THE SEVEN AGES

SHAKESPEARE
(Q1.) What do the 'exits and entrances' signify?
(Ans) The poet compares the world to a stage on which people come and
go. Thus, the "entrances and exits "signify birth and death.
(Q2.) Which is the first stage in a man's life and what is it
characterised by?
(Ans) The first stage in a mans life is that of an infant who cries and pukes
in the arms of his nurse. Infancy is characterised by helplessness and
dependence. It cannot look after itself and needs looking after.
(Q3.) What does 'sighing like a furnace 'symbolise?
(Ans) The poet is talking about a lover. The lover pines for his beloved. He
heaves deep sighs. To a lover even an insignificant thing like the eyebrow of
his beloved is a worthy subject for writing a ballad.
(Q4.) Who is "Full of strange oaths, and bearded pard?"Which is the
poetic device used here?
(Ans) The soldier, which is the fourth stage of a man's life, has a beard like
a leopard. The poetic device used here is a simile.
(Q5.) Who does the poet refer to by "And then the justice,
In fair- round belly with good capon lined?"
(Ans) The poet refers to the judge. The judge is middle aged and has a well
rounded belly. He enjoys respect and status. He eats well.
The judge comes at the fifth stage.
(Q6.) Describe the appearance of a man in his sixth stage.
(Ans) The man in this stage wears his old clothes which have become
loose. He wears slippers with loose ill fitting pantaloon.
Man in this stage is old, thin and lean. His loose clothes, spectacles and bag
makes him a comic figure.
(Q7.) Why is the old mans hose a world too wide? How has mans
voice changed?
(Ans) Man in this stage becomes lean and his trousers become very loose
and ill-fitted. Man's voice in this stage becomes hoarse and rough. It starts
piping and whistling because of the absence of teeth in the mouth.
(Q8.) In what sense are men and women merely players on the stage
of life?
(Ans) Men and women are merely players on the stage of life. Just as there
are various acts in a play, life has various stages. Just as man plays many

roles in drama, mans character in life also changes. The entrance and exits
is compared to birth and death respectively.
(Q9.) The poet compares the world to a 'stage' and men and women
to 'players.'Elucidate.
(Ans) Through a metaphorical expression, the poet compares the world to a
stage. All men and women in this world are like players on a stage. Life is
transient like the actors role on the stage. As various actors and actresses
appear, play their roles and depart, so do the men and women in this world.
They are born, they come into this world, they play their assigned roles and
die. The men and women are players because when they are born, they play
their roles and depart just like actors and actresses who have a definite role.
Each human being has many parts to portray on this stage and transcends
into various forms.
(Q10.) Describe the context of The Seven Ages.
(Ans) The poem is written by William Shakespeare. It is an extract from one
of his plays. It describes the seven stages of human life. All the world is a
stage is a metaphor around which the poem revolves. Mankind goes through
seven phases of life. Just like actors, our life is controlled and directed by
seven stages. Shakespeare compares the world to a stage. All human beings
are actors who play their roles and then exit. This implies that all human
beings are born with a purpose and then die after enacting their roles.
(Q11.) In which way is the title of the poem, The Seven Ages
justified?
(Ans) The title describes the central theme of the poem. Describing the
entire span of life from birth to death in terms of a developmental process,
Shakespeare locates seven stages of development. He uses the dramatic
metaphor to talk about human life as a stage in which human beings are
mere players who perform seven roles in course of the passage of time. It is
imperative for every human being to pass through these seven phases of
life.