--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow…" description: "\"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/william-shakespeare-4_candle_to-morrow-and-to-morrow-and-to-morrow-cr_2046238.jpg" --- # To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this… ![“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/william-shakespeare-4_candle_to-morrow-and-to-morrow-and-to-morrow-cr_2046238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/william-shakespeare-4_candle_to-morrow-and-to-morrow-and-to-morrow-cr_2046238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/william-shakespeare-4_candle_to-morrow-and-to-morrow-and-to-morrow-cr_2046238.jpg) > “To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is fleeting and meaningless, like a brief candle that quickly burns out. **In simple terms:** Life is short and empty. Key Takeaway Recognize life's impermanence. Themes mortality nihilism fate Mood somber philosophical Type literary dramatic When to use this quote - theatrical monologue - literary analysis - philosophical discussion Key Concepts existential dread temporal decay Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life purpose? - Can fleeting moments hold value? A Different Perspective Some find meaning in love, duty, or legacy despite futility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candle/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Full Of Sound And Fury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-of-sound-and-fury/) [Fury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fury/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Sound And Fury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound-and-fury/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) ## Related quotes > [It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-a-tale-told-by-an-idiot-full-of-sound-and-fury-signifying/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [This life, which had been the tomb of his virtue and of his honour, is but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-life-which-had-been-the-tomb-of-his-virtue-and-of-his-honour-is/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/life-s-but-a-walking-shadow-a-poor-player-that-struts-and-frets-his/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace fromday to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-morrow-and-to-morrow-and-to-morrow-creeps-in-this-petty-pace/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“My life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. 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Who on earth wanted to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/twittering-just-seemed-to-be-people-telling-other-people-what-they/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [Life is not only full of sound and fury. It also has butterflies, flowers, art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/life-is-not-only-full-of-sound-and-fury-it-also-has-butterflies/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' 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At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [Only by the candle, held in the skeleton hand of Poverty, can man read his own dark heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/only-by-the-candle-held-in-the-skeleton-hand-of-poverty-can-man-read/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [Traveling is all very well if you can get home at night. I would be willing to go around the world if I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-taber/traveling-is-all-very-well-if-you-can-get-home-at-night-i-would-be/) [Gladys Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-taber/) > [Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God, first fill your own house with the fragrance of love. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Two ways to be a light for all, is to be a flaming candle or the mirror that reflects it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/two-ways-to-be-a-light-for-all-is-to-be-a-flaming-candle-or-the/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“Some will see your flame and want to blow it out...others will approach with a candle...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenita-vangellis/some-will-see-your-flame-and-want-to-blow-it-out-others-will-approach/) [Lenita Vangellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenita-vangellis/) > [So here I sit in the early candle-light of old age-I and my book-casting backward glances over out travel'd road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/so-here-i-sit-in-the-early-candle-light-of-old-age-i-and-my-book/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I was eating beans by candle light for a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-andre/i-was-eating-beans-by-candle-light-for-a-decade/) [Eric Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-andre/) > [The stars begin to fade like guttering candles and are snuffed out one by one. 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