ABOUT THE
POET
POET
·
William Shakespeare–
William Shakespeare–
·
A world famous playwright and poet. His genius
is considered beyond doubt. He is a milestone in English Literature.
A world famous playwright and poet. His genius
is considered beyond doubt. He is a milestone in English Literature.
·
Born – Birth date is not known. He was baptized on 26 April 1564 (Stratford
– upon – Avon, England).
Born – Birth date is not known. He was baptized on 26 April 1564 (Stratford
– upon – Avon, England).
·
Died
– 23rd April, 1616 (Stratford – upon – Avon. Warwickshire, England)
Died
– 23rd April, 1616 (Stratford – upon – Avon. Warwickshire, England)
·
Famous writings:
– He has written many world famous tragedies, comedies and historical novels.
Famous writings:
– He has written many world famous tragedies, comedies and historical novels.
·
He
has composed 154 sonnets of repute.
He
has composed 154 sonnets of repute.
·
”Macbeth”,
“As you like it”, “The Merchant of Venice”, “The Twelfth night” etc. are his
famous novels.
”Macbeth”,
“As you like it”, “The Merchant of Venice”, “The Twelfth night” etc. are his
famous novels.
Source of “The Seven Ages”
·
The
poem “The seven ages” is actually a speech delivered by the famous character of
the play “As you like it”, Jacques.
The
poem “The seven ages” is actually a speech delivered by the famous character of
the play “As you like it”, Jacques.
·
This
poem comes in the Act –II, scene – VII- Line – 139 to 167.
This
poem comes in the Act –II, scene – VII- Line – 139 to 167.
Summary
Shakespeare,
here through the character of Jacques has presented a pen picture of what we
know stages of a man. He talks about seven stages of human life. –
here through the character of Jacques has presented a pen picture of what we
know stages of a man. He talks about seven stages of human life. –
1)
Infant, 2) school boy, 3) A lover, 4) A soldier, 5) A judge, 6) Pantaloon 7)
and second childhood.
Infant, 2) school boy, 3) A lover, 4) A soldier, 5) A judge, 6) Pantaloon 7)
and second childhood.
Here
we get to know certain characteristics of different stages of human life. Of
all the ages, some of the ages do not have relevancy with the present time.
Shakespeare has artfully categorized all the stages and above all the
similarity of the first stage and last stage has given the poem an apt ending.
we get to know certain characteristics of different stages of human life. Of
all the ages, some of the ages do not have relevancy with the present time.
Shakespeare has artfully categorized all the stages and above all the
similarity of the first stage and last stage has given the poem an apt ending.
Use of Literary Terms
1. All
the world’s a stage (Metaphor)
the world’s a stage (Metaphor)
2. And
all …..(Line-2) Alliteration.
all …..(Line-2) Alliteration.
3. Men
and women (line-3) Antithesis.
and women (line-3) Antithesis.
4. “……exits and their entrances” (line-3)
Antithesis.
Antithesis.
5. Exit – Symbolized as ‘death’ (L-3)
Entrance – Symbolized as ‘birth’ (L-3)
6. ‘Morning face’ symbolized as beginning of
one’s life, (L-8)
one’s life, (L-8)
7. ‘Creeping like snail” – simile (L-8)
8. ‘Sighing
like furnace’ – Simile (L-9)
like furnace’ – Simile (L-9)
9. “…With a woeful balled -, .Mistress’
eyebrow” – Enjambment (Line 10-11)
eyebrow” – Enjambment (Line 10-11)
10. “bearded
like the pard” – simile – L-12
like the pard” – simile – L-12
11. “the
six age shifts into the lean ….” (Line – 19-20) Enjambment.
six age shifts into the lean ….” (Line – 19-20) Enjambment.
12. “shrunk
shank” – Alliteration L-23
shank” – Alliteration L-23
13. “This strange eventful history” – metaphor.
(Human life is compared with strange
(Human life is compared with strange
eventful history)
14. ‘Sans teeth ….sans
everything” Repetition. (L-28)
everything” Repetition. (L-28)
STRUCTURE
·
It
is a Narrative poem.
It
is a Narrative poem.
·
Imparts
information in humorous tone.
Imparts
information in humorous tone.
·
This
is written in free verse.
This
is written in free verse.
THE SEVEN STAGES
1)
INFANCY
INFANCY
It is the first period of a man’s
life. The span of this age is 0-4 years. During this time a man stays in the
lap of Nurse and spends time mostly in crying and vomiting the food taken.
life. The span of this age is 0-4 years. During this time a man stays in the
lap of Nurse and spends time mostly in crying and vomiting the food taken.
