“Signifying Nothing”: Shakespeare’s Cascading Nihilism in Macbeth

Abstract: This article claims William Shakespeare’s Macbeth anticipates many elements of contemporary nihilism. The article focuses on the active and passive nihilism of Macbeth and Malcolm but also explores the structural nihilism pervading the Kingdom of Scotland, and, finally, a cosmic nihilism in which the Weird Sisters and Hecate represent the absurd regnant . In an era defined by a lack of faith in both God and man, Macbeth’s exploration of the nihilistic will to power and its effects on politics and society is perhaps more relevant than ever.