Class XII- Poetry Section Seven Ages of Man

THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN

INTRODUCTION
This speech is taken from Act II, Scene VII of As You
Like It, One of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. It is delivered by Jacques, one
of the groups of noble men living a life of exile in the forest of Arden. Jacques is sad
but an intelligent person. He present the sketches of the first five stages in a humorous
manner but the sixth stage takes a sad turn and the seventh sketch of extreme old age
is the most sorrowful.
CENTRAL IDEA ( SU B S T A N C E )
The entire world is like a stage of a theatre and all men and women are merely actors.
They come in this world and play their role. They play seven roles. Beginning their
role as a child, they play a role of schoolboy, a lover, a soldier, a judge, a funny old
man and the last role of very old man who has lost all the tastes of life. Birth is their
entrances and death is their exit from this world.
SUMMARY (APPRECIATION)
This speech is taken from Act II, Scene VII of As You Like It, One of Shakespeare’s
most popular comedies. It is delivered by Jacques, one of the groups of noble men
living a life of exile in the forest of Arden. According to him the whole world is like a
stage and we human beings are only actors. We play our role till death. A man in this
world starts his life as a helpless infant child depending on his mother. In second
stage, he is a schoolboy; he goes to school unwillingly with his bag of books. The
third stage belongs to his youth; in this stage he falls in love and does poetry in the
love of his beloved. He sighs like a furnace and sings songs in the praise of his lover.
The fourth stage is that of a soldier, he utters strange oaths and always ready to pick a
quarrel with others and tries to win fame and glory even at the risk of his own life. In
the fifth stage he becomes a justice. Now he is a wise and experienced man with a
sober personality. In the sixth stage he becomes old and looks life clown with a loose
pantaloon. He wears slippers on his feet, spectacles on his nose and small bag hanging
by his side. When he speaks he produces only a whistling sound in speech. The
seventh is the last stage of his life. He losses his memory. He is without teeth. His
eyesight weakens. He is without anything because he losses his all powers physically
as well as mentally.

EXPLANATION
1.And all the men and women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts being seven
ages
Merely Only Players Actors
Exits Death Entrances Birth
Parts Roles Seven Ages Seven Types
REFERENCE
These lines have been taken from the speech of AS YOU LIKE IT written by William
Shakespeare.
CONTEXT
This speech is delivered by Jacques, one of the groups of noble
men living a life of exile in the forest of Arden. He says that the entire world is like a
stage of a theatre and all men and women are merely actors. They come in this world

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Class XII- Poetry Section Seven Ages of Man

and play their role. They play seven roles. Beginning their role as a child, they play a
role of schoolboy, a lover, a soldier, a judge, a funny old man and the last role of very
old man who has lost all the tastes of life. Birth is their entrances and death is their
exit from this world.
EXPLANATION
In this pair of couplet Shakespeare says that this world is like a stage and every body
takes birth and plays his / her part as an actor. Every body plays a particular role in
his / her life. The poet is of opinion that everybody plays seven parts in his / her life
time.
2. At first the infant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the nurse’s
arms
Infant Child Mewling Crying
Puking Being Sick Nurse’s Arm Mother’s Arm
EXPLANATION
In these lines poet says that human being plays first role of the stage as an infant boy.
Infant boy weeps like a kitten, becomes sick and only his mother provides him
protection. He is helpless at this stage and depends on his mother (Nurse).
3. Then, the whining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . unwillingly to
school
Whining Weeping Satchel School bag
Shining Face Fresh Face Creeping Walk Slowly
Unwillingly Not Desirously Snail Slow walking Animal
EXPLANATION
In these lines poet says that second part
of his life is a schoolboy. He does not want to go to school. When he goes to school
with a school bag on his shoulder, his face shines. He unwillingly goes to school so he
walks very slow like a snail.
4. And then a lover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . his mistress’
eyebrow
Sighing Having Sigh Furnace Fire Place
Woeful Sad Ballad Song
Made to Written in Mistress Beloved
EXPLANATION
In these lines poet describes that a schoolboy then becomes a young and falls in love
with his beloved. He sighs and writes poetry in the love of his beloved. He composes
sad song in the love of his beloved. He praises the eyebrow of his beloved. He
dedicates his whole life for his beloved.
5. Then a soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cannon’s
mouth
Oaths Swear Bearded Having Beard
Pard Leopard Jealous Envious
Quick in Quarrel Quarrel some Seeking Searching
Bubble Reputation Hollow fame Cannon Gun / fire

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Class XII- Poetry Section Seven Ages of Man

EXPLANATION
Here poet tells that in fourth he becomes a soldier. Here he becomes responsible and
takes oaths for his country. He is full of passion and looks like a brave and sharp
leopard. He picks quarrel with others, for the sake of false fame. He does not care for
his life and ready to lay down his life for his country.
6. And then, the justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . he plays his
part
Round belly Bulging belly Capon Fat Cock
Severe Strict Formal cut Well mannered
Modern instances Saws Sayings
EXPLANATION
In these lines Shakespeare says that after the soldier he plays the role of justice and
due to excessive eating his belly becomes round and bulging and his eyes become
severe. He uses wise and modern sayings in his speech and set his beard. He wants to
prove himself as a wise man.
7. The sixth stage shifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . whistles in his
sound
Lean Thin Slippered pantaloon Loose dress
Spectacles Glasses Youthful hose Socks of youth
Pouch Bag Shank Leg
Turning Transferring Treble pipes Shaking voice
EXPLANATION
Here poet explains that at sixth stage he plays a role of a weak man, hanging a bag in
his hands. He becomes physically weak; he looses his eyesight and wears glasses. His
youth dress and stocks become loose for him, his legs shrink. He speaks in a shrill
voice like a child and at this stage he looks like a clown.
8. Last scene of all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sans taste, sans
everything
Scene Stage Event full Full of events
Childishness Infancy Oblivion Forgetfulness
Sans Without Everything Every joy
EXPLANATION
In these lines Shakespeare tells us the final stage of his eventful life that is the stage of
a very old man. He again becomes the dependent on others. He looses his memory, his
eyesight become weak; he cannot feel the joy of life and lives a life with out taste. At
this stage he becomes burden on his family and lives a miserable life in this world.

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