StagesStages

The Seven Ages.The Seven Ages.

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William William ShakespeareShakespeare

About The PoetAbout The Poet William Shakespeare was born in William Shakespeare was born in

Stratford-upon-Avon, on April Stratford-upon-Avon, on April 23, 1564 and died in 1616. He is 23, 1564 and died in 1616. He is considered by many to be the considered by many to be the greatest dramatist of all time. greatest dramatist of all time. He wrote a book 154 sonnets, He wrote a book 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and two long narrative poems and about three dozen plays. about three dozen plays. Shakespeare used poetic and Shakespeare used poetic and dramatic means to create dramatic means to create unified aesthetic effects. In unified aesthetic effects. In verse he perfected the dramatic verse he perfected the dramatic blank verse. This extract is blank verse. This extract is taken from Shakespeare’s Play taken from Shakespeare’s Play ‘As You Like It’ ‘As You Like It’

World’s a stageWorld’s a stage

• All the world’s a stage.All the world’s a stage.

• And all the men and women merely And all the men and women merely players.players.

• They have their exits and their They have their exits and their entrances;entrances;

• And one man in his time plays many And one man in his time plays many parts,parts,

• His acts being seven ages.His acts being seven ages.

The Infant –First Stage The Infant –First Stage

• At first the infant, mewling and At first the infant, mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.puking in the nurse’s arms.

School Boy-Second StageSchool Boy-Second Stage

• Then the whining school boy, with his Then the whining school boy, with his satchel.satchel.

• And shining morning face, creeping And shining morning face, creeping like snail unwillingly to school.like snail unwillingly to school.

The Lover-Youth-Third StageThe Lover-Youth-Third Stage

• And then the lover,sighing like And then the lover,sighing like furnace,furnace,

• With a woeful ballad With a woeful ballad

• Made to his mistress’s eyebrow.Made to his mistress’s eyebrow.

Soldier-Fourth StageSoldier-Fourth Stage

• Then a soldier.Then a soldier.

• Full of strange oaths, and bearded Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,like the pard,

• Jealous in honour,sudden and quick Jealous in honour,sudden and quick in quarrel,in quarrel,

• Seeking the bubble reputation.Seeking the bubble reputation.

• Even in the cannon’s mouth.Even in the cannon’s mouth.

Middle Age-The Justice-Fifth Middle Age-The Justice-Fifth StageStage• And then the justice,And then the justice,• In fair round belly with In fair round belly with

good capon lined,good capon lined,• With eyes severe and With eyes severe and

beard of formal cut ,beard of formal cut ,• Full of wise saws Full of wise saws

(sayings) and modern (sayings) and modern instances.instances.

• And so he plays his And so he plays his part.part.

Sixth Stage-Old ageSixth Stage-Old age

• The sixth age shifts into the The sixth age shifts into the lean and slippered pantaloon.lean and slippered pantaloon.

• With spectacles on nose and With spectacles on nose and pouch on sidepouch on side

• His youth hose,well saved a His youth hose,well saved a world too wideworld too wide

• Forhis shrunk shank;and his big Forhis shrunk shank;and his big manly voice,manly voice,

• Turning again towards childish Turning again towards childish treble,pipes and whistles in his treble,pipes and whistles in his soundsound

Seventh Stage-Second Seventh Stage-Second ChildishnessChildishness

• Last scene of all Last scene of all

• That ends this strange eventful That ends this strange eventful history,history,

• Is second childishness, and mere Is second childishness, and mere oblivion,oblivion,

• Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything sans everything

WORD WORD MEANINGMEANING1.mewling: crying1.mewling: crying

2.puking: being sick, vomiting2.puking: being sick, vomiting

3.satchel: a small bag, for carrying school book3.satchel: a small bag, for carrying school book

4.woeful: very sad4.woeful: very sad

5.oaths: solemn promises5.oaths: solemn promises

6.pard: leopard (a symbol of fierceness in Shakespeare’s time)6.pard: leopard (a symbol of fierceness in Shakespeare’s time)

7.cannon: a big gun that fired cannon-balls made of iron7.cannon: a big gun that fired cannon-balls made of iron

8.justice: judge8.justice: judge

9.capon: a male chicken, very big and fat9.capon: a male chicken, very big and fat

10.saws: saying10.saws: saying

11.slippered: wearing slippers(indoor shoes)11.slippered: wearing slippers(indoor shoes)12.pantaloon: a funny old man, on whom 12.pantaloon: a funny old man, on whom

other people play tricksother people play tricks13.pouch: a soft fold of loose skin that hangs 13.pouch: a soft fold of loose skin that hangs

down, as a result of illness or old agedown, as a result of illness or old age14.hose: tight-fitting leg coverings14.hose: tight-fitting leg coverings15.shank: legs from the knees to the ankle15.shank: legs from the knees to the ankle16.treble: a high voice16.treble: a high voice17.oblivion: forgetting everything, and being 17.oblivion: forgetting everything, and being

forgotten by everybody forgotten by everybody 18.sans: (pronounced like sone) a French 18.sans: (pronounced like sone) a French

word meaning withoutword 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 I Thank the,Principal for giving me this opportunity for presenting the power point.opportunity for presenting the power point.

I also wish to thank my colleagues for their I also wish to thank my colleagues for their co-operationco-operation Thank YouThank You