人生如「影」之想法

最近閱讀傳道書時，偶然看見這句話，將作惡之人的生命形容為影子。

A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and still live. Oh yes, I know what they say: "If you obey God, everything will be right, but it will not go well for the wicked. Their life is like a shadow and they will die young, because they do not obey God. Ecclesiastes(TEV) 8:12-13

影子絕對不會是一個實體，它僅能粗略地描繪出物體的輪廓。若以燭火作為唯一的光源，風的吹動會使影子開始搖擺、晃動。偶有一陣強風，甚至會熄滅燭火，影子也就此消逝。我想可能是藉由這影子的屬性去類比作惡之人生命之縹緲與脆弱。

From Great Dialogues of Plato (Warmington and Rouse, eds.) New York, Signet Classics: 1999. p. 316.

Out, out brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then heard no more; it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

Macbeth, Act 5, Sence 5

將生命比喻為影子一事，使進一步聯想到《馬克白》第五幕第五景中的令人印象深刻的獨白。除了有上述影子飄渺與脆弱的意涵外，似乎還有其他含義。影子必然追隨著演員而動，而影子所追之人卻是一位可憐的演員，在舞台上昂首闊步，高談闊論，然後就此消聲匿跡。此可憐的演員可能象徵著命運，引領著影子前行，反映了馬克白在此齣戲中受命運擺佈之情節。

Reference:

Picture:

https://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cave.htm

https://www.vecteezy.com/photo/27104708-man-s-shadow-on-textured-asphalt-background