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    Em Mendoza
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    The poem describes the seven stages of a man's life as being like the seven ages of man on a stage. It begins with infancy, then moves through childhood, young love, soldiering, middle age as a judge, old age, and finally a second childhood before death. Shakespeare uses this metaphor to comment on human nature and behavior across the lifespan.

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    The poem describes the seven stages of a man's life as being like the seven ages of man on a stage. It begins with infancy, then moves through childhood, young love, soldiering, middle age as a judge, old age, and finally a second childhood before death. Shakespeare uses this metaphor to comment on human nature and behavior across the lifespan.

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    66 views13 pages

    The Seven Ages

    Uploaded by

    Em Mendoza
    The poem describes the seven stages of a man's life as being like the seven ages of man on a stage. It begins with infancy, then moves through childhood, young love, soldiering, middle age as a judge, old age, and finally a second childhood before death. Shakespeare uses this metaphor to comment on human nature and behavior across the lifespan.

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    of 13

    The Seven Ages

    Theme of the poem


    The poem “The Seven Ages”, which is actually an extract
    from Shakespeare’s delightful comedy “As You Like It”.
    This master piece of poetry is a moral commentary on life
    written in an exceptionally exclusive style which is the
    attribute of Shakespeare. The poem contains an amusing
    and classical description on human nature and behaviour
    which reflects Shakespeare’s deep awareness of human
    psychology. The poet makes a comparison between world
    & stage. He says that world is like a stage, life is like acting
    & men and women are like actors. He classifies man’s life
    into seven different ages.
    About William Shakespeare
    William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born in
    Stratford - Upon- Avon . He is considered by many
    to be the greatest dramatist of all the time. He
    wrote 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and
    about three dozen plays. Shakespeare used poetic
    and dramatic means to create unified aesthetic
    effects. In verse he perfected the dramatic blank
    verse.
    Poetry

    All the world’s a stage


    And all the men women merely players:
    They have their exits and their entrances;

    The poet makes a comparison between world & stage. This


    world is just like a stage of a theatre. All persons being
    players are given different roles and both men and women
    are having same entrance and exits.
    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.

    According to Shakespeare, every man plays several parts


    during his life time. On the stage of life every man has seven
    acts. The first act of man is infancy.
    At this time all that the baby does is cry and puke on his
    nurse's lap. After he goes through his infant life, he emerges as
    a school child.
    Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
    And shining morning face, creeping like snail
    Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

    Shakespeare describes him as a boy having a face fresh like


    morning, with his bag hanging on his side, walking
    appropriately to school. In the beginning he does not like
    going to school but gradually his thinking changes. When time
    passes onwards the schoolboy transformed into a youngster.
    Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
    Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier

    The young man is a lover who is busy composing ballads for


    his beloved and sighing deeply for her attention. Gradually, he
    graduates into a bearded soldier.
    Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
    Jealous on honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
    Seeking the bubble reputation.
    Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,

    The soldier promises solemnly to guard his country. He is


    filled with national pride, is quick to be insulted and is always
    ready to spring up in defence. At this point of time he is more
    concerned with status and reputation. From the agile soldier,
    he goes on to become a judge.
    In 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 shifts

    The fifth stage of man’s life which he calls middle age or “judge”.
     In fair round belly with good tasty food. His body develops as he
    gets matured. Practically, his is a blend of custom, morality,
    religion, and education. The visible authority can be well located
    in him. Here he acts like the ruler, or chief; the ultimate
    authorities to pass a judgment on any aspects of life. After he has
    played this part, he goes into the sixth age.
    Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
    With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

    Into the sixth age he becomes thin, wears spectacles, the skin
    around him hangs loosely. The man grows older and becomes
    weak.
    His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
    For his shrunk shank: and his big manly voice,
    Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
    And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

    His clothes hang loosely around him and his once manly voice
    turns into a high pitched, childish one. With this, man
    enters the last act.
    That ends this strange eventful history,
    In second childishness and mere oblivion,
    sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

    This age of man’s life is more or less same as that of the second
    phase of man’s life because at this stage man again behaves like
    a child. He is overcome by senility and forgetfulness, as he loses
    his faculties of sight, hearing, smell and taste, slowly but surely,
    and ultimately dies.
    Individual Activity:

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