MODULE 3: Unit 4
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Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box to complete the
summary of the poem.
Shakespeare considers the whole world a stage where men and women are only (1)
_____. They (2) _____ the stage when they are born and exit when they die. Every
man, during his life time, plays seven roles based on age. In the first act, as an infant,
he is wholly (3) _____ on the mother or a nurse. Later, emerging as a school child, he
slings his bag over his shoulder and creeps most (4) _____ to school. His next act is
that of a lover, busy (5) _____ ballads for his beloved and yearns for her (6) _____. In
the fourth stage, he is aggressive and ambitious and seeks (7) _____ in all that he does.
He (8) _____ solemnly to guard his country and becomes a soldier. As he grows older,
with (9) _____ and wisdom, he becomes a fair judge. During this stage, he is firm and
(10) _____. In the sixth act, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles. His manly
voice changes into a childish ____. The last scene of all is his second childhood.
Slowly, he loses his _____ of sight, hearing, smell and taste and exits from the roles
of his life.
attention
actors
serious
enter
treble
maturity
faculties
promises
reluctantly
reputation
composing
dependent
Write your answers here.
1. actors
2. enter
3. dependent
4. reluctantly
5. composing
6. attention
7. reputation
8. promises
9. maturity
10. serious
11. treble
12. faculties
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Exercise 2. From your understanding of the poem, answer the following questions
briefly in a sentence or two.
1. What is the world compared to?
According to the poem, the world is compared to a stage. A stage
where the human beings are merely actors or the players. It symbolizes how
we, humans play our assigned roles or task in our every day living here on
Earth.
2. “And they have their exits and their entrances” - What do the words ‘exits’ and
‘entrances’ mean?
The words ‘entrances’ and ‘exits’ mean or symbolize birth and death.
When we came out from our mother’s womb is our entrance here on Earth. After
playing our roles, whether we are ready or not or even if we haven’t finished our
task yet, the time will come that we will die. This only connotes that just like a
drama, our life has its beginning and of course ending.
3. Bring out the features of the fourth stage of a man as described by the poet.
As we read the poem, we can visualize that the fourth stage of a man is when
a man shows aggressiveness, ambitious trait and he is already seeking reputation
in all that he want to pursue. In the poem, the poet mentioned a soldier who is
determined or eager to protect his beloved country by becoming a soldier.
4. When does a man become a judge? How?
Based on the poem, a man becomes a judge in the fifth stage. It is when a man
grows into an adult or becomes matured and wise. In this stage, he is already firm
and serious about his opinions.
5. Why is the last stage called second childhood?
The last stage of a man is considered as second childhood because when a
man grows old, he is slowly losing his senses. He is starting to lose his vision, hear,
smell and taste food. During childhood, a child cannot see something’ hear even small
noises, smell fragrance and even taste anything. That is the reason why the last stage
is also called as the second childhood.
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Exercise 3. Read and understand the following questions then choose the letter of
your answer. Write your answer in the space before the number.
__d__ 1. All the world's a stage is an extended metaphor for :
a.
b.
c.
d.
the life shown in well-known plays
life of well-known actors
seeing the well-known plays
life of man that comes to an end.
__a__ 2. All 'have their exits and their entrances'. Exits and entrances refer to :
a.
b.
c.
d.
birth and death
beginning and end of play
coming and going of actors
the end of the Shakespearean era
__a__ 3. The seven roles that a man plays corresponds to his :
a.
b.
chronological age in life
mental age in life
c. desires
d. idea of a perfect life
__c__ 4. The word which means crying in the poem :
a.
b.
weeping
puking
c. mewling
d. woeful
__c__ 5. The Whining school boy is compared to :
a. a bearded pard
c. a creeping snail
b. a sighing furnace
d. a fighting lion
__c__ 6. Who is singing a woeful ballad
a.
b.
soldier
judge
c. lover
d. pantaloons
__b__ 7. The characteristic feature of soldier is :
a.
b.
dependent
bearded
c. forgetfulness
d. moody
__a__ 8. Which of the following is a simile?
a.
b.
bearded like the pard
c. all the world's stage
both of them
d. none of the above
__a__ 9. Which of the following is considered as a metaphor :
a.
b.
the bubble reputation
c. creeping like snail
both of them
d. none of the above
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__b__ 10. The word in the passage which means 'without' :
a. oblivion
b. sans
c. treble
d. shank
Exercise 4. Based on your understanding of the poem, answer the question in about
100 – 150 words each. You may add your own ideas if required, to present
and justify your point of view.
Shakespeare has skillfully brought out the parallels between the life of man and
actors on stage. Elaborate this statement with reference to the poem.
Shakespeare compared the whole world to a stage where men and women are
only actors. Wherein player enters the stage, acts his/her part and then exits. In the
same way, we enter in this world by birth. After playing out roles, wee exit from this
world at the time of our death. Shakespeare says that every man has seven stages
during his life time. In a drama, a player loves his beloved for the sake of the play. At
the end, the players say goodbyes and part away. In real life, husband and wife lead
their life till death knocks at their door. The players in the drama really wants the
reputation for their performance. For fame and name, they give their best on the
stage. A man in the fourth stage also is an aggressive and ambitious. He seeks
reputation in all what he does, like the player in the drama. Thus, the poet has skillfully
brought out the parallels between the life of man and actors on stage.
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