All the World's a Stage (Poem) Question/ Answer Grade 11

 All the World's a Stage (Questions/ Answers)

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?

➜ 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?

➜No, 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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