All the World’s a Stage Q&A (12th English Poem 3)
Poem Comprehension Questions
a) Then the whining school-boy, 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 school-boy stage of life.
- ii. What are the characteristics of this stage?
- 👉 The child is reluctant, whining, and unwilling to go to school.
- iii. How does the boy go to school?
- 👉 He goes slowly and unwillingly, dragging himself like a snail.
- iv. Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?
- 👉 Simile – the boy’s slow movement is compared to a snail.
b) Then a soldier, full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation , Even in the cannon’s mouth.
- i. What is the soldier ready to do?
- 👉The soldier is ready to risk his life and face death courageously.
- ii. Explain ‘bubble reputation’?
- 👉‘Bubble reputation’ means a short-lived, fragile and worthless fame
- iii. What are the distinguishing features of this stage?
- 👉 At this stage, man is adventurous, aggressive, ambitious, quick to quarrel, and eager to achieve name and fame even at the cost of his life.
c) And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lin’d, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances;
- i. Whom does justice refer to?
- 👉Justice refers to a middle-aged man.
- ii. Describe his appearance.
- 👉He has a fair round belly, severe eyes and a formal beard neatly trimmed.
- iii. How does he behave with the people around him?
- 👉He behaves with seriousness and dignity, showing authority and commanding respect from others.
- iv. What does he do to show his wisdom?
- 👉He frequently quotes proverbs (wise saws) and modern examples (instances) to display his knowledge and sound judgment.
5. Identify the figure of speech
- a) “All the world’s a stage”
- 👉 Metaphor (the world is directly compared to a stage).
- b) “And all the men and women merely players”
- 👉 Metaphor (men and women are compared to actors/players).
- c) “And shining morning face, creeping like snail”
- 👉 Simile (face compared to morning; movement compared to a snail using “like”).
- d) “Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,”
- 👉 Simile (beard compared to a pard i.e., leopard).
- e) “Seeking the bubble reputation”
- 👉 Metaphor (reputation compared to a bubble, fragile and short-lived).
- f) “His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide”
- 👉 Metaphor (clothes too wide symbolise old age / shrinking body).
- g) “and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble”
- 👉 Metaphor (voice change compared to childish treble in old age).
5. Pick out the words in alliteration
- a) “and all the men and women merely players”
- 👉 men – merely
- b) “And one man in his time plays many parts”
- 👉 plays – parts
- c) “Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel.”
- 👉quick – quarrel
Paragraph Questions (Slow Learners)
All the World’s a Stage
TTITLE : All the World’s a Stage
Poet : William Shakespeare
Theme : Seven stages of man’s life.
- According to Shakespeare, the world is a stage and everyone is a player.
- He says that every man has seven stages during his life time
- First stage – Childhood stage, Plays in the arms of his m mother.
- Second stage – School going student who creeps to s school unwillingly.
- Third Stage – Lover, Composes ballads for his beloved
- Fourth Stage – Soldier, He is aggresive and ambitious
- he is ready to guard the country and die for it.
- Fifth – Fair judge, He is a fair judge with maturity and wisdom.
- Sixth – Thin old Man, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles.
- Seventh – Second childhood, he loses his sight, smell and taste and exits from the role of his life.
Moral : Life is like a stage and we are all actors playing different roles
