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12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

12th English Solutions Poem Chapter 3 All the World’s a Stage

12th Standard English Lesson 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage Book Back Question and Answers. 12th English Lesson 3 Questions and Answers, Summary, Activity, Notes, Samacheer Kalvi 12th English Book Solutions Guide Pdf. 12th English All Lesson Book Back Answers.

12th English Guide Lesson 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona

Warm Up

This is Life Cycle of butterfly.

All the World’s a Stage Glossary

  • time – lifetime
  • parts – here, characters
  • ages – here, periods of time
  • mewling – a small weak noise that a cat makes
  • puking – vomiting
  • whining – expressing unhappiness
  • creeping – walking slowly
  • satchel – a shoulder bag
  • furnace – place where fire is made
  • woeful – unhappy
  • oaths – promises
  • pard – a large cat, such as a leopard
  • justice – here, a judge, someone very respected
  • saws – sayings
  • pouch – a small bag for carrying money
  • hose – tights, thin trousers that men wore in Shakespeare’s time
  • a world too wide – much too big
  • pipes – a high sound
  • second childishness – being like a child again
  • Sans – without

 

1. Discuss with your partner the different stages in the grow th of man from a new born to an adult.

Answer:

  • An infant pukes on the mother’s arms. As he is unable to articulate his needs, he keeps on crying like a kitten. Then he goes to school giving up his freedom. He is made to learn things he doesn’t want to learn. Then he becomes an adult hopelessly in love. He wastes his purple youth writing love letters or songs admiring the beauty of his love. Some join army or police force to serve the nation. At the peak of adulthood, they are quite touchy about honour and believe it to be more important than life itself.

12th English All the World’s a Stage Textual Questions

1. Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box to complete the summary of the poem.

attention

treble

reluctantly

actors

maturity

reputation

serious

faculties

composing

enter

promises

dependent

 

Shakespeare considers the whole world a stage where men and women are only (1) _____ They (2) _____ the stage when they are borm and exit when they die. Every man, during his life time; plays seven roles based on age. In the first act, as an infant, he is wholly (3) _____ on the mother or a nurse. Later, emerging as a school child, he slings his bag over his shoulder and creeps most (4) _____ to school. His next act is that of a lover, busy (5) _____ ballads for his beloved and yearns for her (6) _____ In the fourth stage, he is aggressive and ambitious and seeks (7) _____ in all that he does. He (8) _____ solemnly to guard his country and becomes a soldier. As he grows older, with (9) _____ and wisdom, he becomes a fair judge. During this stage, he is firm and (10) _____ In the sixth act, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles. His manly voice changes into a childish (11) _____ The last scene of all is his second childhood. Slowly, he loses his (12) _____ of sight, hearing, smell and taste and exits from the roles of his life.

Answer:

  1. actors
  2. enter
  3. dependent
  4. reluctantly
  5. composing
  6. attention
  7. reputation
  8. promises
  9. maturity
  10. serious
  11. treble
  12. faculties

2. From your understanding of the poem, answer the following questions briefly in a sentence or two.

(a) What is the world compared to?

Answer:

  • The world is compared to a stage.

(b) “And they have their exits and their entrances” – What do the words ‘exits’ and ‘entrances’ mean?

Answer:

  • ‘Entrances’ means life. ‘Exits means death.

(c) What is the first stage of a human’s life?

Answer:

  • The first stage of human life is “infant”. The babe on nurse’s arms pukes and mewls.

(d) Describe the second stage of life as depicted by Shakespeare.

Answer:

  • The second stage is school boy. The boy goes to school with a heavy heart like a snail.

(e) How does a man play a lover’s role?

Answer:

  • As a lover, man sings serenades seeking the attention of his lady love.

(f) Bring out the features of the fourth stage of a man as described by the poet.

Answer:

  • In the fourth stage, man becomes aggressive and ambitious and seeks glory in all his pursuits. He is ready to enter the mouth of cannon for a moment of glory.

(g) When does a man become a judge? How?

Answer:

  • In the fifth stage, man grows mature and wise. He becomes an impartial judge. He is firm and serious about his opinions.

(h) Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?

Answer:

  • In the sixth stage, man becomes thin and weak. His fashionable dresses of youthful days have now become too lose to use for his shrunk shank (i.e.) legs that have become very lean with age.

