Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·As You Like It, Act II.vii ·Jaques

"All the world's a stage."

Not exactly. The full line is "All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players." — from As You Like It, Act II.vii.

Not quite the line.

How it's usually quoted

"All the world's a stage."

What Shakespeare actually wrote

"All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players." Jaques — As You Like It, Act II.vii

Why it matters

The famous opening is only the setup for Jaques's Seven Ages of Man speech. Quoting it alone drops the bleak comparison that follows.

Browse the rest of the shelf, or try a cold reading.