The Seven Ages by william

Summary

William Shakespeare's 'The Seven Ages' from 'As You Like It' is a profound reflection on life's stages. It metaphorically compares human life to a play, where each person plays seven roles: the infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, old man, and finally, a second childhood. The monologue explores physical and psychological changes, emphasizing life's transient nature and inevitable end.

Takeaways

• 🎭 William Shakespeare's works, including 'As You Like It', continue to be celebrated globally for their timeless themes and characters.
• 📜 'The Seven Ages' is a monologue from 'As You Like It', highlighting the various stages of human life through the metaphor of the world as a stage.
• 👶 The first stage of life described is infancy, characterized by dependency and innocence.
• 🎒 The second stage is childhood, where the individual reluctantly enters the structured world of education.
• 💖 The third stage is adolescence, marked by romantic love and emotional expression.
• 💪 The fourth stage is early adulthood, where the person embodies a soldier, seeking fame and demonstrating physical prowess.
• 👨‍⚖️ The fifth stage is middle age, where the individual assumes the role of a wise and influential judge.
• 👴 The sixth stage is old age, where physical and mental faculties begin to decline, symbolized by the 'lean and slippered pantaloon'.
• 👵 The seventh and final stage is extreme old age, likened to a 'second childishness', where the person becomes dependent and eventually passes away.
• 🔁 The poem emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, with each individual playing multiple roles throughout their lifetime.
• 🌐 Shakespeare uses the metaphor of the world as a stage to illustrate the inevitability of birth, life's various phases, and death.

Q & A

Who is William Shakespeare and why is he significant?

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is significant because his works, including sonnets and plays, continue to be read and performed globally, influencing literature and culture for over 400 years.

What is Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' about?

'As You Like It' is one of Shakespeare's most enacted comedies, believed to be set in France. It features several characters and explores themes such as rivalry, the thrill of love, the phases of human life, intrigue, and the differences between urban and rural life.

Can you describe the monologue 'The Seven Ages' from 'As You Like It'?

The Seven Ages is a monologue by the character Jacques in Act 2, Scene 7 of 'As You Like It'. It is one of Shakespeare's most widely quoted speeches, where Jacques compares the world to a stage and people to actors who play various roles throughout their lives.

What are the seven stages of life described in 'The Seven Ages'?

The seven stages of life in 'The Seven Ages' are: 1) Infant, 2) Schoolboy, 3) Lover, 4) Soldier, 5) Justice, 6) Lean and slippered Pantaloon (Old age), and 7) Second childishness (Extreme old age).

How does the infant stage in 'The Seven Ages' depict the beginning of life?

In the infant stage, a person is depicted as 'mewling and puking in the nurse's arms', symbolizing dependency and the helplessness of being newly born.

What is the significance of the schoolboy stage in the monologue?

The schoolboy stage represents the reluctance and the slow, creeping progress towards education and discipline, symbolized by the boy 'creeping like snail unwillingly to school'.

How does the lover stage reflect the emotional aspect of a person's life?

The lover stage is characterized by emotional intensity, as the person 'sighing like furnace' and writing 'woeful ballads' to his beloved, showcasing the passion and idealism of youth.

What does the soldier stage signify in the context of 'The Seven Ages'?

The soldier stage signifies the peak of physical strength and courage, where the person is 'full of strange oaths' and 'jealous in honor', seeking fame and ready for conflict.

How does the justice stage represent maturity and societal influence?

The justice stage represents the transition to middle age, where the person becomes 'fair round belly' with 'eyes severe', embodying wisdom, authority, and societal influence as a judge.

What is the implication of the final stage, 'second childishness', in 'The Seven Ages'?

The 'second childishness' stage implies the decline into extreme old age, where the person becomes dependent and forgetful, losing their senses, and eventually facing death, as indicated by 'Sans teeth, Sans eyes, Sans taste, Sans everything'.

What is the overarching theme of 'The Seven Ages' in relation to life and mortality?

The overarching theme of 'The Seven Ages' is the cycle of life from birth to death, emphasizing the inevitability of aging and the transient nature of human existence, with each stage being a part of the journey towards oblivion.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Introduction to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It'

This paragraph introduces William Shakespeare, a renowned playwright and poet from around 400 years ago, whose works continue to be celebrated globally. It specifically highlights 'As You Like It', one of his frequently performed comedies. The Seven Ages, an excerpt from this play, is set in France and explores themes such as rivalry, love, human life stages, intrigue, and the contrast between urban and rural life. The monologue, delivered by Jacques in Act 2 Scene 7, is one of Shakespeare's most famous speeches, comparing life to a play where individuals play various roles through seven stages of life.

05:03

🎩 The Seven Ages of Man

This paragraph delves into the metaphorical representation of life's stages as portrayed in 'The Seven Ages' monologue. It describes the seven roles a person plays throughout their life: the infant, the schoolboy, the lover, the soldier, the justice, the old man, and finally, the second childhood. Each stage is characterized by specific physical and psychological traits, reflecting the changes and transitions a person undergoes from birth to death. The monologue uses vivid imagery and language to depict these stages, emphasizing the inevitability of aging and the cycle of life.