(i) Why is the last stage called second childhood?

Answer:

  • The last stage is called the second childhood. The old man slowly loses all his senses. He requirs the support of a nurse or wife to do anything. In this stage, he departs from the world.

12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

3. Explain the following lines briefly with reference to the context.

(a) “They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says this while hinting at the beginning and the end of life. The poet divides man’s life into seven stages. The first stage symbolises birth and the last stage death. So, he uses the words “entrances and exits”.

(b) ‘‘Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation”.

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the fourth stage when the young man becomes a soldier and runs after short-lived glory. He has inflated sense of honour and ready to insist on duels to settle matters touching his honour. He does not realise that the reputation he seeks is short-lived like a bubble.

(c) “Is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says this while man gets ready to leave this world (i.e.) the last stage of his life on this lonely planet. In this stage, man becomes totally forgetful. He loses his teeth, eyesight and taste. He loses all his senses of perception. Like a baby, he can’t do anything on his own. So, the poet calls this stage “second childhood” when the old man behaves in a childish manner.

All The World’s A Stage Poem Paragraph Additional Questions

Explain the following lines briefly with reference to the context.

All The World’s A Stage English Workshop Answers Question (a)

“His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William . Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the first seven stages of life on the stage (i.e.) earth. The first stage/Act is infancy. The babe vomits on the arms of the nurse and cries like a kitten.

 

(b) “All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while philosophising and classifying stages of life. The poet compares the world to a stage. All men and women are simply actors playing different roles on the different stages of life.

(c) “Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail’

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context’and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the second stage of life. During boyhood, the school boy goes to school reluctantly in snail speed with a heavy heart. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Shakespeare compares a school boy going to school like a lover going away from his lady love with a heavy heart.

(d) “Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage’ written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the third stage of life when he becomes a lover. At this stage, he yearns for the attention of his lady love. He composes ballads expressing his agony caused by unrequitted love. He sings songs praising the beauty of his mistress trying to win her heart.

(e) “Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon’s mouth.”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage” written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the fourth stage of life. In this stage, youngman becomes a soldier. He is quick to anger and attaches great importance to honour. He is ready to lay down his life for the fleeting bubble of reputation.

(f) “…And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage” written by William ‘ Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the fifth stage of life. At this stage, he behaves like a judge pronouncing his decisive opinions with the modem instances. He quotes wise maxims from his own life experiences to influence other people. He is fond of eating delicacies unmindful of the protruding belly size.

 (g)“And so he plays his part The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper ’dpantaloon,”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage” written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the impact of ageing on the physical appearance. In the sixth stage, he becomes old, thin and unsteady.

(h) “Hisyouthful hose, well said, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage” written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words to describe the unsuitability of one’s own dress as one advances in years. As the young man turns old, his legs become thin and his trousers become very loose giving easy access to legs but tough to wear as the waistline has also thinned. His manly voice has become feeble. When he speaks, it looks like a child piping up his dreams.

(i) “…Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,”

Answer:

  • Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘All the world’s a stage” written by William Shakespeare.
  • Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the preparedness of the old man in the last stage of life to exit from this lonely planet. The poet beautifully says the “eventful history” (i.e.) life which was spiced up with many interesting things is now coming to a dramatic close. The eternal jewel of life, ‘the soul’, is going to depart the body which had kept it imprisoned for long. The soul celebrates the joy of freedom in death.

Appreciate The Poem

4. Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the following lines from the poem.

“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,

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

 

Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;

Then the whining school-boy, 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’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,

Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

 

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,

12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;

His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Question (a)

“All the world’s a stage”

Answer:

Metaphor

Question (b)

“And all the men and women merely players”

Metaphor

Question (c)

“And shining morning face, creeping like snail’

Simile

Question (d)

“Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,”

Answer:

Simile

Question (e)

“Seeking the bubble reputation”

Answer:

Metaphor

Question (f)

“Hisyouthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide”

Answer:

Alliteration

Question (g)

“and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble”

Answer:

Metaphor

5.Pick out the words in ‘alliteration’ in the following lines,

Question (a)

“and all the men and women merely players”

Answer:

and all the men and women merely players

Question (b)

“And one man in his time plays many parts”

Answer:

And one man in his time plays many parts

Question (c)

“Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel ”

Answer:

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel.

6. Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.

(a) “Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school ”

Question (i)

Which stage of life is being referred to here by the poet?

Answer:

Boyhood is referred to here.

Question (ii)

What are the characteristics of this stage?

Answer:

Innocence, joy and care-free life are the characteristics of this stage in life.

Question (iii)

How does the boy go to school?

Answer:

The boy goes to school unwillingly. He is slow like a snail.

Question (iv)

Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?

Answer:

Simile is employed in the second line.

(b) “Then a soldier,

full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth.

Question (i)

What is the soldier ready to do?

Answer:

The soldier is ready to lay down his life.

Question (ii)

Explain ‘bubble reputation’.

Answer:

Reputation is a transitory thing. It doesn’t even last a minute like the life of a bubble.

Question (iii)

What are the distinguishing features of this stage?

In this stage, the youthful soldier attaches great value to honour. He is quick to temper and challenges people for fight for the sake of honour. He often swears to assert his valour.

(c) “And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;’’’’

Question (i)

Whom does justice refer to?

Answer:

Justice refers to man in his fifth stage when he becomes critical of everyone else’s opinion in life.

Question (ii)

Describe his appearance.

Answer:

He has a pot belly and is fond of eating delicacies.

Question (iii)

How does he behave with the people around him?

Answer:

His eyes are severe. He often gives advice to people.

Question (iv)

What does he do to show his wisdom?

Answer:

To show of his wisdom, he often quotes modem examples and words of wisdom.

Additional Questions

12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.

(a) “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,

His acts being seven ages.”

Question (i)

What are all the men and women of this world?

Answer:

The men and women of the world are just like players on the stage of life.

Question (ii)

Explain: ‘They have their exits and their entrances’.

Answer:

They take birth and enter the world. They die and depart from the world.

Question (iii)

How many parts does every man enact and play?

Answer:

Every man enacts and plays seven different roles in life.

Question (iv)

Why is this world compared to a stage?

Answer:

This world is like a big stage where men and women are ever busy in playing their respective roles.

(b) “At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.

Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school.”

Question (i)

What does man do in the first stage of life?

Answer:

In the first stage of life man plays the role of an infant. He is always crying and vomiting in the nurse’s arms.

Question (ii)

Does the schoolboy show eagerness to go to school?

Answer:

No, the schoolboy doesn’t show any interest in going to school. Rather he is unwilling to go there.

Question (iii)

How does the schoolboy walk up to his school?

Answer:

He is inching slowly and unwillingly like a snail towards his school.

Question (iv)

Explain, ‘Mewling and pucking’.

Answer:

It means crying and vomiting.

(c) “And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.”

Question (i)

What is the third stage of life?

The third stage of man’s life is that of a lover.

 

Question (ii)

What is the poetic device used in the second line?

Answer:

‘Simile’ is used as a poetic device in the second line.

Question (iii)

What does the lover do for his mistress?

Answer:

The lover is ahvays sighing and longing for his beloved. He writes a sad ballad describing the eyebrow of his mistress.

Question (iv)

Explain, ‘sighing like furnace’.

Answer:

It means moaning, breathing deeply and sadly like a fire place.

(d) “Then a soldier.

Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation.

Even in the cannon’s mouth.”

Question (i)

Describe the two traits of a soldier.

Answer:

A soldier is always ready to swear and is full of oaths. He is ever ready to compete for honour and glory.

Question (ii)

What is the poetic device used in : ‘bearded like a pard’?

Answer:

The poet uses a simile for comparison.

Question (iii)

Why does the soldier risk his life and what for?

Answer:

The soldier risks his life a momentary reputation and is ready even to enter the cannon’s mouth.

Question (iv)

How is the soldier bearded?

Answer:

He is bearded like a pard or a leopard.

(e) “The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound.’’

Question (i)

What is a ‘lean and slippered pantaloon’?

Answer:

It means a thin old man wearing slippers and loose trousers.

Question (ii)

What does the phrase ‘a world too wide’ here mean?

Answer:

The stockings he bought in his youth have become too loose for his shrunk and thin legs.

Question (iii)

How does the ‘mainly voice’ turn into ‘childish’ in the sixth stage of life?

Answer:

His manly voice turns into childish trebles and whistles when he speaks as he has no teeth in his mouth.

