The Seven Ages of Man- As You Like It- by William Shakespeare

 The Seven Ages of Man or All the Woels's a stage is a famous monologue by Jacques from William Shakespeare's play "As You Like It." 

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,

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. 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. 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;

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;

His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion;

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

In this monologue, the character Jacques reflects on the different stages of a person's life, comparing them to seven distinct acts in a play. Here's a summary and explanation of each stage:

1. Infancy (Act I): At this stage, the infant is helpless and dependent, "mewling and puking" in the arms of its nurse. The imagery used here conveys the vulnerability and innocence of infancy.

2. Childhood (Act II): This stage is characterized by playful innocence and curiosity. Children "whining school-boy[s]" unwillingly go to school, full of reluctance and reluctance to leave behind the freedom of play.

3. The Lover (Act III): This stage represents adolescence and young adulthood, where individuals experience the passion and turbulence of romantic love. It's depicted as a time of sighs, oaths, and dreams.

4. The Soldier (Act IV): This stage signifies maturity and a sense of duty. The soldier is described as full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, referencing the seriousness and responsibility associated with military service.

5. The Justice (Act V): This stage represents middle age and the pursuit of worldly success and responsibility. The individual is focused on accumulating wealth and establishing their place in society.

6. Old Age (Act VI):  In this stage, physical abilities decline, and the individual becomes more reflective and introspective. They lose their teeth, eyesight, taste, and are described as sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything, highlighting the physical deterioration of old age.

7. Senility (Act VII): This final stage is characterized by a loss of mental faculties and a return to a childlike state of helplessness and dependence, completing the cycle of life.

The monologue presents a cyclical view of life, where individuals progress through these stages from infancy to old age and eventually return to a state resembling infancy. It captures the universal journey of human life with its various joys, challenges, and inevitable transformations.