(from As You Like It, spoken by Jaques to Duke Senior)
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their 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;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made 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 justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
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
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, 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,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.About the poet
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford upon-Avon, England in 1564. His father, John Shakespeare was a hosier(specialized in glove making). William Shakespeare is one of the greatest dramatists of all time. He belonged to the ripest literary era of English Literature.
He is famous for introducing a variety of characters and several new English words He has written both comedies and tragedies. He was an actor and director as well. He had founded a theatre named Globe Theatre in London.
He had written thirty-seven plays and almost one fifty-four sonnets during his lifetime. Shakespeare went to King Edward VI Grammer School in Stratford, where he got an education in Latin grammar and literature.
He never entered any renowned college or university yet he composed the most thoughtful and sensational plays of all times. Some of his most successful plays were King Lear, Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, The Taming of the shrew, Tempest, As you like It, Romeo and Juliet, The Winter’s Tale’ etc. He died in 1616.
Main Summary
"All the World's a Stage"is an excerpt taken from William Shakespeare's play, 'As You Like It' (Act II, Scene VII). Here the character Jaques speaks about the seven ages of man from birth till death where he sees the world as a temporary stage where all of mankind plays particular roles in seven different stages of life. This poem is a masterpiece of Shakespeare’s keen observation and fine poetry. Shakespeare is regarded as the world’s greatest dramatist and poet.
In this poem, he has masterfully described various stages of human life. He compares the world with a big stage and all human beings are actors and actresses. Just like any stage, this world-stage also has its own entrances and exits. The entrance is our birth, and exit is our death.
Man first appears in this stage as an infant crying and vomiting in the arms of a nurse or mother. In the first stage, one is completely helpless, and dependent upon others, particularly upon his/her mother.
Then he is seen as a schoolboy with a shining morning face, walking slowly and unwillingly to school. Soon he becomes a young man burning with the passion of love and singing in praise of his beloved. It is the age of love and romance. In the next stage, he is like an ambitious soldier who is ready to undertake any adventure in order to gain honor and fame. He works hard for his life, family and country.
In the next stage, he plays his role as wise and mature justice. He transforms himself into an experienced man who can take lots of important decisions. Then we find him as an old man with spectacles on the nose and a bag in his hand. His size shrinks and his manly voice turns into a thin childish voice. His last stage is very pathetic as he loses almost all his senses and joys of life. By this time, all his activities come to a stop.
The poem draws a sad and realistic picture of human life. The underlying meaning is that life is temporary and changing phases of life pass rather too quickly. The language is simple and the imagery is attractive. He shows us that man’s stay in his world is quite temporary. After performing the role allotted by God, he leaves this world.
Short Summary -
This poem "All the World's a Stage" is a realistic poem that has been composed by a renowned English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. In the poem, Shakespeare compares the world with a stage and considers all the human beings merely the actors who have a entrance and exit in this world and all play seven different roles which eventually describe the seven stages of life that every mankind lives.
In the poem, Shakespeare says that every man has seven stages during his lifetime. He performs different seven roles in his lifetime and finally exits from this worldly stage. The first stage of a man is childhood. He plays in the arm of his mother. He often vomits and cries in this stage. In his second stage, the man is unwilling school going student. He becomes a lover in his third stage. He is very busy composing ballads for his beloved and yearns for her attention. In the fourth stage, he is aggressive and ambitious. He seeks reputation in all that he does. He is ready to guard his country and becomes a soldier. In the fifth stage, he becomes a fair judge with maturity and wisdom. In the sixth stage, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles. His manly voice changes into a childish treble. The last stage of all is his second childhood. Slowly, this is the stage where none of our six senses work and we are left devoid of everything. Thus, Shakespeare has presented the picture of the seven stages of a man's life in the poem 'All the World's a Stage'.
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Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem :
Brief Introduction:
This poem is taken from William Shakespeare's play 'As You Like It'. There is a character in this drama called Jacque, and this poem is his monologue. He is speaking to the Duke Senior.
Here Jacques compares the world to a stage. Every man and woman of the world plays the drama of his/her life on this stage. The drama consists of seven acts. These acts correspond to the seven stages in a man's life.
The seven stages are :1. the infant, 2. the complaining school boy, 3. the lover 4. the soldier , 5. the justice, 6. the elderly gentle man, 7. the old man. The poet has also presented the characteristics of each age.
Central Idea or the Theme of the Poem :
The central idea of this poem is the cycle of life from a man's birth to death. It is about how everyone in the world plays their own parts in life and how their characteristics change with their age. One starts life in helplessness and ends in the same way.
