Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Macbeth, Act V.v ·Macbeth
"Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"…a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing." Macbeth — Macbeth, Act V.v
Why it matters
Quoted alone, the line is nihilism. In context, it's an idiot's tale — a specific kind of noise, not a cosmic verdict.
More from the canon.
Browse the rest of the shelf, or try a cold reading.