Chris MetzDr. WatsonAP Junior EnglishNovember 4, 2013Life Through a Pair of Forsaken EyesA Close Reading of Macbeth (5.5.17-28)After hearing a scream inside the castle, Macbeth sends his servant Seyton to find out what the noise was. When Seyton returns, he tells Macbeth “The queen, my lord, is dead” (line 16). Unmoved by this horrible news, Macbeth responds, "She should have died later: there would have been a time for such a word", suggesting that she would have died eventually, implying that he is too busy to cope with his death (line 18). - 19). He continues by saying “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” in repetition, to show that life drags on, at a slow and “mean” pace until the end of time (lines 20-21). Macbeth then explains that "all our yesterdays have lighted fools on the way to a dusty death", implying that after each day they approach death sooner and sooner (lines 23-24). Would the “enlightened fool” who is on his way to a “dusty death” refer to Macbeth himself or to people in general (lines 23-24)? After saying "out, out, brief candle", the light of the candle represents Macbeth's life and he orders it to go out due to the shear depression and stress he is experiencing (line 24). In this pessimistic trance, Macbeth explains that “life is but a walking shadow” and that after each day the fool comes closer to death (line 25). While referring to the illusion of life, he compares it to "a poor player who struts and frets during his hour on stage and is no longer heard" only to be forgotten once removed (lines 26- 27). Could Shakespeare be speaking for himself since he is an actor on the Globe Theater stage? Macbeth goes on to say that "it is a story told by an idiot in the middle of a paper... is considered a very deep and complex character because of this, and because he is ultimately, the protagonist of the play, but he is also the antagonist. He killed everyone who stood between him and his country's crown, but yet in this speech he abruptly realizes what he has accomplished. He also had a strong and deep connection with his wife, but when he receives the news he simply says: "she would have died later: there would have been a time for such a word", implying that he 'in file (Lines 17 – 18). Works citedKermode, Frank. “Macbeth.” The language of Shakespeare. New York: Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, 2000. 201 – 216. Print. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen, eds. New York: TheModern Library, 2009. Print.SparkNotes. SparkNotes and Web. November 10. 2013..