Another important theme of this poem is the transient (lasting or continuing for a short period of time)of life. We do not get our life for ever. It has a short span and we have to play different roles and finally we have to leave this world for ever.
Tone and Mood of the Poem:
A : This poem is written in a matter of fact and depressing tone.
B : This poem is written in a serious, somber mood.
Structure of the poem:
- There are 28 lines in this poem
- There are no different stanzas
- Type of poem: it is a lyric poem. It is a sonnet
- Rhyme Scheme: There is no rhyme scheme in this poem. It is written in Blank Verse
Major Poetic Devices in this poem
Some major poetic devices used in this poem are:
- Alliteration: examples : 'shrunk-shank', 'quick in quarrel', 'plays many parts' etc.
- Consonance: examples: 'shrunk-shank'
- Assonance: example: 'sixth age shifts'
- Metaphor: example: 'All the world's a stage'
- Simile: example : 'creeping like a snail', 'bearded like a pard'
- Repetition : example: Words like 'sans age' are repeated
- Extended metaphor: [An extended metaphor is that use of metaphor in a literary work that isn't just used in one line but it is extended over multiple lines throughout the work.] We find the use of extended metaphor in this poem. It compares the world to a very very big stage. This shows how all men and women are only actors in this production (of life drama). All have their entrances and exists (life and death). The poem goes on describing all the stages of life from birth to death. In this way the whole poem is a metaphor.
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Understanding the text :
Answer the following questions.
Question a : Why does the poet compare the world with a stage ?
Answer : In a theater (or in any performance) stage is a specific place for the actors. It serves as a place where actors come and play their roles.
The poet has compared the world with a stage because here all human beings play their different roles, deliver dialogues, and fulfil their duties and responsibilities.
Question b : What is the first stage in a human's life? In what sense can it be a troubling stage ?
Answer : The first stage of human life is the infant stage. In this stage s/he only cries and vomits in his/her mother's arms. S/he is not able to do any thing by himself/herself.
It's very troubling stage because s/he is entirely dependent upon others. So much so, s/he is not even able to express what s/he needs. Sometimes even mothers or other caretakers get irritated because of his crying or because of taking care continuously.
Question c : Describe the second stage of life based on the poem.
Answer : The second stage of of life is a school going boy/girl. Now s/he is in a school going age. Mothers send them to school, which most children don't like or enjoy. S/he goes to school with his school bag most unwillingly with slow steps and always weeping, crying and complaining.
Question d. : Why is the last stage called second childhood ?
Answer: In the final stage of his life, he changes from old to oldest age. In this stage all his activities almost come to a stop. S/he becomes extremely weaker. His/her memory, eye-sight etc. becomes very weak. S/he is even unable to perform his/her daily activities by himself. As in the first stage, in this stage also s/he becomes totally dependent upon others. So, this is like a second childhood.
Question e. : In what sense are we the players in the world stage ?
Answer : The poet compares the world to a very big stage. Here he shows how all men and women are only actors (role players) in the drama of life.
In any drama different actors have their entries and exits, and they have assigned (allocated) roles to play. Similarly, in life drama, we have entries and exits and have our allocated roles, which we have to play. Our entries start with our birth. And, fulfilling different roles, we become very old, and exit from the world (die).
Reference to the context :
Question a. : Explain the following lines :
All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players
Answer : The poet compares this world with a platform on which all men and women have arrived and will go after they have played their roles.Here life has been compared to a play or drama played by every men and women on the stage of the world. His/her seven stages of life are the seven acts of play. They enter this stage when they are born, and leave the stage when they they die.
Question b. : Explain the following lines briefly with reference to the context.
They have their exits and their entrances;And one man in his time plays many parts,
Answer : Reference to the Context : These lines have been taken from the poem "All the World's a Stage, composed by William Shakespeare. Here life has been compared to a play or drama. It describes various stages of human life.Explanation : In the life-drama, played on the biggest stage, world, we all are characters. We have our entrances (births) and exits (death). In between we play our different allocated roles. We play different roles (fulfil our assigned duties) and finally leave the world.
Question c. : Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.Then the whining school boy; with his satchelAnd shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school.1. Which stage of life is being referred to here by the poet ?2. Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line ?3. Who is compared to the snail ?4. Does the boy go to the school willingly ?
Answer :1. Here the second stage is being referred to, which is the complaining school going boy.2. The figure of speech employed in the second line is simile, because the comparing word 'like' is used to show the comparison.3. The unwilling school boy is compared to the snail. 4. No he is not going to the school willingly . His unwillingness is clear by his slow steps.
