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Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

A soliloquy from Act 5, scene 5

WRITE ALL RESPONSES ON A SHEET OF LOOSE-LEAF PAPER, OR TYPE AND PRINT.

Perhaps the most memorable soliloquy of all in Macbeth occurs in Act 5, scene 5. Macbeth’s world is falling apart. Malcolm and Macduff, with an army, are approaching Dunsinane. Lady Macbeth has just died, probably by her own hand. Macbeth still wars the crown; he still believes he can conquer his enemies. Yet triumph no longer tastes sweet upon his tongue. He muses.

Read the soliloquy. Remember the unaccented/accented pattern of iambic pentameter:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, 1

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day 2

To the last syllable of recorded time, 3

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools 4

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! 5

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player 6

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage 7

And then is heard no more: it is a tale 8

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 9

Signifying nothing. 10

QUESTIONS: Answer on a separate page.

1. Read lines 1-3 slowly. How does the repetition of the word “tomorrow” reflect Macbeth’s feelings about his

present life?

2. (Line 2) An excellent example of alliteration is “petty pace.” Read the line carefully. Now substitute a different alliterative phrase: “gaudy gait.” Read the new line. Which alliterative phrase is better? Which best fits Macbeth’s mood? Support your answer.

3. (Line 3) What does “the last syllable of recorded time” mean? What will be Macbeth’s “last syllable”?

4. What do line 4 and the first half of line 5 mean?

5. (Lines 4-5) Find an example of alliteration. Why is this alliterative phrase exactly right in this context?

6. (Line 5) “Out, out, brief candle!” is a brief sentence that interrupts and at the same time focuses on Macbeth’s thoughts. What is the “brief candle”? When does it go out? (Notice that the “brief candle” is a metaphor.)

7. (Lines 6-8) What is the metaphor that supports these two and a half lines?

8. (Lines 6-8) Considering the metaphor, explain briefly what Macbeth is thinking. (Look at all parts of the metaphor: e.g., “struts and frets.”)

9. (Lines 6-8) Find an example of alliteration. Why is it exactly right in this context?

10. (Lines 8-10) These lines are based on a second metaphor. What is it?

11. (Lines 8-10) Considering the metaphor, explain briefly what Macbeth is thinking.

12. (Line 10) What do the words “signifying nothing” mean?

Read the soliloquy again, preferably aloud.

13. What conclusions has Macbeth reached about life in general?

14. Have you ever felt the way Macbeth feels at this moment?

15. From this brief ten-line soliloquy have come many book titles.

The Sound and the Fury (William Faulkner)

Told by an Idiot (Rose Macaulay)

Brief Candle (Aldous Huxley)

Walking Shadows (E.W. White)

A Poor Player (H. Child)

This Petty Pace (B. Pinkerton)

Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Philip Barry)

All Our Yesterdays (H.M. Tomlinson)

Dusty Death (C. Robbins)

In your opinion, why have so many authors sufficiently identified with this passage to select a phrase from it as the title of a book?

16. In one sentence, what is the meaning of these ten lines?

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