10:07

📜 Literary Devices in 'The Seven Ages'

The final paragraph of the script discusses the literary techniques used in 'The Seven Ages'. It points out the use of similes, such as comparing the reluctant schoolboy to a creeping snail, and the lover sighing like a furnace, to evoke vivid imagery. The paragraph also notes the use of alliteration, with repeated sounds like 'p' in 'place' and 'part', and 'w' in 'well', 'world', and 'wide'. The repetition in the last line, 'Sans teeth Sans eyes Sans taste Sans everything', is highlighted to emphasize the unconscious state of extreme old age and death, reinforcing the poem's theme of life's cyclical nature and mortality.

Keywords

💡William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His works, including sonnets and plays, have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. In the video script, Shakespeare's work 'As You Like It' is discussed, highlighting his enduring influence and the universal themes in his plays.

💡As You Like It

As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or 1600. The play is set in the fictional Forest of Arden and explores themes of love, gender, and identity. In the script, 'As You Like It' is mentioned as one of Shakespeare's most enacted comedies, and 'The Seven Ages' is an excerpt from this play, emphasizing its significance in his body of work.

💡The Seven Ages

The Seven Ages is a monologue from 'As You Like It,' delivered by the character Jacques. It is one of Shakespeare's most famous speeches, often quoted for its profound reflection on the stages of human life. In the script, 'The Seven Ages' is described as a monologue that occurs in Act 2, Scene 7, and it serves as a central theme of the video, illustrating the various phases of life.

💡Monologue

A monologue is a long speech by a single character in a play or film, expressing their thoughts and feelings. In the context of the video, 'The Seven Ages' is a monologue by Jacques, which is a dramatic device used by Shakespeare to convey deep philosophical insights about the human condition.

💡Rivalry

Rivalry in literature often refers to a competitive or antagonistic relationship between characters. In the script, rivalry is mentioned as one of the themes depicted in 'As You Like It,' suggesting the presence of conflict or opposition that drives the plot and character development.

💡Human Life

The concept of human life in the script is explored through the metaphor of the seven stages of life, as described in 'The Seven Ages.' It reflects on the various phases that a person goes through from infancy to old age, encapsulating the universal experiences of growth, change, and decline.

💡Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn't literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison. In the script, the world is compared to a stage, and people to actors, which is a metaphor that conveys the idea that life is a performance with various roles and stages.

💡Maturity

Maturity in the script refers to the different stages of human development and the associated roles one plays throughout life. The seven stages of maturity are used to illustrate the transition from infancy to old age, each with its unique characteristics and challenges.

💡Mortality

Mortality is the state of being subject to death. In the script, the concept of mortality is explored through the final stage of life, where the individual experiences a decline in physical and mental faculties, ultimately leading to death. This theme underscores the transient nature of human existence.

💡Alliteration

Alliteration is a literary device where words with the same initial consonant sound are used close together for emphasis or rhythm. In the script, examples of alliteration are given, such as the repetition of the sound 'p' in 'place' and 'part,' which adds a poetic quality to the language and enhances the auditory appeal.

💡Repetition

Repetition in literature is the act of repeating a word or phrase to emphasize a point or create a pattern. In the script, the line 'Sans teeth, Sans eyes, Sans taste, Sans everything' uses repetition to underscore the complete loss of sensory experience in extreme old age, highlighting the theme of the inevitable decline of human faculties.

Highlights

William Shakespeare's works continue to be celebrated 400 years after his life.

Shakespeare is renowned for his sonnets and plays, with 'As You Like It' being one of his most performed comedies.

The Seven Ages is an excerpt from 'As You Like It', set in France, exploring themes like rivalry and love.

Jacques' monologue, The Seven Ages, is a famous speech from Act 2, Scene 7, reflecting on the stages of human life.

The world is likened to a stage where everyone plays various roles throughout their lives.

The seven stages of life are depicted as infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age, old age, and extreme old age.

Infants are described as dependent and vulnerable, cared for by nurses.

Childhood is marked by the reluctance to attend school and the beginning of discipline.

Adolescence is characterized by romantic love and poetic expressions.

Early adulthood sees individuals as soldiers, seeking fame and engaging in conflicts.

Middle age is symbolized by wisdom and authority, often associated with judicial roles.

Old age is depicted as a decline with physical and mental changes, including loss of sight and voice.

The final stage of life is compared to a second childhood, marked by dependence and oblivion.

Shakespeare uses the analogy of an actor to illustrate the transitory nature of life.

The poem discusses physical changes such as the infant's helplessness and the soldier's agility.

Psychological changes are also traced, from the passionate lover to the wise judge, and finally to the forgetful old man.

The poem contemplates mortality, suggesting that life's phases are limited and end in oblivion.

Shakespeare employs similes and alliterations to enrich the imagery and rhythm of the speech.

