William Shakespeare’s poem “All the world’s a stage” is the metaphorical representation of life as a theatrical performance, highlighting the different stages of human existence and the inevitability of aging and mortality. This poem is in Class 11 English Unit 3 of poem section and it’s exercise question answers solution and summary is provided in this article. All the Worlds a Stage 11 exercise is attached below:
All the Worlds a Stage Class 11 Exercise Questions Answers and detailed summary are discussed in this article.
All the World’s a Stage
Exercises
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
Answer the following questions.
a. Why does the poet compare the world with a stage?
➜ The poet compares the world to a stage because he believes that all
men and women are the actors of a drama. These actors perform their different
roles here in this stage and leave this worldly stage at last.
b. What is the first stage in a human’s life? In what sense can it
be a troubling stage?
âžœ The first stage in a human’s life is the stage of infancy. In this
stage the infant can cry for a long time as well as vomit anytime in mother’s or
nurse’s arms.
c. Describe the second stage of life based on the poem.
➜ The second stage of life is the stage of boyhood. In this stage,
the boy starts to go to school carrying schoolbag on his shoulder with his
shining face. The boy doesn’t willingly go to school so he creeps slowly like a
snail.
d. Why is the last stage called second childhood?
➜ The last stage is called second childhood because here in this
stage the man becomes like a child by losing his senses of sight, hearing,
smell and taste. All the activities of the man become like a child. His walking
speaking and doing other activities also seem like a child.
e. In what sense are we the players in the world stage?
➜ We are the players in the world stage in the sense that we perform
different roles after our birth. Generally, we people have to play seven
different roles in our entire lifetime according to the poem therefore we are
the players in the world stage.
REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT
a. Explain the following lines:
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players
➜ The lines are taken from the poem ‘All the world’s a Stage’. In
this poem we human beings are taken as performers and the world is taken as a
stage. We are the players in the world stage in the sense that we have
different roles to play after our birth. Generally, we people have to play
seven different roles in our entire lifetime according to the poem therefore we
are the players in the world stage. The poet has compared the whole world with
a stage where men and women are only players.
b. Explain the following lines briefly with reference to the context.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
➜ The lines are taken from the poem ‘All the world’s a Stage’. In
this poem we human beings are taken as performers and the world is taken as a
stage. These lines are the parts of Jacues’s monologue. Here, the poet has said
that the people in the world have their entrances by the means of birth
and exits by means of death. People arrive here in this worldly stage
through birth and leave this stage through death. A man here in this worldly
stage has to perform many roles in his lifetime and leave the stage after
his death.
c. Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.
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 childhood stage of life is being referred to here by the poet.
ii. Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?
➜ In the second line, the figure of speech simile has been employed
where the word like is used to compare his walking with a snail.
iii. Who is compared to the snail?
➜ The school-going boy is compared to the snail.
iv. Does the boy go to the school willingly?
âžœNo,
the boy doesn’t go to the school willingly because he walks less interestingly
like a snail.
d. Simile and metaphor are the two major poetic devices used in this
poem. Explain citing examples of each.
➜ In this poem, the two major poetic devices simile and metaphor are
used. Simile is the poetic device in which like as are used to compare the
objects where as in metaphor the objects are directly compared without using
other words. For example: ‘You are like a donkey’ is simile and ‘You are a
donkey’ is metaphor’. The poet has used such poetic devices a lot in this
poem. The examples of simile and metaphor used in the poem are given below:
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 a snail” – Simile
d)
“Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,” – Simile
e)
“Seeking the bubble reputation” – Metaphor
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 narrative style to express his emotions about how
he thinks that the world is a stage and all the people living in it are
mere players or characters. In this poem, the poet has explained that the
players or performers go through seven different phases in their lives. The
poet has explained the real aspects of human life for all readers to
understand the reality of life.
f. What is the theme of this poem?
➜ The theme of this poem is the cycle of human life. According to
the poem, each and every person in the world has to play different roles in
their life. After playing different roles, the person has to go out from the
earth. The person is the ultimate loser in the game of life.
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Summary
Shakespeare seems to have the impression, in the poem, that human life is not real. What we see and hear isn’t a reality. Human life is a play of make-believe. Here Shakespeare traces human life through the famous seven ages – the infant in arms, the schoolboy, the lover, the soldier, the justice, the retired man, and the worn-out senior, sinking back into dissolution. The whole world’s a stage. We‘re only actors. We enter the stage and we go off it again. One man in his lifetime plays a lot of roles. At first, he plays the part of the infant, crying and throwing milk in the arms of the nurse.
Then he plays the part of a schoolboy who is not willing to go to school. With his shining face of the morning, he trudges at the pace of the snail. Then there comes the lover. He sighs like a furnace, and writes pitiful verses, addressing his mistress. He plays the role of a soldier. It’s stocked with all the violent oaths. He’s wearing a wonderful beard. In a quarrel, he is too sensitive and fast and hasty. He is willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of unsubstantial glory. Then he will play the role of judge. He’s a bulging belly man, with severe eyes. He’s a very wise man.
Then Shakespeare describes his old age. It’s pretty funny. The old man is in slippers, wearing glasses. His mannish voice once more turns into a child’s shrill tone. The last role is the second child. It’s so full of forgetfulness. It’s without teeth, without eyes, without taste, without everything.
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