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Unit 2: The Seven Ages of Man by William Shakespeare

2.9 Summary Notes

Born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-on-Avon in England to John Shakespeare and Mary
Arden, William Shakespeare was a very renowned English poet and playwright.

William Shakespeare’s birth records don’t exist but church records show that he was
baptised at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 26, 1564. It is thus
believed William was born on or near April 23, 1564. Scholars from across the world
acknowledge this date as William Shakespeare’s birthdate.

At the age of 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, a woman about seven to eight
years senior to him. They got married on November 28, 1582, in Worcester, in Canterbury
Province.

The period between 1585 and 1592 is termed by scholars as the period of “Lost Years”
which came after William Shakespeare’s twins were born.

Documents show that by the early 1590s, William Shakespeare joined the Lord
Chamberlain’s company of actors which was a popular acting company in London. He
then joined a group of Chamberlain’s Men in 1599 as a managing partner.
In 1605, William Shakespeare bought leases of real estate near Stratford for 440 pounds.
This doubled in value and earned him 60 pounds a year. Besides being a renowned artist,
Shakespeare also became an entrepreneur. These investments allowed him to write his
masterpieces without being interrupted.

Fifteen of the 37 plays written by William Shakespeare were published by 1597.
The classical poem The Seven Ages of Man, is actually an extract from Shakespeare’s delightful
comedy “As You Like It”. In this poem, William Shakespeare makes a comparison between
the world and a stage. According to him the world is similar to a stage or theatre, life is
like acting and both men and women are similar to actors.

The Seven Ages of Man is a poem written by William Shakespeare in blank verse, unrhymed
iambic pentameter. It includes five meters or ten syllables.

William Shakespeare makes use of several figures of speech with an immense beauty and
charm. Figures of speech help to make beautify the language and make it decorative and
figurative.

Shakespeare was a great psychologist. In The Seven Ages of Man, Shakespeare describes the
actual activities of an infant, unwilling school boy, and a lover, soldier, and justice, old
and childish man.
Shakespeare was a humourist. His way of describing the first five ages is very hilarious.
However, in the last two ages, the poet’s tone becomes sad as he describes the last days of
man.

2.10 Keywords

Alliteration: It is the repetition of the same sounds or same kinds of sounds in stressed syllables
or at the beginning of words.

Childish: It means of, like, or appropriate to a child. An individual who is silly and immature is
often considered childish.
Delightful: Something or somebody who is charming is called delightful.

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