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Kartik Raj Kanna Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

The Seven Ages - by WIlliam Shakespeare

Oi !!!

I was reading " The Seven Ages " for my exam tomorrow and I have a few clarifications to make about it.

Could someone please explain the following phrase(s) for me please,

( The context is given after the list of phrases )

1. Shining Morning Face

2. Sighing like a furnace

3. With eyes severe and beard of formal cut

4. Full of wise saws and modern instances


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. As, 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 lined,
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 saved, 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.


Thanks,

KRK
  

Top answer

1. Shining Morning Face -- a schoolboy's clean face newly washed in the morning 2. Sighing like a furnace -- moaning with sexual desire 3.

  • 1.
  • Shining Morning Face -- a schoolboy's clean face newly washed in the morning 2.
  • Sighing like a furnace -- moaning with sexual desire 3.
  • With eyes severe and beard of formal cut -- looking serious and with a mature man's beard style 4.
  • Full of wise saws and modern instances -- Always ready with wise sayings and current accepted opinions
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6 Answers
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1. Shining Morning Face -- a schoolboy's clean face newly washed in the morning

2. Sighing like a furnace -- moaning with sexual desire

3. With eyes severe and beard of formal cut -- looking serious and with a mature man's beard style

4. Full of wise saws and modern instances -- Always ready with wise sayings and current accepted opinions
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Dear KRK.

I saw your salutation (Oi !!!) and nearly passed on giving you an answer.

That is not a nice, polite or respectful manner to start a request for help from professionals with numerous diplomas and who are proficient in their craft. In fact, in many parts of the world it is a blatant insult. I recommend you never use it again.

1. Shining Morning Face = freshly sc
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Thank You Mister Micawber

What does Woeful Ballad mean?

Ballad is a kind of poem right? So does woeful ballad mean a sad poem or thereabouts?

Thanks

KRK
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Sorry John,

I just noticed your post and I never meant to ignore it ( obviously ). Thanks for bringing to my notice the rather not intended rudeness of my salutation. I wanted to say Hi or thereabouts but switched it to 'Oi' to make the salutation a little, you know, casual and informal. I never knew that it was RUDE and did not actually WANT to be rude. I will take your recommendation an
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No problem KRK - I said what I said to help you in the future.

I went on to answer you because I figured you used that expression without knowing.

A ballad is either a poem or a song and a woeful one is, indeed, sad (i.e. full of woe).

John
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Thanks John and Mr.Micawber

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