SEVEN AGES OF A MAN

INTRODUCTION OF A POET:

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor who lived during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 and began his career as an actor and writer in London in the late 16th century. He wrote a diverse range of plays, including tragedies such as "Hamlet" and "Macbeth," comedies such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Twelfth Night," and historical dramas such as "Richard III" and "Henry V." He also wrote more than 150 sonnets and other poems.

POEM:

"Seven Ages of Man" is a monologue from the play "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare. It is spoken by the character Jacques, who contemplates the seven stages of life that every man must go through from birth to death. The seven ages of man are described as follows:

1.Infancy: In the first stage, a baby is born and is completely dependent on its mother for survival. At this stage, the baby is helpless and cannot do anything on its own.

2.Childhood: In the second stage, the child grows up and starts to learn new things. He begins to develop his own personality and becomes more independent.

3.The Lover: The third stage is when a man reaches adulthood and falls in love. He is passionate and full of energy, and his whole world revolves around his lover.

4.The Soldier: In the fourth stage, the man becomes a soldier and fights for his country. He is brave and willing to die for his cause.

5.Middle Age: The fifth stage is middle age, when the man becomes more settled and starts to focus on his career and family.

6.Old Age: The sixth stage is when the man reaches old age and starts to lose his physical and mental abilities. He becomes more reflective and starts to think about the meaning of life.

7.Death: The final stage is death, when the man passes away and leaves behind his legacy.

Throughout the monologue, Jacques reflects on how each stage of life is characterized by different traits and experiences. He observes that life is fleeting and that each stage has its own joys and sorrows. He ends the monologue by suggesting that life is ultimately a story told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

In conclusion, "The Seven Ages of Man" is a powerful meditation on the cycle of life and the inevitability of aging and death. Through the character of Jacques, Shakespeare reminds us that life is both beautiful and tragic, and that we must make the most of the time we have.

INSIGHTS ABOUT POEM:

.The speech has been performed by numerous actors over the years, including Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh, and Sir Ian McKellen. It continues to be a popular and widely quoted piece of Shakespearean verse, and is often studied in schools and universities as an example of the poet's mastery of language and metaphor.

.The concept of dividing human life into seven stages was a common theme in medieval and Renaissance literature.

One of William Shakespeare's most famous quotes about a man's life comes from his play "As You Like It" and specifically from the "Seven Ages of Man" speech:

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts."

This quote highlights the idea that life is like a play, with each person having their own unique role to play. It also emphasizes the transient nature of life, with people entering and exiting the "stage" at different times. Ultimately, the quote suggests that life is a performance, and we all have a part to play in it.