Sleeplessness In Macbeth

870 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Macbeth significance of sleep

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, deals with many themes, including sleeplessness and the general connotation that is associated with sleeplessness. In Macbeth, sleeplessness is often used to describe feelings of guilt and remorse. This is seen in three key passages, the first after Macbeth sends assassins to kill his friend Banquo, the second immediately after the death of King Duncan, and the third when Lady Macbeth is seen sleepwalking and doing things that one usually only does when they are awake. Therefore, in Macbeth, the usage of the theme of sleeplessness is used to describe the feelings of guilt and remorse. In Macbeth, the theme of sleeplessness is very prevalent. After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth mentions to his wife,
Methought …show more content…

For example, after Macbeth sends out assassins to kill Banquo, Macbeth experiences a night of restlessness. After his wife, Lady Macbeth, confronts him, he says that he’d rather annihilate the world than "eat our meal in fear and sleep / In the affliction of these terrible dreams / That shake us nightly" (Shakespeare 3.2.17--19). This quote affirms that Macbeth is still feeling remorseful of his actions, and that he hasn’t been completely taken over with the desire to rule all of Scotland. However, as Lady Macbeth and Macbeth talk about what’s to come, Macbeth decides to “man-up” by requesting that night come and take away all of the qualities that make not as tough by declaring, “Come, seeling night, / Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; / And with thy bloody and invisible hand / Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond / Which keeps me pale!” (3.2.46--50). What Macbeth is implying is that sleeplessness can be attributed to feelings of guilt and remorse, which are feelings that are keeping Macbeth awake up at night. In today’s times, sleeplessness is still commonly associated with feelings of anxiety and guilt. The difference between yesteryear and today is that instead of treating sleeplessness as something that is horrific, we treat it with care and compassion. In doing so, we can isolate the case and make sure it doesn’t harm other people, as it did in

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Bipolar Disorder In Macbeth

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth suffers from lack of sleep which is one symptom of bipolar disorder ("Bipolar Disorder Symptoms - Mayo Clinic"). Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth, “you lack the season of all natures, sleep” (3. 4. 140). This shows that she is worried that he is not getting enough sleep and that it is causing him to act strange. Macbeth starts hallucinating, seeing Banquo’s ghost, and screaming and shouting at it and disrupting the banquet. Lady Macbeth tries to save his image by telling the guests, “I pray you speak not. He grows worse and worse, question enrages him. At once good night. Stand not upon the order of your going, but

    Read More

  • Macbeth Dishonest Analysis

    789 Words  | 2 Pages

    After murdering Banquo, Macbeth begins to fear other powerful men around him, such as Macduff. The witches provide Macbeth with Apparitions that tell him his fate for the future as king. The second Apparition, a bloody child tells Macbeth that no individual born from a woman can harm Macbeth. Macbeth then replies “Then live Macduff; what need I fear thee? But yet I’ll make assurance double sure and take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live, that I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, and sleep in spite of thunder” (4,1,93-97). Even though Macbeth gains the knowledge that no individual born from a woman can harm him, he acts cowardly to protect himself. Macbeth turns to murder instead of facing the powerful Macduff himself. As Machiavelli said men act cowardly, and Macbeth demonstrates just that by murdering anyone who seems to pose even a slight threat towards him as king. Macbeth believes murdering Macduff will allow him to “sleep in spite of thunder.” Macbeth uses this metaphor of sleep by saying the people who sleep are innocent and the ones who don’t sleep are guilty. Macbeth believes if Banquo is dead, he can sleep as an innocent person. Macbeth presents a cowardly character who believes murder is the “right” way of handling his problems. As a result of Macbeth murdering more and more people out of fear, his people will think of him as a cowardly king. Macbeth wants his people to think he is a strong king, but by killing good people out of fear, individuals will have their idea of Macbeth’s character alter into being a

    Read More

  • Two Examples Of Ptsd In Macbeth

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a common symptom of PTSD is called hyperarousal: “a state of increased psychological and physiological tension marked by such effects as reduced pain tolerance, anxiety, exaggerated startle responses, insomnia, fatigue, and accentuation of personality traits” (USDVA). From this we can conclude that Macbeth, who has recently presented as being an insomniac, has like-symptoms to those suffering from PTSD. Macbeth is fretful towards his restlessness, “Methought, I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murther Sleep,’- the innocent Sleep; Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great Nature’s second course, Chief nourisher in life’s feast” (2.2.34-38). After executing King Duncan, Macbeth fears that his sin will never enable him to sleep again. Macbeth is aware that he is only seeing these “self-delusions” because he isn’t one to commit a crime. “My strange and self-abuse Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use: We are yet but young in deed.” (3.4.141-142). Macbeth is speaking with Lady Macbeth about how inexperienced they are when it comes to committing crimes, Macbeth says that his “self-delusions” are only a result of not being

