Shakespeare – Madison Nef
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.
This was one of Shakespeare’s well known quotes. It is from his play “As You Like It” and begins a speech often referred to as “the seven ages of man”. But I am writing about neither the play nor the speech- I am writing about the meaning of the quote. I think that Shakespeare was trying to say that in life, you have many parts to play, many tasks to do- and to each person you play a different role.
For example- John might seem like a nice, obedient, good son to his parents, but at the same time when he is with his friends he is perceived as rebellious, funny and a daredevil. To his older sister, he might seem like a nuisance, a pest and adorable. It all depends on who you are with. When Shakespeare says that all men and women are players, and have their exits and entrances, he means that some people will only be in your life for a little while, before they are gone. It is the IMPACT that they have on your life that matters.
For instance, you can pass by someone on the street and say hello to them, and then you may never see them again… they left your life, and had almost no impact. On the other hand, you could pass someone on the street, say hi to them, and ask them out on a date… and they could become your boy/girl friend. No matter how long they stay, they will have impact on your life. The reference to the “seven ages” is simply the stages of life- infancy, childhood, teen years, adulthood, mid-adulthood, elder, and dependency.
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 a 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 honor, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then, the justice,
In fair round belly, with a 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,
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.
