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* SEVEN AGES OF

MAN

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

* BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE


POEM

* This poem is an extract from Shakespeares

play, As You Like It. It is in the form of a


speech by a character named Jacques. In it,
Jacques compares the world to a stage. On this
stage, each man plays the drama of his life. His
drama consists of seven acts. These acts
correspond to the seven ages in a mans life.

7
AGES
OF
MAN

Infancy: In this stage he is a


helpless baby and knows little.

Whining schoolboy: He is unwilling to leave


the protected environment of his home as
he is still not confident enough to exercise
his own discretion.

The lover: In this stage he is always


maudlin, expressing his love in a
fatuous manner. He makes himself
ridiculous in trying to express his
feelings.

The soldier: He is very easily aroused


and is hot headed. He is always working
towards making a reputation for himself,
however short-lived it may be, even at
the cost of foolish risks.

The justice: In this stage he thinks he


has acquired wisdom through the
many experiences he has had in life,
and is likely to impart it. He has
reached a stage where he has gained
prosperity and social status. He
becomes vain and begins to enjoy
the finer things of life.

Old Age: He is a shell of his former


self both physically and mentally.
He begins to become the butt of
others' jokes. He loses his firmness
and assertiveness, and shrinks in
stature and personality.

Second childishness: Senility;


dependence on others.

STRUCTURE
*
The poem is composed in free verse/ blank verse
(poetry with an unryhmed iambic pentameter lines).
The style is narrative.
Rhyme:
Internal rhyme: And shining morning face, creeping
End rhyme: with a woeful ballad
pouch on side
bearded like pard
a world too wide
Comparison
Metaphor is that figure of speech where comparison of
two different things are implied but not clearly stated.
Examples of metaphor in the poem are as follows,*All the worlds a stage
*And all men and women are merely players
*seeking the bubble reputation (reputation has been
termed as short-lived like a bubble)

Simile: A simile is a figure of speech in which two dissimilar objects are


compared and the comparison is made clear by the use of terms like like, such
as and so on. Examples of simile in the poem are,
*Sighing like furnace
*creeping like a snail
Onomatopeia is a sound device used by the poets to suggests actions,
movements and meanings.
e.g. The hissing of the snake made me shoo it away, creeping snail
Alliteration: Alliteration is the close repetition of the consonant sounds at the
beginning of words to facilitate narration. Example of alliteration in the poem
is,
*shrunk shank
*plays his part
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sound w/in words
e.g. shining morning face, creeping like snail; sudden and quick in quarrel
Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds w/in and at the end of the
words.
e.g. Into the lean and slippered pantaloon
Is second childishness and mere oblivion

IMAGERY are vivid images, clear


sounds and exact feelings
conveyed by the poet/
persona/speaker
Mewling and puking- hungry
Whining school boy- afraid of new
environment
Sudden and quick in quarrel- hot
headed

REPETITION words, phrases or


lines are repeated to serve a
purpose.
SANS..What do you think is the
purpose of repeating it four times?
Does it help in the understanding
of this poem?
Find another examples.

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