The poem concludes with a repetition underscoring the inevitability of losing all senses in the final stage of life.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank you

William Shakespeare lived around 400

years ago yet his Works continued to be

read and dramatized by people around the

world

Shakespeare is best known for his

sonnets and plays

as you like it is one of Shakespeare's

most enacted comedies The Seven Ages is

an excerpt from this play

As You Like It is believed to be set in

France

it features several characters and

depicts a variety of themes such as

rivalry the thrill of love the phases of

human life Intrigue and the differences

between urban and rural life

The Seven Ages is a monologue by a

character named Jacques

it occurs in act 2 scene 7 of the play

The Seven Ages is one of Shakespeare's

most widely quoted speeches

all the worlds 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

his acts being Seven Ages

first the infant muelling and puking in

the nurse's arms

and then the whining Schoolboy with his

satchel and Shining morning face

creeping like snail unwillingly to

school

and then the lover sighing like furnace

with a woeful ballad made to his

mistress's eyebrow

then a soldier full of strange Oaths and

bearded like the pod

jealous and honor and sudden and quick

in quarrel seeking the bubble reputation

even in the Canon's mouth

and then the Justice in Fair round belly

with good Cape online with eyes severe

and beard of formal cut full of wise

souls and modern instances

and so he plays his part

the sixth age shifts into the lean and

slippered pantaloon with Spectacles on

nose and pouch on side

his youthful hoes well saved a world too

wide for his shrunk shank and his big

manly voice turning again to a childish

trouble pipes and whistles in his sound

last scene of all

that ends the strange eventful history

is second childishness and mere Oblivion

Sans teeth Sans eyes sense taste Sans

everything

here's a brief summary of The Seven Ages

by William Shakespeare

the poet compares the world to a stage

and the people in the world to actors

people are born to play their respective

parts and then they pass away

during his or her lifetime a person

plays seven roles associated with the

seven stages of maturity

the first stage is infancy in this stage

a person plays the role of an infant who

cries and vomits in the hands of the

nurse

he is dependent on others for his

physical well-being

the second stage is childhood the infant

has now grown into a young child who

goes to school rather reluctantly

perhaps he is unwilling to leave the

protected environment of his home or

perhaps he is unhappy with the various

disciplining forces of life

the third stage is adolescence or early

youth the person now plays the role of a

lover and writes poems to his beloved

the fourth stage is youth or early

adulthood

the person plays the role of a soldier

he is bearded and agile like a pod which

is an abbreviation of the word leopard

he picks fights easily and seeks Fame

however short-lived it may be

he is at the peak of his physical

strength and courage he is even ready to

put his life at risk to make a

reputation for himself

the fifth stage is middle age the fit

and rash young man becomes a pot bellied

and mature man

he is now familiar with the ways of the

world and reaches a position of

influence in society

he plays the role of a judge and passes

judgment on various aspects of life

the sixth stage is old age and marks the

decline of a person

he loses weight and his skin begins to

Sag his eyesight turns poor his deep

masculine voice starts to sound thin and

high pitched

the seventh stage is that of extreme old

age this stage is compared to Second

childhood as the person is dependent on

others just like a child

this is the final phase of a person's

life he becomes forgetful and loses his

ability to see hear and taste eventually

he dies

the perm uses the analogy of an actor on

stage to depict the seven phases of a

person's life from birth to death

the poem is about the cycle of life

from birth to death a person goes

through several stages at first the

infant

then the whining school boy then the

lover

next a soldier

then the Justice then the lean and

slippered pantaloon and the last scene

of all

the second childishness of man

the poem talks about the physical

changes a person goes through in his

life

the infant cradled in the nurse's arms

the soldier who is bearded and agile

like a pod the Justice in Fair round

belly the shrunk old man with his big

manly voice turning again toward

childish treble and finally a man on his

deathbed with none of his five senses

functioning Sans teeth Sans eyes Sans

taste Sans everything

the poem also traces the psychological

changes of a person as he grows old he

is an emotional lover sighing like a

furnace a rash Soldier full of strange

Oaths who then transforms into a mature

and worldly wise Justice full of wise

sores and modern instances

then in his old age his mental faculties

deteriorate and he suffers from loss of

memory or Oblivion

in a way the poem is also about

mortality let's take the line they have

their exits and their entrances

entrances refer to birth and exits refer

to death

later on Shakespeare states that one man

in his lifetime plays many parts his

acts being Seven Ages

these lines emphasize that a person's

life is limited to seven phases and at

the end of the seventh stage a man slips

into mere Oblivion Sands everything in

other words a person passes away

the poem is centered around the metaphor

that the world is a stage

all the worlds 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 his acts being

Seven Ages

the world is associated with a stage and

the people in the world are equated with

actors on stage

just like actors have their entrances

and exits people are born and eventually

die

actors are controlled by the director in

the same way the people in this world

are directed and controlled by their

destiny

like an actor a person plays many roles

in his life the phases of his life are

compared to acts in a play

Shakespeare has used similes in the poem

unwilling to go to school the boy is

described as creeping like a snail the

lover is shown sighing like furnace

the soldier is bearded like the Pard

alliterations are also used in the poem

for example the sound of p is repeated

in place and part

W is repeated in well

world and wide and Sh is repeated in

shrunk Shank

the last line of the poem employs

repetition to emphasize the

unconsciousness of old age and death

Sans teeth Sans eyes Sans taste Sans

everything

foreign

[Music]