The Seven Ages of Man

In one line

What happens

1. A baby is born, crying and helpless.
2. The child goes to school, unwilling and slow.
3. The teenager (lover) falls in love and writes sad poems.
4. The young man (soldier) is brave, quick to fight, and seeks honor.
5. The middle-aged man (justice) becomes wise, fair, and respected.
6. The old man grows thin, weak, and loses his strength and senses.
7. Finally, the very old man becomes childlike again, losing memory and everything else.

The characters

• The infant: A crying, helpless baby in the nurse's arms.
• The schoolboy: A slow, unwilling child carrying a bag to school.
• The lover: A young man in love, sighing and writing sad poems.
• The soldier: Brave, quick to anger, seeking honor and reputation.
• The justice: A mature, wise man with a round belly, giving advice and judgments.
• The old man: Thin, weak, with glasses and a trembling voice.
• Second childishness: Very old, forgetful, like a baby again, needing care.

The message

• Life has different stages, and each stage has its own qualities and problems.
• No stage lasts forever; everyone moves from one to the next.
• In the end, we become helpless again, just as we started.
• It reminds us to value every stage and understand its meaning.

Important lines

• "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."
• "Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion."

Exam tips

• Remember the order of the seven ages: infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, old man, second childishness.
• Know the qualities of each stage (for example, the soldier is brave but quick to fight).
• Be able to explain the main message: life is like a play, and we all play different roles.
• Use quotes to support your answer.

Where you see it in real life

• Watching a baby in your family grow up and change at each stage.
• Seeing teenagers act differently from adults or elders in your village or city.
• Noticing how elders become dependent on others, like children again.
• Observing how people change their thinking and behavior as they age.
• In movies or TV serials showing a character’s life from childhood to old age.
• At family gatherings, seeing all generations together and how each acts differently.

Why it matters

• Helps you understand human nature and the changes everyone goes through.
• Teaches empathy: you can relate to people of all ages.
• Useful for writing essays, stories, or answers in exams.
• Shows Shakespeare’s skill in describing life simply but deeply.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up the order of the seven ages. (Tip: Remember the journey from baby to old age.)
• Forgetting that the poem compares life to a play, not a real stage.
• Thinking each age is only about age, not about behavior and attitude.
• Missing the main message: everyone changes, and no stage is permanent.

Remember it

Think of life as a cricket match: you start as a new player, play different roles, and finally retire from the game.