Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Summary

This quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth reflects the fleeting and insignificant nature of human existence. The metaphor of a "brief candle" emphasizes the brevity of life, while the comparison to a "walking shadow" and a "poor player" emphasizes its insignificance. The words "struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more" suggest that life is full of futile actions leading to an inevitable outcome - death. The phrase "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" further emphasizes the meaningless nature of life.

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