Dear Class 12 Samacheer Kalvi Students, here are the text book solutions to the Poem All the World’s a Stage in Unit 3 in your English text book.
1. Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box to complete the summary of the poem.
Shakespeare considers the whole world a stage where men and women are only (1) _____. They (2)_____the stage when they are born 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.
attention | treble | reluctantly |
actors | maturity | reputation |
serious | faculties | composing |
enter | promises | dependent |
Answer:
Shakespeare considers the whole world a stage where men and women are only (1) actors. They (2) enter the stage when they are born 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) dependent on the mother or a nurse. Later, emerging as a school child, he slings his bag over his shoulder and creeps most (4 reluctantly to school. His next act is that of a lover, busy (5) composing ballads for his beloved and yearns for her (6) attention. In the fourth stage, he is aggressive and ambitious and seeks (7) reputation in all that he does. He (8) promises solemnly to guard his country and becomes a soldier. As he grows older, with (9) maturity and wisdom, he becomes a fair judge. During this stage, he is firm and (10) serious. In the sixth act, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles. His manly voice changes into a childish (11) treble. The last scene of all is his second childhood. Slowly, he loses his (12) faculties of sight, hearing, smell and taste and exits from the roles of his life.
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 where all men and women are merely players.
b) “And they have their exits and their entrances” – What do the words ‘exits’ and ‘entrances’ mean?
Answer: Exits’ refer to deaths, and ‘entrances’ refer to births.
c) What is the first stage of a human’s life?
Answer: The first stage of a human’s life is infancy, where the baby is helpless and dependent, crying and puking in the nurse’s arms.
d) Describe the second stage of life as depicted by Shakespeare.
Answer: The second stage is childhood, where the child goes to school reluctantly, carrying his satchel and whining.
e) How does a man play a lover’s role?
Answer: A man plays the lover’s role by being passionate and sentimental, often expressing his feelings through poetry and songs, and sighing deeply with unfulfilled love.
f) Bring out the features of the fourth stage of a man as described by the poet.
Answer: The fourth stage is the soldier. He is ambitious, seeking honor and reputation, quick to anger, and ready to fight, often risking his life in battles.
g) When does a man become a judge? How?
Answer: A man becomes a judge in the fifth stage. He is known by his wisdom, social status, a fair belly, and a formal appearance. He is full of wise sayings and modern instances, reflecting his experience and maturity.
h) Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?
Answer: The stage associated with the ‘shrunk shank’ is old age, where the man’s physical strength and stature diminish.
i) Why is the last stage called second childhood?
Answer: The last stage is called second childhood because the man becomes dependent and helpless again, similar to a child. He loses his faculties like memory and senses, ultimately returning to a state of oblivion.
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 taken from poem “All the World’s a Stage” by William Shakespeare.
Context: These lines are from the beginning of the monologue in “As You Like It” where Jaques philosophizes about life. He presents the idea that life is a series of stages, each with its own characteristics and roles that people must play.
Explanation:
In these lines, Shakespeare compares the world to a stage and life to a play. “Exits” and “entrances” symbolize the births and deaths of people. He says that one man in his time plays many parts. That is, as he progresses through the stages of life, a person assumes different roles. Each stage of life contributes to the overall performance of one’s life on the world stage.
b) “Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation”.
Reference: These lines are taken from poem “All the World’s a Stage” by William Shakespeare.
Context:
This is part of the description of the soldier stage, the fourth age of man in the monologue. Shakespeare emphasizes the intense emotions and the desire for recognition that characterize this period of life.
Explanation:
This line describes the stage of life where a man is a soldier. He is fiercely protective of his honor, prone to jealousy, and quick to engage in fights to defend his reputation. The soldier’s pursuit of reputation is often impulsive and risky, highlighting the temporary and insubstantial nature of the glory he seeks.
c) “Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
Reference: These lines are taken from poem “All the World’s a Stage” by William Shakespeare.
Context:
This is the description of the seventh and last stage in the monologue. Shakespeare’s portrayal of old age highlights the inevitable decline and loss that comes at the end of life, completing the cyclical nature of the human experience.
Explanation:
These lines describe the final stage of a man’s life, referred to as second childhood. In this stage, the man regresses to a state similar to infancy, losing his physical and mental faculties. This stage is marked by dependency and a return to a state of helplessness, leading to complete forgetfulness and obscurity.
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.
a) “All the world’s a stage”
b) “And all the men and women merely players”
c) “And shining morning face, creeping like snail”
d) “Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,”
e) “Seeking the bubble reputation”
f) “His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide”
g) “and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble”
Answer:
a) “All the world’s a stage” | Metaphor |
b) “And all the men and women merely players” | Metaphor |
c) “And shining morning face, creeping like snail” | Simile |
d) “Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,” | Simile |
e) “Seeking the bubble reputation” | Metaphor |
f) “His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide” | Hyperbole/ Alliteration |
g) “and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble” | Antithesis |
5. Pick out the words in ‘alliteration’ in the following lines.
a) “and all the men and women merely players”
Answer: Alliteration: men and women
b) “And one man in his time plays many parts”
Answer: Alliteration: man and many
c) “Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel.”
Answer: Alliteration: quick and 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.
i. Which stage of life is being referred to here by the poet?
Answer: The second stage of life is being referred to here by the poet.
ii. What are the characteristics of this stage?
Answer: The characteristics of this stage include reluctance and discontent. The schoolboy is depicted as whining and unhappy about going to school.
iii. How does the boy go to school?
Answer: The boy goes to school slowly and reluctantly, “creeping like a snail,” which indicates his unwillingness and slow pace.
iv. Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?
