1. Infancy (Act I): At this stage, the infant is helpless and dependent, "mewling and puking" in the arms of its nurse. The imagery used here conveys the vulnerability and innocence of infancy.
2. Childhood (Act II): This stage is characterized by playful innocence and curiosity. Children "whining school-boy[s]" unwillingly go to school, full of reluctance and reluctance to leave behind the freedom of play.
3. The Lover (Act III): This stage represents adolescence and young adulthood, where individuals experience the passion and turbulence of romantic love. It's depicted as a time of sighs, oaths, and dreams.
4. The Soldier (Act IV): This stage signifies maturity and a sense of duty. The soldier is described as full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, referencing the seriousness and responsibility associated with military service.
5. The Justice (Act V): This stage represents middle age and the pursuit of worldly success and responsibility. The individual is focused on accumulating wealth and establishing their place in society.
6. Old Age (Act VI): In this stage, physical abilities decline, and the individual becomes more reflective and introspective. They lose their teeth, eyesight, taste, and are described as sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything, highlighting the physical deterioration of old age.
7. Senility (Act VII): This final stage is characterized by a loss of mental faculties and a return to a childlike state of helplessness and dependence, completing the cycle of life.
The monologue presents a cyclical view of life, where individuals progress through these stages from infancy to old age and eventually return to a state resembling infancy. It captures the universal journey of human life with its various joys, challenges, and inevitable transformations.
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William Shakespeare