The theme of the Seven Ages of Man is the cycle of life. This is Man is the cycle of life. This is clearly expressed by the infant who clearly expressed by the infant who progresses to an invalid old man progresses to an invalid old man through the seven stages. He starts through the seven stages. He starts by picking up on something the by picking up on something the Duke has said and reflects, 'All the Duke has said and reflects, 'All the world's a stage, and all the men world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players'.and women merely players'.

• SimilesSimiles: : figures of speech that compares figures of speech that compares two unlike things, using the words two unlike things, using the words likelike or  or as . e.g :-as . e.g :-

creeping like snail creeping like snail sighing like furnacesighing like furnace• AlliterationAlliteration:: the repetition of consonant  the repetition of consonant

sounds at the beginning of words. e.g :-sounds at the beginning of words. e.g :- a a wworld too orld too wwideide for his for his sshrunk hrunk sshankhank• MetaphorMetaphor:: figures of speech that compares figures of speech that compares

two unlike things, without using the two unlike things, without using the words words likelike or as . e.g :- or as . e.g :-

bubble reputationAll the world’s a stage

““THE SEVEN AGES” is actually THE SEVEN AGES” is actually one of the many speeches of a one of the many speeches of a melancholy character Jaques, melancholy character Jaques, in Shakespeare’s play “As You in Shakespeare’s play “As You Like It” . It presents a cynical Like It” . It presents a cynical view of life that is held by a view of life that is held by a person who looks only at the person who looks only at the dark side of things. The idea dark side of things. The idea that a man’s life consists of that a man’s life consists of seven ages was an everyday seven ages was an everyday saying in Shakespeare’s time. saying in Shakespeare’s time.

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

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

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

                

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

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

The sixth stage is the middle-age. Here is where 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 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; saved for the world too wide. His shank begins to shrink with time; the part of the lower limb in humans between the knee and the ankle; leg. Even his voice begins to descend to a lower tone. In his free time, he smokes his pipe and whistles his

matured melodies.

  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.

• Question:    The poet compares the world to _________.

a)a story bookb)a filmc) a staged)a playground

Question:    The poet compares "exit" to _______.

a) birth

b) life

c) doors

d) death

• Question:    In the second stage of life man ________.

a. mews and pukes

b. goes to school unwillingly

c. cries in his nurses lap

d. sings and plays

• Question:    As a young lover, according to the poet, man _____.

a) learns to dance

b) composes ballads for his beloved

c) goes hunting in the forest

d) does exercises to build his muscles

• Question:    The poet describes man as a soldier in the ________.

a) Third stage

b) Fourth stage

c) Fifth stage

d) Sixth stage

•Read the extract and answer the given questions

“Sighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrows”.

a. Name the stage in man's life.Ans. This is the lover's stage.

b. What is 'woeful ballad‘?Ans. It refers to the sad, romantic verse or song written

about his true love.

c. What is the figure of speech in the first line?Ans. The figure of speech used is simile - 'sighing like a

furnace'

Ques. Why has reputation been described as ‘bubble’?

What is ironical about a soldier dying for it?

• Ans. Reputation has been described as ‘bubble’because it is transitory(short-lived) by nature. The irony is that the soldier does not survive to enjoy the reputation he has defended.

Ques. Bring out anology (camparison) between the

world and the stage.• Ans. Men and women on the earth are merely players in the drama of life. Just as there are various ‘acts’ or parts in a play, life has various stages,too. The entrance in a ‘role’ is comparable to birth and exit is similar to death. At every stage, like the acts of play, Man’s character changes. Thus the comparison between life and drama, between the world and stage is total and absolute.

Ques. What are the similarities between last and first stage of

infancy?

Ans. Just as man in his infancy is absolutely helpless and

totally dependent ,man is the last stage of senility ,too

becomes totally dependent on others. Weak and feeble, with all his senses failing, he is not able to do anything himself. Toothless like an infant his

voice too becomes child like. It is at this stage of life that he

stands at the threshold of death.