Analyze the following passage in terms of the related stylistic theory.
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then it heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
(William Shakespeare, Macbeth, V.v)
Stylistics is a branch of linguistics which studies the features of situationally distinctive uses (varieties) of language, and tries to establish principles capable of accounting for the particular choices made by individual and social groups in their use of language. In this passage, there exists a metaphor in which life is compared to a walking shadow and a poor player. Shakespeare vividly demonstrates the transience and futility of human life. Meanwhile, it reflects the despair and misery of the protagonist. Besides, the first three lines adopt the sound patterning of assonance. The last words of the three lines contain the same vowel [ei], which adds a sense of rhythm to the passage.