Thursday, January 10, 2019

“ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE” AND WE’RE SIMPLY ACTORS.






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 “All the world’s a stage”

In  Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ Jacques a philosophizing jester delivers a speech, which begins with the above statement and goes on to proclaim in a cynically despondent strain the fate of man after he appears on the stage of life. According to him, man passes through seven stages of utterly melancholic existence before leaving this world for good. His portrayal of human journey smacks of sorrows and sufferings and nothing else of significance.

Taking this as a starting point minus Jacques negativity, I  make an attempt to reflect upon human life as we live it. Yet agreeing with Jacques that life is a stage and we act different roles and depart. I'd be in a way stating life in a simplistic but thoughtful vein. 

Truly, we enter the world without our will and leave it when time’s mysterious wand weaves a spin and orders our disappearance. We’ve no say in either.

In fact, it is the period in between these two events; you may call it by any name you like that holds our interest. I’d call it the momentous conflict zone.

Childhood is a sweetly innocent, joyful, refreshing period solely driven by instincts and based on Freud’s ‘pleasure principle.’ However, it has its limiting challenges of recurring sicknesses and utter dependency. It is a slow build up to erupting of imminent lava waiting ahead, though.

The youth sits on smoldering coals. Raring to plunge headlong ever. It passes through grueling experiences. Buffeted by the whirlwinds of hormonal craziness, of uncontrolled impulsiveness, of ego rearing its satanic presence, and of the consciousness of self, make him an unenviable specimen. Coupled with a confused mental state including pulls and pressures of societal demands the youth elicits both our sympathy and disapproval. It has challenges galore yet it is the most romanticized period too. This act reaches the peak of dramatic interludes and scenes. It resembles a theatre of the absurd. The ever-curious audience laps up the embedded contradictions of the act.

The next act is that of graduating to manhood after climbing umpteen rungs of experiences’ ladder. Man earns some stability yet he enacts and faces unexpected crossroads.  Life is interspersed with stresses and strains in this act, the major being the economic one and balancing out the delicate human relationships. It is no less than a litmus test because a lot is at stake. Earning a livelihood and raising a family means tight rope walking. In short, it involves a little sweet and a lot of sour templates. It has struggle as its dominant theme. Only strength of character helps one to sail it through.

Next, the curtain rises. In this act, man bids adieu to the need to earn for his sustenance. He enters a retired life zone, signifying the fruits of his labor. He had longed to reach here. Foremost of all, he decides to finish the long pending tasks. Then he has all the time to strike a new beginning. He has innumerable options to indulge in.  He can pursue interests that he had postponed all along. He can pay back to society by disseminating the essence of his lifelong experiences through the instruments of his choosing. In fact, this can be the golden period of life if planned well. It is also a time to bow your head in gratitude for all the blessings.

The last stage of life offers a mixed platter. Lucky are those who can participate in the routine of life till the last day. 

Keep praying and wait for God’s messenger to deliver you an invitation at the appropriate time.

Friends welcome here as always! Please share your perspective on the theme!


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17 comments:

  1. Interesting post. I do have friends from childhood and now that I am 62 it is fun to be able to talk with friends about the things we did as children, teens, young adults and now grandparents. Where does time go? You asked about the mourning dove. The mourning dove has a call that is a long "cooooo...coooo...cooooo" or "who that sounds like of sad or mournful and that is how they got their name. When I first heard one I though it was an owl. They are sweet birds and live here year round and enjoy my feeders and bird baths especially in our snowy winters...Michelle

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  2. This is a very positive approach to life ma'am. There is so much to learn and do but We probably get entrapped in the norms for convenience and forget to nurture the old while seeking for new.

    Merriment is not restricted to age, however the time constraints affect its stay. It would be worthwhile if we leave contended with a smile, as everything else will be left behind.

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  3. Hari OM
    Wonderful extension on your opening theme! Shakespeare clearly often thought along the lines of this type of philosophy, for the idea crops again, most famously in Macbeth..."Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
    That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
    And then is heard no more."


    YAM xx

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  4. Very true. Agree with you.
    Actors with different roles are there in different stages.

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  5. Uppal,

    We are very much like actors playing various roles in life with new scene until the final act when the curtain is drawn. Will it be a good show? I hope so. I hope we all are superstars and our audience will remember us long after we've departed. Excellent job!

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  6. interesting perspective. I don't necessarily agree with it, but thanks for sharing, nonetheless!

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  7. Very nicely explained the stages...loved reading it.

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  8. Very well said. Sometimes I've felt like I was just letting the stage pass by rather than acting on it in some instances now as I look backwards. Thanks for sharing, and I enjoyed visiting and reading.

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  9. Billy Shakes AND philosophy/theology. Well played.

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  10. True, but lucky are those whose childhood friends continue to be friends lifelong.

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  11. I like the way you think! Awesome post!

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  12. Essence of life reflects in this post of yours! Yes, we all are actors on this world stage...you are right in saying - Lucky are those who can participate in the routine of life till the last day. Each stage is crucial but the last stage of life even more so as it needs so much love and support.

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  13. The last stage is indeed a mixed platter. Living in a retirement community I see many variations.

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  14. Thankfully we are all part of it


    Have a splendid, ♥-warming ABC-Wednes-day / -week
    ♫ M e l d y ♪ (ABC-W-team)
    http://melodyk.nl/24-B

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