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Poem 03: The Seven Ages Of A Man
By William Shakespeare
English II (C)
For Class XII (All Groups)
- Pre-Reading (Exercise 01)
- While-Reading (Exercise 02 and 03)
- Post-Reading (Exercise 04, 05, 06, 07 and 08)
Poem: The Seven Ages Of A Man
By William Shakespeare
Pre-Reading
(Exercise 01)
EXERCISE 01: Look at the picture. Discuss in pairs.
1. How does life change with age?
Ans: Life changes in many ways as a person grows older. In childhood, people are dependent, emotional, and curious. As they grow into youth and adulthood, they become ambitious, responsible, and focused on love, career, and reputation. In later stages, people become wise but also begin to lose physical strength.
Finally, in old age, they return to a state similar to childhood, dependent on others and losing senses like sight, memory, and speech. Life goes through a complete cycle from helplessness to helplessness.
2. Predict what will your read in the poem.
Ans: The poem is likely about the different stages of human life, comparing it to a play where every person is an actor. It may show that people play different roles from infancy to old age, and life is full of changes, responsibilities, and ultimately ends in silence and death.
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While-Reading
(Exercise 02 and 03)
EXERCISE 02: Draw the line to match stage of life with their respective characteristics.
Ans: In the poem "All the World's a Stage" by William Shakespeare, life is divided into seven stages. Each stage has its own unique characteristics, and the poem compares life to a play where a person plays different roles. Based on the poem, the correct matching of each life stage with its characteristic is as follows:
1. Infancy — Helpless and dependent
2. Schoolboy — Eager and learning
3. Lover — Passionate and emotional
4. Soldier — Brave and ambitious
5. Justice — Wise and fair
6. Old Age — Weak and reflective
7. Second Childhood — Dependent and forgetful
This cycle shows how human life moves from total dependency in childhood to strength and wisdom in adulthood, and then returns to dependency again in old age.Ans:
EXERCISE 03:
Deduce the contextual meaning of the following words from the poem.
| Word | Contextual Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mewling | Crying softly like a baby |
| Puking | Vomiting (showing helplessness of infancy) |
| Satchel | A small school bag used by the schoolboy |
| Pard | Leopard (used to describe the soldier's bearded, fierce look) |
| Capon | A fattened rooster (symbolizing well-fed, comfortable lifestyle) |
| Saws | Wise sayings or proverbs spoken by the justice |
| Slippered pantaloons | Loose trousers and slippers worn by old men |
| Shrunk shank | A thin, weakened leg due to old age |
| Treble | High-pitched or childish voice |
| -Sans | Without (used for the loss of senses in old age) |
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Post-Reading
(Exercise 04, 05, 06, 07 and 08)
EXERCISE 04: Read the poem carefully and choose the correct option.
1. The phrase "seeking the bubble reputation" suggests that _____.
(a) reputation is easy to achieve.
(b) reputation is fragile and temporary. ✔
(c) reputation lasts forever.
(d) reputation is deceptive.
2. The poem depicts a schoolboy's attitude towards school as he _____.
(a) is excited to go to school.
(b) eagerly runs to school.
(c) drags himself unwillingly to school. ✔
(d) proudly carries his books to school.
3. In the stage of "the justice," the man is physically described as _____.
(a) bearded like a pard
(b) with spectacles on his nose
(c) full of strange oaths
(d) with a fair round belly ✔
4. Which of the following best describes the tone of the poem?
(a) Celebratory and joyful
(b) Bitter and accusatory
(c) Reflective and philosophical ✔
(d) Angry and rebellious
5. Shakespeare's main purpose in dividing human life into seven distinct stages in The Seven Ages of Man is to show that _____.
(a) each person's life is entirely unique.
(b) human life progresses through predictable stages ✔
(c) people are free from societal roles
(d) the unpredictability of life events
(Note: Number 2, 3 and 4 mcqs repeated at 6, 7 and 8 mcqs respectively in text book exercise)
EXERCISE 05:
Read the poem carefully in groups of two or three and answer the following questions in written form.
Q.l: What do the 'entrances' and the 'exits' represent in the poem "Seven Ages of Life"?
Ans: They represent birth and death. Shakespeare uses the metaphor of a stage play where people enter (are born), perform roles (live their lives), and exit (die). Life is seen as a temporary performance like an actor. In this poem, human like has been compared with the theatre where actors act their roles and quit. Life is not permanent like a stage on a theatre.
Q.2: How does a man play the sixth role on the stage of life in the poem The Seven Ages of Man?
Ans: In the sixth stage, the man becomes thin, feeble, and old, often wearing spectacles and slippers. His voice becomes childish again, and his world shrinks. This stage reflects the decline of physical strength and independence. He is so thin that his stockings are loose. His eye sight becomes so weak and cannot see properly. This is the maturity stage in a man's life due to wisdom, experience and sense of responsibility.
Q.3: How does Shakespeare's metaphor of the world as a stage reflect the transient nature of human life?
Ans: The metaphor suggests that life is temporary and performative. Like actors on stage, people come and go, playing different roles. No role or moment is permanent, emphasizing the fleeting and ever-changing nature of life. This poem reflects the quality of impermanence of life and the roles we play urging and navigating a brief stay in this world and exit. It also symbolizes the transitions and transformations that a man undergoes in this world.
Q.4: What is the first stage of life mentioned in the poem, and how is it described?
Ans: The first stage is infancy. The infant is helpless, "mewling and puking in the nurse's arms," showing the total dependence and vulnerability of a newborn child. Shakespeare describes the birth of the child as the first act of the drama of human life in this world. A man makes his entry as an infant who is fully dependent upon others.
Q.5: What is the meaning of "the bubble reputation" in the context of the soldier's life?
