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. (138-41)
According to Jacques, all men have seven parts to play:
- The Infant – the crying and puking baby
- The Schoolboy – the whining or crying child because he has to go to school
- The Lover – the emotional teenager discovering love for the first time
- The Soldier – the young man who is intense and quick to get in a fight. He is also seeking fame or reputation, which is described as a “bubble” because it is airy and inconsequential and worthless.
- The Justice – the middle-aged man who has settled down and accepted life and thinks himself wise.
- The Pantaloon – the foolish old man (the word pantaloon comes from the Italian theater called commedia dell’arte)
- Second Childishness and Mere Oblivion
Thus, like a good fool, Jacques universally describes and mocks the life of men.
Orlando reappears with Adam, and Duke Senior immediately invites them to eat. As they
