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Summary of the poem the Seven Ages by William Shakespeare..!

Answer 1

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Please give a summary of the poem "Seven Ages of Man" by William Shakespeare.
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WORDPROF eNotes educator| CERTIFIED EDUCATOR

Jacques’ set piece here is almost a lesson to actors, as he compares the stages of Man’s (male) maturation, by making use of three devices that are available to the actors: physical changes, clothing changes, and changes in social status. The physical changes begin in infancy (mewling and puking), to middle age (fair round belly), to the famous list of losses in old age—teeth, hair, etc.; the clothing and props changes begin with the satchel of the schoolchild, to the slippers and pantaloons of old age; the social changes, from schoolboy thru solder and justice to second childhood. The details of each age act like synecdoches (a detail standing for the abstract totality)—beard, spectacles, etc.—each detail a stage prop or costume piece to make the character immediately recognize to the (theatre or social) spectator. While it is tempting to say that this poem is independent of the play, and just dropped into it like classical Spanish Golden Age plays’ habit of inserting poems in the middle of the dramatic development, this speech is well within Jacques’ character in this play—playful, comically philosophical, verbose. The actual progression through the seven "ages" serves as the structure for the speech.


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Answer 2

$\large {\bold {THE \: SEVEN \: AGES}}$

This poem is written by "William Wordsworth".

The poet in this poem refers all this world is a stage. All the human beings are mere players. They take birth and die as in a play one enters and exits. Thus there is not much difference between a stage and the world.

Every man in the world has to play seven roles according to his age. At first, human comes into existence as an $\bold {infant}$ who is dependent on others and used to crying and vomiting in his mother's arms. After this, the infant grows into a $\bold {school \: boy}$ who always hates to go to school. He walks like a snail in a lazy manner as he does not like to read and write. He does not want to study.

Now the school boy comes in his $\bold {adolescence}$ age and he becomes a lover. He always burns like a furnace as he is not able to get his love and always sings sad songs which are made to his beloved's beauty. Then, this sad lover changes into a $\bold {Soldier}$. This is the time of his youth. He is full of courage and energy. He is full of jealousy for honour and often quarrels with others. Thus, this time for him to get reputation and prestige by showing his power and strength.

As a soldier, he never hesitate in going to the jaws of death, i. e., he is it always ready to do dangerous tasks. Then as his age grows, he lays the part of a $\bold {judge}$. Now he becomes familiar to the vices of the world. He exercises corruption and soon transforms as a fat man. False wisdom also seems to flow from his eyes. He gifts practical and modern examples to all of the people.

Now, his sixth stage of life begins. He grows $\bold {old}$ and becomes of lean fellow. He thinks of his age of youth and by now his hard voice becomes a whistling sound because all his teeth has fallen now.

Now, comes the last and final stage of a man that is, $\bold {senility}$. He grows much older. In his oldness he becomes an infant again, not from his body but from his habits. He losses his memory, eyesight, hearing power and at last dies. Thus all his parts of this worldly stage come to end.