Question (iv)

What is the sixth stage of man’s life?

Answer:

In the sixth stage of life man plays the role of a ‘lean and slippered pantaloon’.

(f) “Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Question (i)

What is the last scene of man’s life?

Answer:

The last scene that ends man’s eventual life is a ‘second-childishness’. In this stage he appears and behaves like a child.

Question (ii)

Why is the last stage of man has been called a ‘second childishness’?

Answer:

The last stage of man’s life has been called a ‘second childishness’ as man’s appearance and activities in this stage are quite similar to those of a child.

Question (iii)

How is the last stage of man’s life a ‘mere oblivion’?

Answer:

The last stage of life is a ‘mere oblivion’ as old age is another stage of forgetfulness.

Question (iv)

Explain ‘eventful history’.

Answer:

It means the life-long history of man full of interesting incidents and experiences.

7. Complete the table based on your understanding of the poem.

 

 

Stage

Characteristic

 

 

crying

judge

 

soldier

 

 

unhappy

second childhood

 

 

whining

old man

 

 

Answer:

Stage

Characteristic

Baby (first stage)

crying

judge

Firm and serious

soldier

Aggressive and Ambitious

Lover

unhappy

second childhood

Loses senses

Boyhood (school)

whining

old man

Wise and judges others

8. Based on your understanding of the poem, answer the following questions in about 100 – 150 words each. You may add your own ideas if required, to present and justify your point of view.

Question (а)

Describe the various stages of a man’s life picturised in the poem “All the World’s a stage.”

Answer:

Shakespeare has beautifully portrayed this world as a huge open theatre where in all humans play seven acts/ages. In the first act, he is a helpless infant puking on the nurse’s arms mewling like a kitten. In the second stage, he is the grumbling/whining school student. He moves to school like a snal/unwllingly with his slate and bag. In the third Act, he is a lover sighing and yearning for the attention of his lady love.

He composes romantic ballads complaining his love that he needs a better deal. In the fourth Act, he becomes a quick-tempered soldier, aggressive and ambitious, ready to stake his life for the sake of bubble reputation. As he matures, he becomes a wise judge of contemporary life quoting wise maxims to endorse his opinion. He is firm and serious. In the sixth act, his stout legs become thin making his trousers of youth unsuitable. Thin and lean legs easily travel through them but are unable to stay due to a slimmed waist. His bass voice has become treble like that of a child. In the last act, he is sans teeth, sanys eyes, sans taste and sans everything (i.e.) loses all senses. He departs the world.

Question (b)

Shakespeare has skill fully brought out the parallels between the life of man and actors on stage. Elaborate this statement with reference to the poem.

Answer:

Shakespeare has beautifully compared the growth of humans by stages with his emergent role during that stage. In the first stage man plays the role of an infant. As an infant, he does represent characterisation of mewling and puking. In the second Act, he does the role of a school boy with the characteristics of unwillingness to go to schools and innocence shining in his face. In the third Act, he performs the role of a lover head over heels in love with a beautiful lady. He composes woeful romantic ballads and sings serenades to impress his love. In the fourth act, he plays the impressive role of a short-tempered, honour pursuing soldier.

He is ready to put his mouth in the Cannon’s mouth for conquering the bubble like honour in order to defend the territory of his country. In the fifth Act, he performs the role of a mature and fair judge criticising the ways of the world often spicing up his conversations with wise remarks and wit. His pot belly and well-cut beard shows the social status he enjoys in life. In the sixth act, he is old. He performs the role of a thin old man wearing ill-fitting loose garments with a changed treble in his voice. He is bespectacled and slow in walking. In the final act, he becomes a total invalid losing all senses of hearing, taste and sight. Then the performer leaves the stage (i.e.) the lonely planet.

Speaking Activity

Shakespeare describes the characteristics of the various stages of man. You are in the second stage of life. What do you think of your roles and responsibilities at this stage? Discuss with your partner and share your ideas with the class.

Answer:

At school age, imagination takes wings. Inquisitiveness is common among my peers. Parents, society and teachers want us only to study. But we need to explore the world around us. At home, it is our responsibility to keep our things in order. We need to assist the perennial worker, we mean, our moms in completing their domestic chores. Occasionally, we shall take care of siblings too not as a work but as a duty towards a family member who will be a life long companion to us.

