Seven Ages Of Man Meaning – Analysis & Explanation

What Is The Meaning Behind Shakespeare’s “Seven Ages Of Man”

SEVEN AGES OF MAN – There could be a lot of meaning behind the Seven Stages of A Man’s Life: “infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon and old age“.

The seven stages in the life of a man is one of William Shakespeare’s most quoted passages. In this article, we are going to give the meaning and explanation behind his poem.

Seven Ages Of Man Meaning – Analysis & Explanation

The first stage of man is infancy: In this stage, man is merely a helpless baby and knows little to nothing about the world. Afterward, he becomes a Whining Schoolboy, where he begins his journey with education, leaving the protection of his home, but still too young to journey on his own.

Afterward, man becomes The Lover: at this stage of a man’s life, romanticism and love make a fool out of a man as he tries to express his emotions. Next is the age of man where he becomes the Soldier, Shakespear portrays this age as being easily aroused and hot-headed, oftentimes, seeking to make a reputation for himself even with high risks involved.

The fifth age of man is “The Justice“, this is the age where man has gained wisdom and knowledge through the experiences he had in life. This is the time where a man wants to pass down his knowledge and enjoy the finer things in life. Following this is Old Age, at this point in life, a man has become but a shell of his former self physically and mentally.

Finally, the last stage of a man’s life would be his Incapacity. Here, a man begins to become dependent on others for care. Along with this, he would be unable to interact with the world around him as he experiences a “second innocence”, and mere oblivion to his surroundings.

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