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You have picked a particularly difficult quotation to ask about. The phrase is found in Macbeth's soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 7 where Macbeth is debating whether to carry through with the murder. "That but this blow might be the be-all and the end-all here; but here, upon this bank and shoal of time, we'd jump the life to come."
In the first part of the speech, Macbeth is worried about the possibility that the murder might give rise to further problems. He is worried that it might not be "done when 'tis done", might not "be the be-all and the end all". If he knew there would be no adverse side-effects, he would go ahead without worry ("it were well it were done quickly") but something holds him back. To express what that is, he employs the metaphor of time as a river. Here, in the present, we are on a sand bank or in a shallow shoal where we can clearly see what is going on. The future, however, is like the deep part of the river where we cannot see the bottom and how the currents run. We would like to jump it, to go clearly to our goal, but instead we have to work through the dark currents. And because we cannot "jump the life to come", Macbeth hesitates.
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What time of day did Macduff kill Macbeth in Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth'?
Sunday Evening down at the pub
Why are shakespeares' plays hard for modern readers to understand?
The main reason Shakespeare's plays are difficult for modern readers to understand is that they are mostly written in poetry and quite dense and difficult poetry at that. Shakespeare also often writes in long and complicated sentences which are tricky to unravel. Although a lot of people focus on unusual words in Shakespeare's vocabulary, these are not the most significant reasons why his plays are hard to understand. For example, Macbeth says "But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, we'd jump the life to come." Every word is a perfectly ordinary modern word which Shakespeare uses with its modern meaning. There isn't even the odd syntax he sometimes uses to improve the rhythm of his lines. And yet this is a difficult line to understand. Why does Shakespeare have Macbeth compare time to a river, and the present to a bank or shoal? Why jump the future?
Where did shakespeare get the idea for macbeth?
Macbeth is based on a real Scottish King. Shakespeare got the idea for his play Macbeth from reading a book called Holinshed's Chronicles, which contains the plot pretty much as Shakespeare wrote it. Shakespeare did not change it to try and flatter King James, who was the King at the time this play was performed. The story was like that in Holinshed, because Holinshed's sources had changed it to flatter King James's ancestors.
During Shakespeare's time audiences would have held the witches responsible for which events in Macbeth?
Strange and unnatural events
What kind of social class audience did Shakespeare have?
Everyone was his audience. But he did get requests from the nobles, aristocrats, and kings of that time. Shakespeare actually wrote Macbeth for King James VI of Scotland.
What time of day did Macduff kill Macbeth in Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth'?
Sunday Evening down at the pub
Why are shakespeares' plays hard for modern readers to understand?
The main reason Shakespeare's plays are difficult for modern readers to understand is that they are mostly written in poetry and quite dense and difficult poetry at that. Shakespeare also often writes in long and complicated sentences which are tricky to unravel. Although a lot of people focus on unusual words in Shakespeare's vocabulary, these are not the most significant reasons why his plays are hard to understand. For example, Macbeth says "But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, we'd jump the life to come." Every word is a perfectly ordinary modern word which Shakespeare uses with its modern meaning. There isn't even the odd syntax he sometimes uses to improve the rhythm of his lines. And yet this is a difficult line to understand. Why does Shakespeare have Macbeth compare time to a river, and the present to a bank or shoal? Why jump the future?
What was the major effect in England the time Shakespeare was writing Macbeth?
One major effect in England during Shakespeare's time was the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, where a group of Catholics attempted to assassinate King James I and members of Parliament. This event may have influenced the themes of power, ambition, and political betrayal in Shakespeare's "Macbeth."
How many times does the ghost of Banquo appear to Macbeth at the banquet?
The ghost of Banquo appears to Macbeth one time during the banquet scene in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth."
Who written Macbeth?
It has been widely know that William Shakespeare was the author of Macbeth. In recent times there has been some discussion as to whether Shakespeare is actually the author of all the works that have been credited to him in the past.At this time we still believe William Shakespeare was the author.
Was a player another name for a musician in Shakespeare's time?
No. In Shakespeare's day "player" meant an actor.
Where did shakespeare get the idea for macbeth?
Macbeth is based on a real Scottish King. Shakespeare got the idea for his play Macbeth from reading a book called Holinshed's Chronicles, which contains the plot pretty much as Shakespeare wrote it. Shakespeare did not change it to try and flatter King James, who was the King at the time this play was performed. The story was like that in Holinshed, because Holinshed's sources had changed it to flatter King James's ancestors.
Who is the publisher of Macbeth novel?
"Macbeth" is a play written by William Shakespeare, not a novel. As such, it was not published by a traditional publisher in the same way that novels are. It was most likely first performed on stage rather than published as a book during Shakespeare's time.
During Shakespeare's time audiences would have held the witches responsible for which events in Macbeth?
Strange and unnatural events
During Shakespeare's time, audiences would have held the witches responsible for which events in Macbeth?
Strange or unnatural events
How would lady Macbeth not have represented a stereotypical woman in Shakespearian times?
People nowadays have a stereotype of women in Shakespeare's time as being weak and submissive, which Lady Macbeth is assuredly not. However, so many of Shakespeare's female characters do not conform to this stereotype, that it suggests that the stereotype was not held necessarily by Shakespeare or his contemporaries.
What kind of social class audience did Shakespeare have?
Everyone was his audience. But he did get requests from the nobles, aristocrats, and kings of that time. Shakespeare actually wrote Macbeth for King James VI of Scotland.
