2. AcknowledgmentAcknowledgment
First of all ,I would Like to thank my English
teacher for giving me an opportunity to present a
presentation on the topic “The Seven Ages by
William Shakespeare”.
I would also like to thank my parents and
brother for assisting and guiding me throughout
the presentation.
3. Theme of the poemTheme 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 behavior 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. 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.
4. William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare, born on 26
April 1564 was an English poet
,playwright ,and actor, widely regarded
as the greatest writer in the English
language and the world's pre-eminent
dramatist. He is often called England's
national poet, and the "Bard of Avon".
His extant works,
including collaborations, consist of
approximately 38 plays, 154 sonnets,
two long narrative poems, and a few
other verses, some of uncertain
authorship. His plays have been
translated into every major living
language and are performed more
often than those of any other
playwright.
5.
6. PoetryPoetry
All the world’s a stage
And all the men women merely players:
They have their exits and their 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.
7. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful
ballad
Made to his mistress’ yebrow.
Then a 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,
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.
8. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and
slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose
and pouch on side,
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,
That ends this strange eventful history,
In second childishness and mere oblivion,
sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans
everything.
10. The First StageThe First Stage
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.
11. The Second StageThe Second Stage
After he goes through his infant life,
he emerges as a school child.
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.
12. The Third StageThe Third Stage
When time passes onwards
the schoolboy transformed
into a youngster.
The young man is a lover
who is busy composing
ballads for his beloved and
sighing deeply for her
attention.
13. The Fourth StageThe Fourth Stage
Gradually, he graduates into a
bearded soldier.
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 defense. At this
point of time he is more
concerned with status and
reputation.
14. The Fifth StageThe Fifth Stage
From the agile soldier, he goes on to
become a judge.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
15. The Sixth StageThe Sixth Stage
After he has played this part,
he goes into the sixth age.
Into the sixth age he becomes
thin, wears spectacles, the
skin around him hangs
loosely. The man grows older
and becomes weak. His
clothes hang loosely around
him and his once manly
voice turns into a high
16. The Seventh StageThe Seventh Stage
With this, man enters the last act. 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.
