Question

Explain the following extract:

“I hold the world but as the world,
A stage where every man must play a part,
And mine a sad one.”

Answer 1

And mine a sad one." Reminiscent of the philosopher Jaque's speech in As You Like It, "All the world's a stage,/And all the men and women merely players," this line is spoken by Antonio in an attempt to explain his recent melancholy to his friends. ... He insinuates that Antonio is only pretending to be depressed.