In this speech Jaques first compares lives of men and women in the world to actors playing roles on a stage in the theatre. He rarely takes part in the action around him, preferring to observe rather than to join in. The windows depict the Seven Ages of Man, as described in the character Jaques’ soliloquy in As You Like It. In this comedy, Jaques is a melancholy lord who is living in the Forest of Arden after having been banished. They were installed in 1942 during the construction of the building. The windows were created by Sydney stained glass artist Arthur G. One of the most beautiful art works in the room is a series of stained glass windows depicting images from a speech from Shakespeare's play As You Like It. The Shakespeare Room is filled with objects and books connected to the life and works of William Shakespeare.
It is a beautifully decorated room built to commemorate the three hundredth anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare in 1616. The Mitchell Wing of the State Library of New South Wales is home to the Shakespeare Room.
