ALL THE WORD'S A STAGE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

All the world's ---------- merely players.

REFERENCE

(i) Poem: All the World's a Stage

(ii) Poet: William Shakespeare

CONTEXT

(i) Occurrence: Line 1-2/28

(ii) Content: In this poem the poet says that the world is a stage and man is an actor. He performs seven roles in his life on this stage. He starts his performance as an infant, then a school boy, a lover, a soldier, a justice, a retired person and finally an old man.

EXPLANATION 

     In these proverbial lines the poet has used two beautiful metaphors. Firstly he says that the planet earth is a huge platform where the performance of the drama named "life" keeps on taking place. "All the World's a Stage" is, in fact, a phrase that begins a monologue spoken by Jacques in "As You Like It" Act 2, scene 7, line 139. Secondly he says that all human beings are merely stage actors. Like actors, they also entertain others. They dress well to make others happy. They behave well to make others impressed. They keep an appearance most of the time like that of actors. Thus they do not lead an independent life but are merely puppets or actors.

I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano,

A stage where every man must play a part.

                             (The Merchant of Venice - Shakespeare)
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