Answer: Simile is the figure of speech 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.
i. What is the soldier ready to do?
Answer: The soldier is ready to fight and seek honor. He is willing to risk his life in battle, even facing the cannon’s mouth, to gain reputation and prove his bravery.
ii. Explain ‘bubble reputation’.
Answer: “Bubble reputation’ refers to a reputation that is fleeting and insubstantial, much like a bubble. It implies that the honor and fame the soldier seeks are fragile and temporary, easily burst or lost despite the risks he takes.
iii. What are the distinguishing features of this stage?
Answer: The distinguishing features of this stage (the soldier) are:
Full of strange oaths: The soldier makes unusual promises or vows.
Bearded like the pard: He has a beard, like that of a leopard (pard), emphasizing his rugged appearance.
Jealous in honour: He is protective and envious of his honor.
Sudden and quick in quarrel: He is prone to sudden and quick conflicts or fights.
Seeking the bubble reputation: He chases after an fleeting fame, even at great personal risk.
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;
i. Whom does justice refer to?
Answer: Justice refers to a judge or a person in a position of authority and wisdom.
ii. Describe his appearance.
Answer: The justice (judge) is described as having a round belly that is well-fed. It indicates a comfortable and prosperous life. He has severe eyes and a beard of formal cut, which suggests a dignified and serious demeanor.
iii. How does he behave with the people around him?
Answer: The justice behaves with seriousness and authority. His severe eyes and formal beard suggest he is strict and commands respect. He is likely to be formal and disciplined in his interactions.
iv. What does he do to show his wisdom?
Answer: The justice shows his wisdom by being full of wise proverbs and modern instances (current examples). He uses these sayings and examples to offer counsel and make judgments, demonstrating his knowledge and experience.
7. Complete the table based on your understanding of the poem.
Stage | Characteristic |
Infant | crying |
Judge | firm and serious |
Soldier | aggressive and ambitious |
Lover boy | unhappy |
Second childhood | losing his facilities |
Schoolboy | whining |
Old man | thin and weak |
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.
a) Describe the various stages of a man’s life picturised in the poem “All the World’s a stage.”
Answer:
In Shakespeare’s poem “All the World’s a Stage,” life is depicted as a series of stages, each with its unique characteristics. The stages are metaphorically compared to acts in a play, where every person plays different roles throughout their lifetime.
1. Infancy: The first stage is that of infancy, where a person is a helpless baby, crying and puking in the nurse’s arms. This stage is characterized by complete dependence and vulnerability.
2. Childhood: The second stage is childhood, portrayed as a whining school-boy with a satchel, unwillingly trudging to school. This stage reflects reluctance and the struggle between duty and desire.
3. Adolescence: The third stage depicts adolescence, where a young man is full of youthful energy and ambition, but also prone to impractical dreams and romantic idealism. He is described as a lover who sighs and composes poems.
4. Adulthood: The fourth stage is that of adulthood, where a man becomes a soldier. It is characterized by jealousy, honor, and a readiness to fight. This stage involves seeking reputation and glory, often through risky endeavors.
5. Middle Age: The fifth stage presents middle age, where the man is a judge with a “fair round belly” and a serious demeanor. He is wise and experienced, dispensing justice and reflecting on life’s experiences.
6. Old Age: The sixth stage is old age, marked by physical decline and a return to a state of dependence. The old man is described as having a shrunken body, a faltering voice, and a diminished capacity for physical and mental tasks.
7. Second Childhood: The final stage is akin to a second childhood, where the man loses all faculties and becomes entirely dependent again. He is without teeth, eyes, taste, experiencing a complete regression to a state of helplessness.
Each stage highlights the inevitable progression and transformation in a human life and the roles we play throughout our journey.
b) Shakespeare has skilfully brought out the parallels between the life of man and actors on stage. Elaborate this statement with reference to the poem.
Answer:
Shakespeare’s poem “All the World’s a Stage” masterfully draws parallels between human life and the life of actors on stage, using the metaphor of a stage to illustrate the different phases of human existence. This comparison effectively underscores the transient nature of life.
Life as a Play: Shakespeare likens the world to a stage and people to actors. Just as actors perform various roles in a play, individuals take on different roles throughout their lives. This analogy emphasizes that life is a series of acts, each with its script and performance, where individuals must adapt to changing circumstances and societal expectations.
Stages of Life: The poem outlines seven distinct stages of a man’s life, each resembling a different act in a theatrical performance. From the helpless infant to the wise judge, and finally to the feeble old age, these stages mirror the roles an actor plays, each with its own distinct characteristics and challenges.
Performative Nature: Shakespeare highlights how individuals, like actors, perform their roles with varying degrees of sincerity and skill. The “whining school-boy,” the ambitious “young man,” and the honorable “soldier” each represent different personas that people adopt throughout their lives, reflecting the performative aspect of human behavior.
Temporary and Ephemeral: Just as an actor’s role is temporary and eventually ends, so too do the stages of life pass. Shakespeare’s comparison underscores the fleeting nature of human experiences and achievements, suggesting that life, like a play, is ephemeral and subject to change.
Life’s Script: The idea of a script in the poem—where people follow societal expectations and personal aspirations—parallels how actors follow a script in a play. Individuals are often guided by social norms and personal ambitions, just as actors adhere to their roles and lines.
Through this clever analogy, Shakespeare not only illustrates the inevitable progression of life but also reflects on the roles people play, the changes they undergo, and the transient nature of human existence. The metaphor serves as a profound commentary on the universality and impermanence of the human condition.
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