'On the Life of Man'

'On the Life of Man'

1. Written in rhyming couplets

   • Words fit together/linked - sense of certainty
   • 'Heaven the Judicious sharp spectator is,//That sits and marks still who doth act amiss'
     • Judicious - showing good sense
     • Audience of play
     • God watching and judging everyone (religious attitude of the time)
     • Amiss - wrong or faulty

2. 'Our mirth the music of division,'

   • Merriment/laughter
   • Children's laughter

3. 'Where we are dressed for this short Comedy,'

   • Life is short/a joke

4. 'Our mother's wombs the tiring houses be,'

   • Unborn child
   • Dressing rooms

5. 'What is our life? A play of passion,//Our mirth the music of division,'

   • Half rhyme/partial rhyme
     • Gives a sense of uncertainty

6. 'Are drawn like curtains when the play is done,'

   • Death = ending of the play

7. 'Thus march we playing to our latest rest,'

   • Death

8. 'Only we die in earnest, that's no Jest.'

   • Earnest - showing serious feelings or intentions
   • Jest - joke

9. Structure

   • Short like life

10. Themes

    • Life is like a play; people are always judging you
      • 'Heaven the Judicious spectator is'

11. Messages

    • Life is a joke
      • 'short Comedy'
      • Death is taken seriously
        • 'we die in earnest'

12. Language

    • Extended metaphor for life
    • Some half rhymes - uncertainty

13. Voice

    • Poet
    • Everyone