Short Answer Questions of The Seven Ages Class 9th

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1.    What is the theme of the poem ‘The Seven Ages’?

Ans. According to Shakespeare human life is transitory. There is nothing permanent in it. This poem is based on a speech given by a character Jacques who is a cynic in the well known play ‘As You Like It. For Jacques there is nothing noble or praiseworthy in a man’s life. He makes fun of all the seven ages of man and calls birth as ‘entry’ and death as ‘exit’.

2.    Why does the poet say that the school boy creeps like a snail to school?

Ans. The school boy is not very willing to go to school. He is disinterested and just walks slowly like a snail carrying his school bag. He is always whining and complaining.

3.    Describe the fourth and fifth stages of man.

OR

What characteristics does the poet associate with fourth and fifth stages of man. [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. The fourth stage is of a soldier. He is fierce like
a leopard full of vigour and can easily be provoked. He is jealous and always defensive to save his honour. In the fifth stage he is fat and huge. There is somberness in his eyes and his beard gives him a formal look. He is always full of advice for others and performs the role of a justice.

4.    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.

(a)    Why does the poet call the world a ‘stage’?

(b)    What does the poet mean by ‘exits’ and ‘entrances’?

(c)    How can one man play many parts?

Ans. (a) Stage is a platform in a theatre where actors perform their parts. Similarly, life is also a peformance in which men and women play different parts. These roles are preordained and are in God’s power.

(b)    The exits are deaths and entrances are births

(c)    The various parts are the various stages in his life : Childhood, adolescence, youth, middle age and finally death.

5.    At first the infant

Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms

Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail.

(a)    How is the life of a person like an infant?

(b)    How does a schoolboy appear?

(c)    The schoolboy is depicted as ‘shining’ and ‘whining’ Why?

Ans. The first stage of man is of childhood an infant who cries and vomits in his nurses arms. He is helpless and depends on others for his every need. The next stage is of a school boy who carries his school bag, goes to school unwillingly and slowly like snail. At this time his face is always scrubbed and shining. But he is not a very willing student, he keeps whining and complaining.

6.    Explain ‘All the world’s a stage’ with reference to the poem.    (CBSE 2010)

Ans. In this poem life is compared to a play. First as man plays different roles in a play so also does he in a real life. As on a stage there is a particular entry and a particular exit of actors; in the same way in life man comes when he is born and departs when he dies. Just as a part is assigned to an actor, in the same God decides man’s role in life, what he has to do at various stages. Noting is in man’s hand.

7.    What is the theme of the poem ‘The Seven Ages’.

Or

What do you think has the poet referred to as ‘an eventful history’ in the poem, The Seven Ages and why ?    [CBSE    2010    (Term    I)]

Ans. Shakespeare said that human life is transitory. There is nothing permanent in it. This poem is based on a
speech given by a character Jacques, who is a cynic, in the well known play ‘As You Like It. For Jacques there is nothing noble or praiseworthy in a man’s life. He makes fun of all the seven ages of man and calls birth as ‘entry’ and death as ‘exit’.

8.    Write two characteristics of infant state mentioned in the poem ‘The Seven Ages’.

(CBSE 2010)

Or

How does Shakespeare describe man in the first stage of life?    [CBSE    2010    (Term II)]

Ans. The two characteristics of an infant stage are crying and vomiting out his milk. Whenever he needs anything he cries, whether he is hungry, sick, or wet. The only language he knows is of crying which attracts the attention of those who care for him. The only reaction he gives regarding his behaviour is by vomiting out his milk. These two traits characterise an infant.

9.    Why has been the last stage of a man’s life referred to as second childishness’? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

Ans. An infant has to depend on others for everything. Similarly, an old man is weak and ignorant of everything around him. He has no teeth, no sense of taste and is absolutely helpless.

10.    What are the problems faced by a person in

‘Soldier’ stage?    [CBSE    2010    (Term II)]

Or

How does man as a soldier behave? (The Seven Ages)    [CBSE    2010    (Term II)]

Ans. The fourth stage of a man is of a soldier. He is heroic, seeking reputation, willing to face total annihilation. He is fierce like a leapord, full of vigour and is easily provoked. He is jealous and defensive. He risks his life to become immortal.

Content’s

• Summary of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Hindi Summary of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Word Meanings of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Textbook Question of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Multiple Choice Questions of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Non-Multiple Choice Questions of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Short Answer Questions of The Seven Ages Class 9th.
• Long Answer Questions of The Seven Ages Class 9th.