answersLogoWhite

0

It's not actually a poem, but a speech said by the character Jacques in Shakespeare's play As You Like It. The voice we hear is not Shakespeare's but that of a chronically depressed and unemployed nobleman, hanging around the court-in-exile of a deposed Duke. He is responding to the Duke saying that there are some people who are even worse off than he is by replying that everybody is actually playing the same role in life--we cannot aspire to an individual happiness greater than the misery which is the lot of all men. (He's a bit of a mysogynist, so he doesn't talk about women at all, but if he did, he'd say the same thing.)

'All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players' : Here, Jacques compares a mans' life with that of a play set up in theater. He says that each mans' finite life is nothing but an act, and as the man progresses in his life, the scenes and acts each shift accordingly.

'They have their exits and entrances' : He says that the entrance of a man's life is his birth, and his exit his death. Then, he goes on to describe the seven stages of a mans life:

First comes the infant, who is completely helpless and has no clue of the world around him. He is completely dependent on the people who dote on him - his mother and his nurse.

Then, he grows into a child, who is reluctant to go to school and trudges slowly. 'Morning face' reprents the dawn of life as well as the tiny child's innocence.

Then he becomes a lover, who is sad about having to leave his mistress and pours out his feelings in the form of ballads.

Then he becomes a soldier, who guards his reputation. with his life and will defend it with anything. He is hot-tempered and ruthless, just like a leopard or ferocious wild cat. The 'bubble reputation' the poet speaks of says that reputation is a lot like a bubble - it will burst at the slightest touch to it and it is impossible to get it back after that.

Then he becomes a wise judge, full of witty quotes and whose life experiences allow him to advice people. He compares people's misfortunes with his own and tells them how to solve them.By this time he has become rather fat, something seen as a sign of prosperity.

Then, he becomes a weak, feeble old man who wears glasses and has shrunk to a thin, pitiful state and has a shrill, high-pitched voice.

The last stage is that of a old man, who is almost like an infant again - oblivious of his surroundings and who has lost everything in his life - material-wise as well as emotion wise.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What is a easy poem that is at least 1 minute long?

All The Worlds a Stage.


Is all the worlds a stage a poem or sonnet?

It is neither. It is a speech, extracted from the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare. It is poetic, but it is not a poem since it is not intended to stand alone as a poem. It is not a sonnet--it does not rhyme as all sonnets do.Just for your info: If something is a sonnet then, believe me, it has to be a poem as well. Guaranteed.


Is there foregrounding in the poem all the worlds stage by shakespeare?

It's not a poem. It's a speech from the play As You Like It. And "foregrounding" is not a helpful term when discussing speeches or poetry, because all it means is emphasis, and of course there is emphasis in all speeches and poetry.


How do you write all the worlds a stage in modern English?

"All the world's a stage," is modern English.


When was the poem all the worlds a stage wrote?

It is not a poem, but rather a speech said by the character Jaques in the Shakespeare play As You Like It, Act 2 Scene vii. As You Like It was written around 1600 but not published until the First Folio in 1623.


If all the worlds a stage Where is the ticketbooth?

free admision


What stage does impress you in all the world's a stage by Shakespeares?

He trying to say all the worlds a stage its on big place and its quite frighten.


What is the alliteration in all the world's a stage?

all the worlds a stage has a variety of alliteration such as : shrunk shank quick in quarrel and satchel and shining


Who said all the worlds a stage and all the the men and women merely players?

Shakespear.


All the worlds a stage - William shakespeare because you could not?

'All the world's a stage' is indeed a Shakespearean quotation, but what are you asking by saying 'because you could not'?


What figure of speech is all the worlds a stage?

It's generally just treated as a quote. You could also call it a metaphor


Which chraracter said the famous line all the worlds a stage and all the men and women merely players?

Jacques