This soliloquy is really a culminating moment in the play, addressing Macbeth's development and some of the play's themes. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have said that it is worthless to get what one wants when one cannot be happy once one has it. Now, Macbeth describes the pace of life as "petty," implying that it is both slow and small. Further, we are all just "fools" on our way to our inevitable deaths.
Macbeth...
This soliloquy is really a culminating moment in the play, addressing Macbeth's development and some of the play's themes. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have said that it is worthless to get what one wants when one cannot be happy once one has it. Now, Macbeth describes the pace of life as "petty," implying that it is both slow and small. Further, we are all just "fools" on our way to our inevitable deaths.
Macbeth uses a number of metaphors that betray his disgust with life at this point in his own. The comparison of life to a candle shows just how insignificant and fragile it is. A candle can be snuffed out in a moment and only produces a very small bit of light. Next, he compares life to an actor who performs for his time on the stage. This comparison makes the drama of life seem insignificant and even unreal, as though it is all a show. Finally, he compares life to an idiot's story, one that makes lots of noise, but ultimately it makes no sense and has no real meaning. The metaphors help to show how dissatisfied Macbeth is, even though he has done everything to satisfy his own ambition. Despite this fact, he still feels that life is hollow and futile.
The position of this speech within the text, just before Macbeth goes to face Macduff, shows us his state of mind going into this fight. He is more than dissatisfied; he realizes that he has nothing to live for. His wife is gone, he has no family or friends, and he is basically ready to be done. Macbeth will fight because it is what he should do, but his heart is not in it.
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