The following excerpt from The Tragedy of Macbeth is one of the most quoted passages ever written in the English language. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / 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.

Write an essay explaining what you think this passage means. How does it relate to Macbeth’s situation? Why do you think it has fascinated readers throughout the centuries?