Listening Activity

Listen to the poem and fill in the blanks with appropriate words and phrases. If required listen to the poem again.

The World Is Too Much with Us

The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; Little we see in Nature that is ours;We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon, The winds that will be howling at all hours,And are up- gathered now like sleeping flowers,

For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not. – Great God! I’d rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

The World Is Too Much with Us:

The world is too much with us; late and soon

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers

Little we see in (1) ______ that is ours;

We have given (2) ______ away, a sordid boon!

This Sea that bares her bosom (3) ______

(4) ______ that will be howling at all hours,

And are up-gathered now like (5) ______

,For this, for everything, we are (6) ______ ;

It (7) ______ . us not. Great God! I’d rather be

A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;

So might I, standing on this pleasant lea

Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;

Have sight of Proteus rising (8) ______

Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

Answers:

  1. Nature
  2. our hearts
  3. to the moon
  4. The winds
  5. sleeping flowers
  6. out of tune
  7. moves
  8. from the sea

All the World’s a Stage About The Poet

12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre (sometimes called the English Renaissance). Shakespeare’s plays are perhaps his most enduring legacy. Shakespeare’s poems remain popular to this day. Shakespeare’s rich and diverse works have spawned countless adaptations across multiple genres and cultures. His writings have been compiled in various iterations of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare continues to be one of the most important literary7 figures of the English language.

 

12th English Guide Unit 3 Poem All the World’s a Stage

 

All the World’s a Stage Summary in English

Introduction
  • ‘All the world’s a stage’ is an extract from the play ‘As you like it’, a romantic comedy by Shakespeare.

A metaphor defining world

  • Shakespeare claims this world as a stage in a theatre. All men and women are only actors. The stage has both exits and entrances. Similarly, men and women take birth and enter the world. They live their lives and go out of it when they die. Every man plays seven emergent roles and lives through seven stages of life.

Infancy and boyhood

  • With the birth of an infant begins the first stage of man’s life. The infant cries and vomits on the arms of his nurse. Then he grows into a school-going boy. He is unwilling to go to the school. He moves towards school at a snail’s speed.

Thirst for love and glory

  • In the third stage, man plays the role of a lover. He sighs like a fumace.He keeps on writing ballads praising the beauty of the eyes of his beloved. The fourth stage is that of a soldier. He keeps a beard like that of a leopard. He always runs after honour and fame. He is ready even to enter a cannon’s mouth just for momentary glory and bubble of reputation.

Wisdom and failing health

  • In the fifth stage, man plays the role of a justice. He is fond of eating chicken and develops a fat round belly. He is full of wise sayings and modem instances. He is a man of wisdom and knowledge. In the sixth stage, man becomes weak and thin in body. He wears slippers, spectacles and clothes that he bought when he was young. These pants and stockings have become loose for his shrunk and thin legs.

Second childhood

  • The seventh stage is the ‘second childhood’. In this stage, man becomes very old and starts behaving like a child. He is left with no teeth and becomes weak in eyesight. Actually, he loses taste and becomes a victim of forgetfulness. The poet describes this helpless state as “Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste and sans everything” nicely. Then the man departs from this world.

Conclusion

  • Shakespeare condenses the life of man beautifully and portrays it well. The revisit of childhood in old age proves his profound understanding of human life.

All the World’s a Stage Summary in Tamil

முன்னுரை

  • ‘All the World’s a stage’ (‘உலகம் ஒரு நாடக மேடை’) என்ற கவிதை சேக்ஸ்பியரின் ‘As you like it’, என்ற | நகைச்சுவை கலந்த கற்பனை கதையின் ஒரு சாரம் ஆகும்.

உலகம் ஒரு நாடக மேடை:

  • சேக்ஸ்பியர் உலகத்தை ஒருநாடக மேடையாகக் கருதுகிறார். அதில் அனைத்து ஆணும், பெண்ணும் நடிகர்களே. இந்த நாடக மேடையின் உள்ளே வரவும் வெளியே செல்லவும் வழிகள் உள்ளன. அதே போல தான் மனிதன் பிறந்து இந்த உலகத்துக்கு வருகிறான். அவனது வாழ்நாளை வாழ்ந்துவிட்டு வெளியே போய்விடுகிறான். ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனும் ஏழு கதாபாத்திரங்களாக வாழ்க்கை மேடையில் நடிக்கிறான்.

