Class 11 Compulsory English "All the World's a Stage" by William Shakespeare All Exercise
Understanding the Text
a. Why does the poet compare the world with a stage?
The poet compares the world to a stage because he believes that life is like a play. Every person enters the world, plays different roles, and then leaves when their time ends. Just like actors act in a drama, people act in life by playing different parts at different ages. Shakespeare shows that life is full of changes and that nothing stays the same forever.
b. What is the first stage in a human’s life? In what sense can it be a troubling stage?
The first stage in a human’s life is infancy. It is troubling because babies cannot take care of themselves. They cry a lot, need constant attention, and cannot express their needs in words. This creates difficulty for both the child and the people taking care of them. It is a helpless and dependent stage where the infant needs complete support to survive.
c. Describe the second stage of life based on the poem.
The second stage of life is that of a schoolboy. In this stage, the boy is not very happy about going to school. He carries his school bag and walks slowly like a snail. His face is fresh and shining in the morning, but he is not excited about learning. This stage shows the unwillingness and laziness that children often feel toward studies and responsibilities.
d. Why is the last stage called second childhood?
The last stage is called second childhood because, like babies, old people become helpless again. They lose their strength, memory, teeth, sight, and taste. They become fully dependent on others to live, just like infants depend on their parents. In this stage, a person forgets many things and returns to a weak, simple state before finally exiting the world.
e. In what sense are we the players in the world stage?
We are players in the world stage because we all act different roles in life, just like actors in a play. From birth to death, we keep changing roles—first a baby, then a student, a lover, a soldier, a wise judge, and finally an old person. We perform these roles without controlling how life moves forward, and finally, we leave the stage when our life ends.
Reference to the Context
a. Explain the following lines:
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players."
In these famous lines, Shakespeare tells us that life is like a big drama being performed on a stage. The stage is the world, and every man and woman is an actor. We do not control everything; instead, we enter the world, act out our parts, and then exit. Life is temporary, and each person plays many roles before their life ends. These lines show that human life is short and full of changes, just like a performance that begins and ends quickly.
b. Explain the following lines:
"They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts."
Here, Shakespeare describes how people are born (entrances) and die (exits), just like actors come onto and leave a stage. In between, every person plays different parts or roles at different times of their life. A child, a lover, a soldier, and a judge are all different stages. These lines explain that life is a series of performances, where people continue to change their roles until they complete their journey and exit from the world.
c. Read the lines and answer the questions:
"Then the whining schoolboy, 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?
The schoolboy stage is described here.
ii. Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?
A simile is used, comparing the schoolboy to a snail.
iii. Who is compared to the snail?
The schoolboy is compared to the snail.
iv. Does the boy go to the school willingly?
No, the boy goes to school unwillingly and slowly.
d. Simile and metaphor are the two major poetic devices used in this poem. Explain citing examples of each.
In this poem, Shakespeare uses both similes and metaphors to make his ideas stronger. A metaphor is when one thing is directly compared to another, like “All the world’s a stage,” where the world is called a stage. A simile is when something is compared using "like" or "as." For example, the boy is described as "creeping like snail" when going to school. These devices help create vivid images in the reader’s mind.
e. Which style does the poet use to express his emotions about how he thinks that the world is a stage and all the people living in it are mere players?
The poet uses a storytelling style in blank verse, which means it doesn’t rhyme but has a smooth flow. Through a monologue (one person speaking), Shakespeare explains the seven stages of life. He uses simple but powerful language and comparisons. The style is calm, serious, and full of philosophy, making readers think about how life changes from one stage to another, just like scenes in a drama.
f. What is the theme of this poem?
The theme of this poem is the journey of human life. Shakespeare shows that life is full of stages, and each person must pass through them. Life is short, and people are like actors who play roles before leaving the world. The poem teaches that life is ever-changing, temporary, and that humans have no control over time. It makes readers think about the meaning and value of their own lives.
Reference Beyond the Text
a. Describe the various stages of human life picturised in the poem "All the World's a Stage."
In the poem, Shakespeare divides human life into seven different stages. First is infancy, where the baby cries and depends on others. Second is the schoolboy stage, where the boy goes unwillingly to school. Third is the lover stage, full of passion and emotions. Fourth comes the soldier, who is brave but often quick to anger. Fifth is the justice stage, where the man is wise and respected. Sixth is old age, where physical strength and mental sharpness fade. Finally, there is the second childhood, where the person becomes helpless again and loses senses like a child. These stages show the complete circle of human life—from helplessness to helplessness again. Shakespeare presents these stages to show that life is temporary and constantly changing, and no one can escape the process of aging and death.
b. Is Shakespeare’s comparison of human life with a drama stage apt? How?
Yes, Shakespeare’s comparison of human life to a drama stage is very fitting. Life, like a drama, has a beginning and an ending. People are born (enter the stage) and die (exit the stage). In between, they act different parts based on their age, just like actors play different roles in different scenes. No role is permanent; everyone must change as life moves forward. Each stage comes with new duties, new emotions, and new challenges. Like actors who have to leave once their scene ends, people also must leave the world at the end of life. Shakespeare’s idea reminds us that we are all part of a bigger play and that time controls how long we can act. His comparison helps us understand how temporary and precious life really is.
Comments
Post a Comment