Question

Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format: 

All the World’s a Stage 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 schoolboy, 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 breaded 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 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. The last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and more oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. - William Shakespeare

Points:

1. The title and the poet of the poem   (01)
2. Rhyme scheme   (01)
3. Figures of speech   (01)
4. Central Idea/Theme   (02)

Answer 1

Appreciation of the poem ‘All the World’s a Stage’

William Shakespeare wrote the poem ‘All the World’s a Stage.’ It comes from ‘As You Like It’ by Shakespeare. Only one person is speaking in this part of the play. 

The poem is written in blank verse, which means the lines don’t rhyme but follow a steady rhythm of five beats per line. Metaphor is the most interesting figure of speech. Other figures of speech include Simile, Alliteration, and Repetition. When the lines ‘All the world’s a stage, and all men and women are merely players’ are read together, they seem to compare two different things.

Shakespeare likens life to a stage in this poem. He has broken life up into seven stages, each with its own unique traits and qualities. This poem is about how life goes around and around. From beginning to end, it shows how a person is helpless and doesn’t understand what’s going on around them, much like an infant.