The Folger's glowing Seven Ages of Man stained-glass window depicts the stages of life described by Jaques in As You Like It. In the play, Jaques, a courtier, is living in the Forest of Arden as part of the remaining court of the exiled Duke Senior. He passes the time with philosophical musings, of which the most famous is his speech on the seven stages of human life, with its comparisons to theater and the stage.
Jaques’s speech begins,
“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,
His acts being seven ages."
Click on the Learn More links for Jaques's full description of each age.
