As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death.
In this passage from Shakespeare's Macbeth, the speaker contemplates the relentless passage of time and the futility of life. It illustrates how each day blends into the next, ultimately leading to death, suggesting that life can feel insignificant, much like a poor performance on stage that is soon forgotten. The imagery of a 'brief candle' symbolizes the transitory nature of existence, emphasizing that despite all the noise and chaos of life, it ultimately may signify nothing of great importance.
Themes
TimeLifeDeathFutilityExistence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used during a reflection on the nature of life at a philosophical discussion.
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