CBSE Class 9 English The Seven Ages Assignment

WORKSHEET

I. Read the extracts and answer the following questions:

1. “And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.”

a. Which stage is described in these lines?

b. Why has the lover being compared to a ‘sighing furnace’?

c. Explain: ‘Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.’

d. Why is the lover’s ballad a woeful one?

2. “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 canon’s mouth.”

a. Why is the soldier compared to a pard?

b. What traits characterize this stage?

c. What is the importance of reputation for him?

d. Bring out the literary device in line 2 and line 4.

3. “And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lined,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part.”

a. Which stage of men’s life has been described here?

b. Give the meaning of ‘good capon lined’.

c. How does he display his wisdom?

d. What status does he enjoy at this stage?

II. Short answer questions(30-40 words):

a. Why does the poet refer to men and women as players?

b. Draw a parallelism between human life and theatre stage.

c. Bring out a contrast between a judge and a soldier.

d. What is ‘second childishness’? Why has it been called so?

e. How does Shakespeare perceive a man in the sixth stage of his life?

III. Long answer question(100-120 words):

“All the world’s a stage

And all the men and women merely players

They have their exits and their entrances.”

Is human life truly a drama? What values do you think can make this drama full of happiness and joy? Which one’s can turn it into a tragedy?