குழந்தை பருவமும், விடலைப் பருவமும்:

  • குழந்தை பருவமே மனிதனின் முதல் பாகம் ஆகும். வாந்தியும், அழுகையுமாக முதல் பாகம் செவிலிப் பெண் தோளில் இருக்கிறான். பிறகு பள்ளிப் பருவம் அடைகிறான். பள்ளிக்கூடம் போக மனமில்லாது இருக்கிறான். பள்ளிக்கூடத்தை நோக்கி நத்தை போல் நகர்கிறான்.

காதல், புகழ் என ஈர்ப்புக்குள்ளாகிறான்:

  • மூன்றாம் பாகத்தில் காதலனாக கதாபாத்திரம் ஏற்கிறான். எரியும் அடுப்பைப் போன்று குமுறுகிறான். தன் காதலியின் கண்களைக் குறித்து கவிதை மழை பொழிகிறான். நான்காம் பாகத்தில் சிப்பாய் வேடம் ஏற்கிறான். சிறுத்தை போன்று மீசையை வளர்த்துக் கொள்கிறான். பேர் மற்றும் புகழின் பின்னால் ஓடுகிறான். தற்காலிக பேருக்கும், புகழுக்கும் ஆசைப்பட்டு பீரங்கி | வாயினுள் நுழையவும் தயாராக இருக்கிறான்.

அறிவு முதிர்ச்சியும், குன்றும் ஆரோக்கியமும்:

  • ஐந்தாம் பாகத்தில் தானே ஒரு நீதிபதி ஆகிறான். கோழி மாமிசத்தின் பால் ஆவல் கொண்டு அதை உண்டு பெரிய தொப்பையுடன் தோன்றுகிறான். அறிவு முதிர்ச்சியுடனும், புதுப் பொலிவுடனும் தோன்றுகிறான். அறிவும் ஆற்றலுமுடையவனாய்த் திகழ்கிறான். ஆறாம் பாகத்தில் உடல் வலுவிழந்து சோர்வடைகிறான், ஒல்லி வடிவமாய், காலில் செருப்புமாய் ஒரு சிரிப்பு நடிகனைப் போல் தோற்றமளிக்கிறான். இளம் வயதில் அணிந்த கண்ணாடியும், துணிகளும், செருப்பும் அணிந்து கொள்கிறான். சுருங்கிய தோல்களுக்கும், ஒல்லியான கால்களுக்கும் இந்த உடையும், செருப்பும் தொள தொளவென காணப்படுகின்றன.

இரண்டாம் குழந்தை பருவம்:

  • ஏழாம் பருவம் இரண்டாவது குழந்தை பருவம் எனலாம். இந்த பாகத்தில் மிகவும் வயது முதிர்ந்த ஒரு குழந்தையின் இயலாமைத் தனத்தை செயல்பாட்டில் காட்டுகிறான். பற்களை இழந்து, கண் பார்வைக் குன்றிப் போகிறான். குழந்தையின் குரல் போல் மாறி, குரல் ஒரு விசில் சத்தமாய் மாறுகிறது. இது கடைசி அத்தியாயம் எனலாம். அவனின் அதிசயமான பரப்பரப்பூட்டும் நிகழ்வுகள் நிறைந்த வரலாறானது ஒரு முடிவுக்கு வருகிறது. தன் இரண்டாம் குழந்தைப் பருவத்தில் பிறரைச் சார்ந்து வாழும் நிலையை அடைகிறான். பற்களை இழந்து, கண் பார்வையை இழந்து, நாவின் | சுவை இழந்து, பின் அனைத்தையும் இழக்கிறான். உலகத்தை விட்டு வெளியேறுகிறான்.

முடிவுரை:

  • சேக்ஸ்பியர் மனித வாழ்க்கையை சுருக்கி அழகாக அதை வர்ணித்து இருக்கிறார். வயோதிகத்தில் திரும்பும் குழந்தைத் தனம் என்பது அவர் மனித வாழ்க்கையை அவர் ஆழ்ந்து அறிந்து கொண்டதை உணர்த்துகிறது.

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