THREE STAGES OF MAN !
I learnt the Seven Stages of
Man by Shakespeare in school. In fact by heart and vaguely remember reciting it
for some competition in St Joseph’s High School,Trichy!
Introduction:
With growing years, I
wonder why there are 7 stages of man!
Is it because a historical
poet and the world’s greatest dramatist (the Bard of Avon) wrote this a long
time ago? Does this not have variation in the tropical, third world countries?
You may soon know my
dilemma in understanding his characterization of the seven stages - 'infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantalone and the old age' in the third world!
Peramble:
I recently met a man with
my name who was 40 years old in the outpatient department. He told me I had
delivered him and so his mom named him after me. So I thought I was sort of qualified
in my own limited way, to write on what I think are the stages of man in the
third world.
I must also mention my
grandson who is only 2 years old, teaches me a lot about life. After seeing his countenance, his moods in
pre-school era, I wonder if I should blindly follow the 7 stages as the gospel
truth!
I also spend considerable
time with ‘Uncle Sam’ who is 86 years old at music practice and plays first
violin with me. He needs no glasses to read the music score, he all his teeth
intact, his taste is superb as he said last night at dinner that the ‘biriyani’
could have been a bit more spice! So obviously Shakespeare had not met the
likes of ‘Uncle Sam’ when he described the seventh stage as ‘mere oblivion,sans
teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything’
3 Stages of man:
I think life is a lot
simpler with only 3 basic stages of man. This seems to fit most guys I know in
all decades of life. The three stages comprise of his firm belief as to why he
is on this earth! After all, life is only how we lead it, and we lead it by our
effective actions aided by our firm beliefs.
The first stage is when he believes he is the supreme power.
All he has to do is to make a noise and everyone will dance to his tune! There
is no doubt in his mind that he is supreme human being and that all the others
exist merely to please him! My young grandson belongs to this category! He
demands whatever is precious to me, knowing he will get it! This is the age of
Pre-School!
The second stage comprises of school and college days. This is
the time the child in the third world learns social behavior. He learns what to
say (and what not to say), when to say it, how to say it and most of all when
not to say anything at all! He also learns that he is no longer the master of
universe or the king of the castle! There are all sorts of guys around – ‘Annas
and Thambis’! During this stage he is aware that though there are stronger, mightier
and cleverer guys around, he knows he has to work hard. Or so he is told in
school. The harder he works, the better marks, more the medals, more the glory!
He knows life is fair!
During the second stage,
he also learns that he has to be fair to everyone, to be polite, to follow the
rules of the road, never to cheat, to be kind to the poor, the widows and always
help the physically challenged. He is often told of ‘ heaven and hell’ or ‘karma’
depending on his actions. He knows life is fair, he knows if he competes on
merit, he can do anything. His knowledge is marked and his physical skills are
recorded in black and white.
‘Sky is the limit’!
‘The world is your oyster’!
The third stage is the ‘stage of reality’. After he qualities,
he applies for a job. He attends the interview, fails to get the job despite
better marks and qualifications … the other guy is better connected! And
finally when he gets the job, more than mere marks; other material factors play
a major role! When he works hard, his work is published by his superior without
putting his name on the report (or the book)! When things go wrong he gets
blamed by the fault of someone else with higher political connections and may
have to officially take the fall for the other guy. By the time he experiences
or witnesses these incidents, he has reached mid thirties and early forties.
The wife and his children
play a decisive role in his life. He knows clearly that life is never black and
white as taught in the school (the second stage) , but life is in shades of
grey! He has now learnt to fit in the system … the knack of ( ?art) getting school admissions, ways of easing the
procedures of his house building, later getting his kids to college and then
settling them in jobs.
So, by the time he enters
his fifties, he has turned a philosopher! Either a cynic if he not learnt to
compromise and this often brings on depression or he can choose the path of
knowing the life will play itself out.
Cynic as he has become a
pessimist when he fears the most, expects the worst & perfoms the least!
If he is not a pessimist,
knows by now that one cannot correct everything in the system. That one can
only do the so called ‘right thing’ when most of the others may be taking the
short cut. He has developed the mentality of ‘que sera, sera’ or ‘whatever will
be, will be’ He has become ‘the change
you want to see’! (Mahatma Gandhi)
He also learns that the
people in the 8th and 9th decades, generally criticize less,
move more, eat less, do their own chores and are easily contended. He may be ‘sans’
so many things as mentioned by Shakespeare. If he had lived well and looked
after himself well, he will be sane in body (as permitted by his age), mind and
soul.
PS: I have outlined the
classical 7 stages of man by Shakespeare for reference to those who wish to
refresh again!
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.
Then the whining schoolboy, 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 bard,
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 slippered 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.
PPS: Not mention of women.
This is because Shakespeare in all his wisdom referred to ‘man’! Who am I, a
mere mortal, to contract him? I hasten to add that the same rules apply to
women as well. In fact statistics show that women live longer than men!