2)
WHINING SCHOOL
BOY
WHINING SCHOOL
BOY
In this stage a human is in the
tender age. He is guileless and loves to lead a life of fun and enjoyment with
agility. He is always complaining and is not at all willing to go to school.
With his satchel, he moves as slowly as a snail towards the unwanted school.
tender age. He is guileless and loves to lead a life of fun and enjoyment with
agility. He is always complaining and is not at all willing to go to school.
With his satchel, he moves as slowly as a snail towards the unwanted school.
3)
SIGHING LOVER
SIGHING LOVER
Third stage is the youthful
time. A man undergoes through some changes both physically and emotionally. He
is passionate about love matters and craves for lady love. He sighs like a
furnace for he is finds himself at the extremity of emotions. He is always remorse
for the failure in love. He goes on composing ballad praising on his mistress’s eyebrow. He is affected by love and desires to
win the lady love.
time. A man undergoes through some changes both physically and emotionally. He
is passionate about love matters and craves for lady love. He sighs like a
furnace for he is finds himself at the extremity of emotions. He is always remorse
for the failure in love. He goes on composing ballad praising on his mistress’s eyebrow. He is affected by love and desires to
win the lady love.
4)
THE SOLDIER
THE SOLDIER
This stage of life differs from
that of the previous one. Here life is full of responsibilities, swearing, oaths
and obligations. His thoughts revolve around country and the countrymen. He is
always found to be hot tempered with others and engages himself in fights over
a trifle. He is bearded like a leopard to justify his nature and passion. He
bears one main objective and the objective is to gain reputation and
recognition. He is even not bothered about the sacrifice of his life. To attain
bubble reputation, he is even ready to sacrifice his life in the mouth of
cannon.
that of the previous one. Here life is full of responsibilities, swearing, oaths
and obligations. His thoughts revolve around country and the countrymen. He is
always found to be hot tempered with others and engages himself in fights over
a trifle. He is bearded like a leopard to justify his nature and passion. He
bears one main objective and the objective is to gain reputation and
recognition. He is even not bothered about the sacrifice of his life. To attain
bubble reputation, he is even ready to sacrifice his life in the mouth of
cannon.
5)
THE JUSTICE
THE JUSTICE
Justifying the character of Jacques,
in this stage of judge he is full of intellect and he acquired this through
thorough experiences. He is portrayed with a big fat belly and compared with a
fat male chicken. This even indicates his bribe taking tendency. He is
furnished with eyes, with subtle judgement. He always presents himself higher
in social status when he uses sayings and modern instances.
in this stage of judge he is full of intellect and he acquired this through
thorough experiences. He is portrayed with a big fat belly and compared with a
fat male chicken. This even indicates his bribe taking tendency. He is
furnished with eyes, with subtle judgement. He always presents himself higher
in social status when he uses sayings and modern instances.
6)
THE PANTALOON
THE PANTALOON
The sixth stage is of a Pantaloon i.e. a funny old man. In this stage
a man goes through the period of superannuation. He becomes thin and weak. He
witnesses the senile decay of his physic. His skin becomes loose and he gets pouches . His eyesight gets
weaker and he puts on spectacle. The youthful dress does not fit him and that
is saved and unused. As he stays at home and cannot move for the lacuna of
strength, the world has become wide to him. His grave voice turns into pipes,
whistles, and childish treble.
a man goes through the period of superannuation. He becomes thin and weak. He
witnesses the senile decay of his physic. His skin becomes loose and he gets pouches . His eyesight gets
weaker and he puts on spectacle. The youthful dress does not fit him and that
is saved and unused. As he stays at home and cannot move for the lacuna of
strength, the world has become wide to him. His grave voice turns into pipes,
whistles, and childish treble.
7)
SECOND CHILDHOOD
SECOND CHILDHOOD
This is the last stage. This stage ends with a memory of a long
eventful history. A person in this stage has affinity with the childhood. Like
a child, a person is devoid of memory, teeth, eyes, taste, and everything.
Shakespeare consciously acquaints us with the decline of a man which he bears
in his next birth as a child.
eventful history. A person in this stage has affinity with the childhood. Like
a child, a person is devoid of memory, teeth, eyes, taste, and everything.
Shakespeare consciously acquaints us with the decline of a man which he bears
in his next birth as a child.