Question d. : Simile and metaphor are the two major poetic devices used in this poem. Explain citing examples of each.
Answer : Simile and metaphor are two major poetic devices. Such devices are used for comparison. The poet has used both of them in this poem.Simile : A simile is figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two things which have something in common, using words 'like' or 'as'.For example : The students are as busy as bees. Some examples of simile from this poem are : (a) 'creeping like a snail' (b) 'bearded like a pard'
Metaphor : A metaphor is also used for comparing two things. But in a metaphor, the comparison is made without the use of 'like' or 'as'.For example : He has a heart of lion.Some examples of metaphor from this poem are : (a) 'All the World's a Stage', (b) 'Seeking the bubble of reputation' .
Question e. : Which style does the poet use to express his emotions about how he thinks that the world is a stage and all people living in are mere players ?
Answer : The poet has used a descriptive form of writing to express his emotions about how he thinks that the world is a stage and all people living here are mere players.
These players go through seven different stages in their lives. The poet has given the features of all the stages.
Question f. :What is the theme of this poem ?
Answer : The major theme of this poem is cycle of life. It tells us how one starts out as an infant, helpless, without understanding, and ends in the same way without being aware of what is happening around him.
Reference beyond the text :
Question a. Describe the various stages of a human's life picturized in the poem. All the World's a Stage ?
Answer : The speaker compares the world to a drama or stage. All men and woman are only actors of this world stage. We enter with our birth and exit with our death. Between the entrance and exit, we play seven roles.
The first role is of infancy. It goes in crying, weeping and depending upon others for every little need. Then, the infant grows into a school going boy. His guardians send him to school, and he goes there most unwillingly.
Thirdly, he grows into a romantic youth. He is now full of energy. He falls into love. He tries to woo his beloved by singing songs for her. In the fourth stage, the boy turns a man. He has several responsibilities, both to his family and his country. He is brave, full of enthusiasm, and seeking reputation.
By the fifth stage, he is in the role of a wise justice. He is a middle aged man now. Experiences have made him wise like a judge. He has a large stomach and a clean cut beard by now.
In the sixth stage, he is an old man. He is lean and thin, with glasses on his nose. his manly voice turns into a childish treble. Seventh is the last act. It is the 'second childhood'. He becomes very old. His memory becomes weaker. Like in the first stage, he again becomes helpless, depending upon others for his every needs.It is now the stage of exit form the drama of life.
Question b. : Is Shakespeare's comparison of human's life with a drama stage apt ? How ?
Answer : Shakespeare has compared human life to a play or drama played by every man and woman. He has described seven stages of life, which are like the seven acts of a play.
The comparison of the world to a stage and people to actors goes before Shakespeare. We find such comparisons made in many philosophical books too.
But, even if nobody had written about it, it is by a simple observation of life around us we find the same thing happening. Everybody takes birth, grows, and with every growth, man's life changes. He works, fulfils duties and responsibilities according to age, and finally leaves the world.
This simple observation tells us Shakespeare's comparison of human life with a drama is very apt.--------------------------------------------Question: What is seven ages of man (All the World's a Stage) about ?Answer: This poem is about the different roles that we play in our lifetime. The poet has also called them the stages of a man's life.He has divided them into seven stages and has also told what role we play at which stage.💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
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Question 1
Why does Shakespeare call the world a stage?
Write a note on Shakespeare’s accurate observation of life in All the World’s a Stage .
Answer
Shakespeare has described the seven stages of man’s life. In each stage, man imagines himself as great and important. Shakespeare has described each stage of man’s life with a great choice of words. He uses living and beautiful images to describe the different stages of life.
The period of childhood has been delineated in a funny manner with the help of images mewling and puking in the nurse’s arm. The school goes to his school unwillingly. He has described to be creeping like a snail.
The lover sights like a furnace. A soldier is bearded like the pard. A few other words may not be out of place to mention for the description of different stages of man’s life. Choice of words is so appropriate.
The whole poem has been written with a full dramatic style. We see every stage of life going before our eyes. The poem is written in blank verse. The rhyme scheme is missing from the poem.
The poet has divided human life generally into seven periods or stages. The seven stages described by Shakespeare are symbolic of everyman’s life on earth. An infant always behaves in the way he does in the poem.
Most boys and girls are unwilling to go out of home for studies or some regular activities. All young people are moved by the passion for love and sex and like to be lovers and beloved. They want to fight for or struggle for their country in their spirit of patriotism.
