Stages
By William Shakespeare The Seven Ages. By William Shakespeare
About The Poet William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, on April 23, 1564 and died in 1616. He is considered by many to be the greatest dramatist of all time. He wrote a book 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. This extract is taken from Shakespeare’s Play ‘As You Like It’
World’s a stage All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.
The Infant –First Stage At first the infant, mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
School Boy-Second Stage Then the whining school boy, with his satchel. And shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school.
The Lover-Youth-Third Stage And then the lover,sighing like furnace, With a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’s eyebrow.
Soldier-Fourth Stage 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.
Middle Age-The Justice-Fifth Stage And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut , Full of wise saws (sayings) and modern instances. And so he plays his part.
Sixth Stage-Old age The sixth age shifts into the lean and slippered pantaloon. With spectacles on nose and pouch on side His youth hose,well saved a world too wide Forhis shrunk shank;and his big manly voice, Turning again towards childish treble,pipes and whistles in his sound
Seventh Stage-Second Childishness Last scene of all That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness, and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything
WORD MEANING 1.mewling: crying 2.puking: being sick, vomiting 3.satchel: a small bag, for carrying school book 4.woeful: very sad 5.oaths: solemn promises 6.pard: leopard (a symbol of fierceness in Shakespeare’s time) 7.cannon: a big gun that fired cannon-balls made of iron 8.justice: judge 9.capon: a male chicken, very big and fat 10.saws: saying
11.slippered: wearing slippers(indoor shoes) 12.pantaloon: a funny old man, on whom other people play tricks 13.pouch: a soft fold of loose skin that hangs down, as a result of illness or old age 14.hose: tight-fitting leg coverings 15.shank: legs from the knees to the ankle 16.treble: a high voice 17.oblivion: forgetting everything, and being forgotten by everybody 18.sans: (pronounced like sone) a French word meaning without
LITERARY DEVICES USED BY THE POET; METAPHORS—IMPLIED COMPARISONS ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE. THE WHINING SCHOOL BOY. IN SECOND CHILDISHNESS
SIMILE; 1.CREEPING LIKE A SNAIL SIGHING LIKE A FURNACE. BEARDED LIKE A PARD.
Some of his important works are : MACBETH ROMEO AND JULIET AS YOU LIKE IT THE SEVEN AGES is an extract from AS YOU LIKE IT.
MESSAGE; Dear friends, Life is a journey,Life is a gift, make the best use of it. Remember we have only one Life to live, Love yourself-Respect the stages of life as you grow live your life to the fullest. “What you are is God’s gift to you What you become is your gift to God.”
COMPREHENSION: 1What is life compared to in the poem SEVEN AGES ? 2.List the stages of life given in the poem according to your Choice . 3 .Give examples of literary devices used by the poet . HOME WORK----- Make a similar power point presentation comparing life to the four seasons in a year.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT S : I Thank the,Principal for giving me this opportunity for presenting the power point. I also wish to thank my colleagues for their co-operation Thank You