In Shakespeare's "The Seven Ages of Man" from As You Like It, Jaques uses an extended metaphor to compare life to a play, illustrating seven stages of human life. Poetic devices such as metaphor, simile, imagery, and parallelism enhance the narrative. Metaphors like "all the world's a stage" and similes such as "creeping like a snail" depict life's journey from infancy to old age. Imagery vividly describes each stage, while parallel structure emphasizes the cyclical nature of life.

The "second childishness," or extreme old age, is related to being a child in that a person is essentially helpless, lacking in senses and sensibility, and wholly dependent on others for their care in this last stage of life. This comes from the "the seven ages of man" speech in act 2, scene 7 in which Jaques, a cynical nobleman who has exiled himself to the forest with his banished brother, Duke Senior, makes an extended metaphor for the stages of life.

Jaques' "Seven Ages of Man" speech in As You Like It uses the metaphor of life as a stage to explore themes of life's futility and cyclical nature. The speech outlines seven stages: infancy, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, old age, and second childishness, highlighting the arbitrariness and routine of life. Shakespeare uses vivid imagery and metaphors, such as life as a play and middle age as a judge, to convey that despite individual experiences, human life ultimately ends in oblivion, reinforcing its transient and repetitive nature.

"All the World's A Stage" uses the metaphor of life as a theatrical performance, emphasizing the transient nature of human roles. Characters appear briefly on the world stage, embodying various roles, from kings to jesters, in a cycle that repeats endlessly. This metaphor highlights life's impermanence and the insignificance of individual roles, resonating with themes in Shakespeare's other works and echoing the sentiment that the earth endures beyond generations, as reflected in literature and scripture.

Jaques's soliloquy in "As You Like It" reflects the idea that life is a stage and everyone plays roles, akin to the concept of "persona" described by Carl Jung. People adopt masks or personas to present themselves to the world, concealing their true selves. This notion suggests that society consists of assumed identities, with individuals acting out roles in various contexts, similar to actors in a play. The soliloquy underscores the performative nature of human existence.

In "As You Like It," the poet describes all men and women as "merely players" to convey that life is like a theatrical performance where individuals take on various roles, such as daughter or student, predetermined by fate. This metaphor suggests that personal choices are limited, with life's roles being dictated by destiny. Jacques, who delivers this line, views this concept pessimistically, seeing it as making life predictable and devoid of meaning.

Jaques's cynical humor in As You Like It provides a counterbalance to the play's overall comic spirit. His melancholic and satirical observations add depth and complexity, highlighting the absurdities of life and human nature, which enriches the comedic elements by contrast.

Jaques views life and love cynically in As You Like It. He sees life as a series of stages that humans pass through, each filled with its own challenges and disappointments, as reflected in his famous "All the world's a stage" monologue. His perspective on love is equally pessimistic, viewing it as fleeting and often insincere.