The Seven Ages
Acknowledgment
This presentation is an outcome of ideas, comments
and suggestion given by teachers. We heartily
thanks our Principal- B. B. Mishra for the valuable
advices.
Further, we give our special thanks to ~
Our class teacher Mr. Sahir Sheikh sir for their
supporting and encouraging advices. We express
our glad gratitude to all my friends and family
members who have given precious time and support
in fulfillment of this project.
Theme of the poem
The poem “The Seven Ages”, which is actually an extract
from Shakespeare’s delightful comedy “As You Like It”.
This master piece of poetry is a moral commentary on life
written in an exceptionally exclusive style which is the
attribute of Shakespeare. The poem contains an amusing
and classical description on human nature and behaviour
which reflects Shakespeare’s deep awareness of human
psychology. The poet makes a comparison between world &
stage. He says that world is like a stage, life is like acting &
men and women are like actors. He classifies man’s life into
seven different ages.
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born in
Stratford - Upon- Avon . He is considered by
many to be the greatest dramatist of all the time. He
wrote 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and
about three dozen plays. Shakespeare used poetic
and dramatic means to create unified aesthetic
effects. In verse he perfected the dramatic blank
verse.
Poetry
All the world’s a stage
And all the men women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
The poet makes a comparison between world & stage. This
world is just like a stage of a theatre. All persons being
players are given different roles and both men and women
are having same entrance and exits.
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.
According to Shakespeare, every man plays several parts
during his life time. On the stage of life every man has seven
acts. The first act of man is infancy.
At this time all that the baby does is cry and puke on his
nurse's lap. After he goes through his infant life, he emerges as
a school child.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Shakespeare describes him as a boy having a face fresh like
morning, with his bag hanging on his side, walking
appropriately to school. In the beginning he does not like
going to school but gradually his thinking changes. When time
passes onwards the schoolboy transformed into a youngster.
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier
The young man is a lover who is busy composing ballads for
his beloved and sighing deeply for her attention. Gradually, he
graduates into a bearded soldier.
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous on honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation.
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
The soldier promises solemnly to guard his country. He is
filled with national pride, is quick to be insulted and is always
ready to spring up in defence. At this point of time he is more
concerned with status and reputation. From the agile soldier,
he goes on to become a judge.
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
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
The fifth stage of man’s life which he calls middle age or
“judge”. In fair round belly with good tasty food. His
body develops as he gets matured. Practically, his is a blend of
custom, morality, religion, and education. The visible authority
can be well located in him. Here he acts like the ruler, or chief;
the ultimate authorities to pass a judgment on any aspects of life.
After he has played this part, he goes into the sixth age.
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
Into the sixth age he becomes thin, wears spectacles, the skin
around him hangs loosely. The man grows older and becomes
weak.
His youthful hose, well saved, 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,
His clothes hang loosely around him and his once manly voice
turns into a high pitched, childish one. With this, man
enters the last act.
That ends this strange eventful history,
In second childishness and mere oblivion,
sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
This age of man’s life is more or less same as that of the second
phase of man’s life because at this stage man again behaves like
a child. He is overcome by senility and forgetfulness, as he loses
his faculties of sight, hearing, smell and taste, slowly but surely,
and ultimately dies.
Guided by:
Mr. Sahir Sheikh
Presented by –
Sabiya, Mitanshi, Ritika,
Aparna, Ayushi, Shivani,
Priyanshi, Anjali, Pragya,
Garima and Riya.