Later in life, they want in a responsible position like that of a judge. The last two stages of old and very old men and women are common to all humanity. The poem is in fact an elegy on man’s universal state of helplessness and ultimate destruction.
Question 2
All the World’s A Stage in fact discusses the journey of life. Elaborate.
Answer
In this poem, William Shakespeare has beautifully explained seven phases of human life. He compares the world with a big stage and all human beings are actors and actresses. Firstly, a man appears on stage as an infant who cries and vomits in the arms of a nurse or mother.
Secondly, he is seen as a schoolboy with a shining morning face, walking slowly and unwillingly to school. Thirdly, he becomes a young burning with the passion of love and singing in praise of his beloved.
The fourth stage is that of a passionate soldier who is ready to undertake any adventure in order to gain honor and fame. Fifthly, he plays his part as a wise and serene justice. Sixthly, we find him as an old man with spectacles on the nose and a bag in his hand.
His size shrinks and his manly voice turns into a thin childish voice. His last stage is very pitiable as he loses almost all his senses and joys of life. The poem shows a sad and realistic picture of human life. The poet expresses to us that a man’s stay in this world is temporary.
After performing the role allotted to him by God, he leaves the world. I fact, the poem discusses the journey of a man in this world. In fact, human beings play their parts in life as characters play their roles on the stage.
Life is a drama, as the world is a stage and we human beings are actors. They intoxicate themselves with power, beauty, and wealth. They remain forgetful of the last two phases of their lives. So this shows the end of human life.
Question 3
Which stage, in your opinion is most accurately described?
Answer
In this poem, the poet has divided human life into seven stages. These stages are based on human activities from infancy to old age. He has given artistic details of various ages. It shows his keen observation and wonderful understanding of human life.
The description of various stages is quite accurate and truthful but the description of the lover’s stage is marvelous. The poet says that during youth time a love burns with the passion of love.
He is full of deep emotions. When he breaths, he sounds like a furnace. He also sings love songs in praise of the beautiful eyebrows of his beloved. His songs are full of grief and pathos as he wishes to get his beloved as soon as possible.
The description of a young man in this poem is accurate. The deep feelings and passions in a lover are a natural thing. In fact, sexual passion is at its peak due to adult age. The simile of signing like a furnace is apt and suitable.
The third stage of the lover in man’s life is the most appealing in the poem. It is a common experience to find lovers in their youth thirsting for love and satisfaction in the company of their beloved.
Shakespeare has delineated this third stage of man’s life in every attractive and interesting way because he provides a true picture of a lover anxious to get his beloved. A young man cannot disagree with Shakespeare’s description of the lover.
Question 4
Write a note on the fourth and fifth stages of man’s life.
Explain the fourth and fifth stage of life as depicted in All the World’s a Stage.
Answer
William Shakespeare has shown us the most realistic and accurate picture of the fourth stage of man’s life. In this time man becomes a passionate soldier. He is ready to undertake any adventure in order to gain honor, glory, and fame.
In fact, at this stage, a man has all the qualities of a fit soldier. He is at the peak of his youth and physical strength. His practical life begins at this stage. He sets high aims and makes great vows.
with his small beard, he looks like a leopard. Power in his body forces him to accept any challenge. He wants to surpass others. Even for temporary fame, he is ready to take risks in his life. For the sake of reputation, he is ready to jump into The cannon’s mouth.
Through the metaphor of cannon, the poet brings the irony of the soldier’s situation. He wants to become famous but he is not remembered long after his act of bravery or even death. The bubble reputation must burst or end in nothingness.
In the fifth stage, a man plays his role as a wise and serious justice. Now, he is mature in mind. He becomes a good judge of things. He can wisely tell right from wrong. His belly becomes round due to eating fat cocks. His beard is fashionable.
He pays full attention to the details of every matter. His conversation is full of proverbs and wise sayings. In his conversation, he uses instances of past and present events. In this way, he plays a very important and useful role in society.
The fifth stage of man’s life described by Shakespeare is so well known to us all. We see judges of law courts in their mature age. They are surely very true to the poet’s delineation. The judges of the highest courts enjoy all kinds of facilities of life.
They live in grand houses, eat fine food, and have servants of all kinds. Their bellies are full of chicken and other rich food. They keep in excellent health which comes from their modes of life and satisfaction.
The fourth and fifth stages of man’s life are thus, very important for social and cultural continuity and national integrity. On them the well-being, dignity, and true progress of all states. The absence of judges in our country shook the very foundations of our society.
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