What did Macbeth mean??

Question

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last sylable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and freuts his hour upon the stage, And then is herd no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Does my life make a difference?

Answer 1

It's not unclear at all.  What he says is what he means.  He wonders why he is alive at all, whether his life makes any difference.

Answer 2

i have no f****** clue

Answer 3

Macbeth is talking about how his life is being promised on tomorrow being a better day; but the promise is never realized.

Answer 4

Its saying that everyday he is living the same miserable life. He seems to be told that tomorrow will be a better day, but that better day is yet to come. He wishes the brief candle be turned off, meaning he wishes to die, to end it all. He is wondering why he is still around, and then ends up by questioning himself as to why he is still around. Does his life make a difference in the world? This is very deep, and can be interpreted in many ways that's how I would interpret it based on Shakespeare's writings. I'm curious now to see other interpretations.  Hope this helped.

Answer 5

I believe this question has already been well answered by other posters.  

I would just add that if one wants to experience a brilliant (and depressing) modern presentation of the deep pathos and futility of "tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow",  see the 1972 movie "Tomorrow", based on a William Faulkner short story (and starring Robert Duvall).