Ans: It refers to the soldier's desire for honor, even if it is short-lived, fleeting and fragile like a bubble. He is willing to risk his life for fame, which may vanish quickly and is often hollow or meaningless. He wants a great reputation in no time and without putting efforts for it. A soldier needs honor in order to maintain his image and reputation in this world. In this stage of life, a man requires honor, fame and pride which are more momentous than his own life.
Q.6: How would you divide the life of a modern human being into seven different ages?
Ans: Modern human life can be divided into seven stages as:
1. Infancy (0-3 years) – Helpless and dependent.
2. Childhood (4-12 years) – Playful, learning phase.
3. Teenage (13-19 years) – Emotional growth and confusion.
4. Young Adult (20-30 years) – Education, career beginnings.
5. Maturity (31-50 years) – Responsibility, family, and ambition.
6. Late Adulthood (51-70 years) – Reflection, wisdom, slowing down.
7. Old Age (71+) – Decline in strength, dependency, second childhood, preparing for the end of life.
(Example answer – can be adapted to personal ideas)
EXERCISE 06:
Read the poem carefully and write the critical appreciation of the poem.
Ans: Critical Appreciation — The Seven Ages of Man William Shakespeare's poem "The Seven Ages of Man", taken from his song As You Like it, is a profound reflection on the journey of human life. The poet compares the world to a stage and all humans to actors playing various roles through seven distinct stages: infancy, childhood, lover, soldier, justice, old age, and second childishness.
Shakespeare uses vivid imagery and powerful metaphors to explore each stage. For example, he describes the infant as "mewling and puking," showing helplessness. The schoolboy is reluctant, creeping "like snail," and the lover sighs "like a furnace." Each role is symbolic of the changing nature of human desires, responsibilities, and strengths.
The soldier is passionate but reckless, while the justice is wise and respected. As life progresses, physical and mental powers decline, and man returns to a second childhood—"sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."
The language of the poem is rich in figurative speech—metaphors, similes, and alliteration enhance its dramatic and philosophical depth. It presents life as both meaningful and fleeting, making readers reflect on the inevitability of aging and mortality.
Shakespeare's universal message—that life is temporary and people are merely performers is timeless. The poem teaches us to recognize the impermanence of our roles and the importance of accepting each stage with grace and understanding.
EXERCISE 07:
Explain with reference to the context the following lines.
| Lines No. | Lines |
|---|---|
| 1-5 | All the world's a stage ..... At first the infant |
| 6-10 | Mewling and puking ..... with a woeful ballad |
| 11-15 | Made to his mistress' eyebrow ..... And then the justice, |
| 16-20 | Into the lean ..... toward childish treble, pipes |
| 21-25 | And whistles in his sound ..... taste, sans everyting. |
Lines: All the world's a stage ..... At first the infant (1-5)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Seven Ages Of A Man" taken from the song As you Like it. This poem is written by William Shakespeare.
Explanation: These opening lines introduce the central metaphor of the poem—life as a stage. Shakespeare states that all people are merely actors who come and go, playing different roles. The "infant" is the first role, helpless and dependent, beginning the human journey.
Lines: Mewling and puking ..... with a woeful ballad (6-10
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Seven Ages Of A Man" taken from the song As you Like it. This poem is written by William Shakespeare.
Explanation: These lines describe the early years of a schoolboy. The child is unwilling to go to school, creeping like a snail. The "lover" then emerges, expressing emotions and writing sad poetry for his beloved, showing the emotional intensity of youth.
Lines: Made to his mistress' eyebrow ..... And then the justice, (11-15)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Seven Ages Of A Man" taken from the song As you Like it. This poem is written by William Shakespeare.
Explanation: These lines depict the transformation from lover to soldier and then to justice. The soldier is full of pride and courage, even risking life for "bubble reputation". The justice, however, represents maturity and wisdom, speaking with authority and experience.
Lines: Into the lean ..... toward childish treble, pipes (16-20)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Seven Ages Of A Man" taken from the song As you Like it. This poem is written by William Shakespeare.
Explanation: Here the man moves into old age. He becomes thin, wears glasses, and loses his former strength and energy. His world becomes limited, and he slowly returns to a more dependent state.
Lines: And whistles in his sound ..... taste, sans everyting. (21-25)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Seven Ages Of A Man" taken from the song As you Like it. This poem is written by William Shakespeare.
Explanation: The final lines show the last stage: "second childishness." The man becomes like a child again weak and forgetful, losing his senses and independence. The poem ends by showing that life completes full circle, ends as it begins in helplessness.
EXERCISE 08:
Enact the poem through role-play on the poem. Each player/actor would play a single role out of Seven Ages of Man.
Ans: Role-play Activity: Enacting the Seven Ages of Man
Each student will take on one of the following roles and perform a short act or dialogue showing the traits of that stage of life, as described in the poem:
1. Infant:
- Action: Pretends to cry and be held in a nurse's arms.
- Lines: "Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms."
2. Schoolboy:
- Action: Wears a backpack, acts unwilling to go to school.
- Lines: "With his satchel... creeping like snail unwillingly to school."
3. Lover:
- Action: Holds a letter or sings a sad song to a beloved.
- Lines: "Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow."
4. Soldier:
- Action: Wears a toy sword or salutes, ready to fight for honor.
- Lines: "Jealous in honour... seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth."
5. Justice:
- Action: Wears a robe or glasses, speaks wisely.
- Lines: "With eyes severe... full of wise saws and modern instances."
6. Old Age (Pantaloons):
- Action: Walks slowly with a cane or spectacles.
- Lines: "Lean and slippered pantaloons... spectacles on nose."
7. Second Childhood:
- Action: Acts confused, dependent, and slow.
- Lines: "Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."
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