BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare (born on 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poem and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays,154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-uponAvon. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry.

Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the 19th century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry". In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.

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 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 towards 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.

The Seven Ages of Man is taken from William Shakespeares famous play, This poem describes the seven phases in a mans life-from childhood to old age. The world is a global stage, 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.

 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.

 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 lover. 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 (family man )

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 a fair and justified life. His belly becomes bigger than normal. He is conscious about his diet and consumes a good intake of capon; a cockerel castrated to improve the flesh for use as food. 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 . 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 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; 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.

(1) The poet says All the men and women .are merely players because: a. they are good players b. they are not serious c. they play their roles in the drama of life d. they play for a short period in life drama

(2) Life is like a stage because: a. life is a drama b. life is temporary c. life is temporary ;like actors role on the stage d. men and women are actors and actresses playing their roles.
(3) The meanings of entrance and exit on the stage of life are: a. death and birth b. beginning of a drama The Seven Stages c. mans development and deterioration d. birth and death.

(4) The first stage in the drama of life is a. first act of life b. the infancy c. the new actor on the stage d. the beginning of the drama (5) mewling and puking means a. crying and demanding b. crying and sleeping c. sleeping in the arms of a nurse d. crying and vomiting in the arms of a nurse. (6) The main characteristic of an infant is a. cannot walk b. sleeps all the time c. depends on others d. Crying and vomiting

(7) The poet compares the world to a. a story book b. a film c. a stage d. a playground

(8) The poet compares "exit" to a. birth b. life c. doors d. Death (9) 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 (10) "Creeping like a snail" is an example of a. Metaphor b. Alliteration c. Personification d. Simile