All the World's a StageThis is a featured page


William Kempe

It's Shakespeare time! As we're studying pre-1914 poetry, we will be looking this week at an extract from one of Shakespeare's Comedies, As You Like It.

It is about the seven ages of man. As it is written in Elizabethan language, some of the words might sound a bit strange, but we'll go over all of that in class. Have a read to see what you think.

To listen at the same time, click the link below:
http://ise.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/life/lifesubj+1.html

All the World's a Stage (from As You Like It, by William Shakespeare)


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.
And 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 lined,
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 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. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.


Mrskelsall
Mrskelsall
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