(teachers example)

Macbeth, on hearing that his wife, Lady Macbeth has killed herself, falls into deep despair when he says his “life is but a walking shadow”, he is invoking the metaphor of light and darkness. This tells us that Macbeth’s life has become pointless to him, Even though he is the King of Scotland, he has lost everyone who was close to him, along with any control over his country or respect from his people. Without those things that give his life meaning, it now lacks meaning or substance, just like a shadow. In additions to this, Shakespeare describes Macbeth as if he were an actor on stage (which is ironic, since he is). He says life is a tale, “told by an idiot / full of sound and fury / signifying nothing.” This shows us that at this moment in the play