All the World's a Stage by William Shakespeare (Grade 11 Com. English Notes Note|| New Course || NEB)
The words "All the world's a stage" are actually taken from William Shakespeare's play "As You Like It". With these words begins the monologue (a loud speech to oneself) by a character in Act II of the play. Shakespeare has been a great playwright and poet of his era. He views life realistically. Shakespeare is known for the realism of his writings and is amongst the most quotable authors in world. The poem's theme is that man is the ultimate loser in the game of life. He says "all the world's a stage and "all the men and women merely its players". Every player plays seven roles during his life. The first stage is that of an infant when he is a helpless child in his mother's arms. He merely pukes in the nurse's arms. In the second role, he is a child who goes "creeping like a snail unwillingly to school". We may notice that man keeps on losing one quality and blessing while qualifying for another one. The third stag...