    Read More

  • The Emotions of Ambition, Remorse, and Fear in 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare

    387 Words  | 1 Pages

    Macbeth feels a great deal of remorse after he has killed the king. He understands that he has committed a sin and will be punished. He is so terrified that he hears voices telling him:“ Macbeth does murder sleep, … , Macbeth shall sleep no more”(Act 2, Sc.2 p. 57). Macbeth is very upset with himself and wishes that he never killed Duncan. “To know my deed it were best not know myself.” When he hears strange knocking at the gate he wishes that it wakes up Duncan, “wake Duncan with thy knocking”, however it is too late (Act 2, Sc.3 p. 61).

    Read More

  • Macbeth Reading Logs

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth is describing sleep as a wonderful thing. It gives you energy and nourishes you like food from a feast.

    Read More

  • The Destruction Of Guilt In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1011 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare 2.2.35-40 Macbeth’s guilt scratched at his well being. His own mind is on self-destruct and will not allow him to do one of life's most basic tasks: sleep. Macbeth recognizes that Duncan was innocent and it brings him great psychosis. Driven by the mania that the weird sisters and their even stranger prophecies have caused, Macbeth then chooses to hire a murderer to make Banquo and Fleance his next casualties.

    Read More

  • Troubles Macbeth Faced

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this world a person is suffering from stress put on his shoulder. Due to the amount of stress, naturally a person cannot sleep with a mind empty of worries. Sometimes a person gets disconnected from God. The disconnection from God along with the increasing amount of stress and of lack of sleep could lead a person to depression and losing hope in life. In Macbeth, the leading character, Macbeth suffers the same symptoms with an over stressed person in real life. Moreover, these symptoms begin when Macbeth kills King Duncan. Therefore, after killing King Duncan Macbeth, the noble character, suffers from serious problems that lead him into losing the hope of living.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Hallucinations Analysis

    1134 Words  | 3 Pages

    A combination of Macbeth’s ambition and paranoia lead to many senseless murders. He killed his best friend Banquo out of fear and he senselessly murdered Macduff’s family. The hallucination of Banquo’s ghost is a representation of Macbeth 's guilt, all of Macbeth’s guilt is manifested in the ghost. Macbeth states that he feels guilty because of the murders. “Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear.” (III, iv, 80-81) Seeing the ghost of Banquo is the breaking point for Macbeth. The ghost also causes him to think more irrationally which leads to the murder of Macduff. Also, after the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is full of regret and guilt. The voices he hears reflect his mental state. “Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more!” (II, ii, 35) His innocence was killed and he knows that he has to live with this guilt for the rest of his life, hence Macbeth will never sleep peacefully ever again. After each successive murder, Macbeth becomes more and more inhumane. “I am in blood Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o 'er.” (III, iv, 143-145) Macbeth claims that after committing a murder, there is no turning back. He killed his best friend due to his ambition and fear. The third murder was outright moralless and unnecessary, he compulsively killed Macduff’s wife and children. Macbeth shows no remorse in his murders, he becomes an absolute monster towards the end of the play. As Macbeth loses his human morales, hallucinations appear to remind him of the sins he

    Read More

  • Ambition In Macbeth Essay

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play identifies how Macbeth faced guilt after he killed his King, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain? I see thee yet, in form as palpable.” Macbeth is hallucinating a dagger in which was caused by the guilt he feels after killing King Duncan. Macbeth also states, “I’ll go no more.I am afraid to think what I have done. Look on ’t again I dare not…..What hands are here? Ha, they pluck out mine eyes.Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine….” Macbeth’s emotions are everywhere. After he killed King Duncan he immediately regretted it as he explains that no water, not even Neptune’s ocean can wash the blood and guilt off his hands. Macbeth not only faced guilt but he also losses his sanity. Macbeth hallucinates Banquo’s ghost making him scared and on edge, “[to the Ghost]. What man dare, I dare. Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The armed rhinoceros, or th’ Hyrcan tiger; Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble. Or be alive again And dare me to the desert with thy sword. If

    Read More

  • The Themes of Macbeth

    996 Words  | 2 Pages

    This theme is further verified by King Duncan's statement "There's no art/ To find the mind's construction in the face..." (Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 11-12) Although Macbeth has the semblance of the amicable and dutiful host, ("fair") he is secretly plotting Duncan's death ("foul").  Furthermore, Lady Macbeth's orchestration of the murder exemplifies the twisted atmosphere in Inverness.  Both a woman and a host, she should be the model of grace and femininity.  She is described, however, as a "fiendlike queen" (Act 5, Scene 6, Line 69) and exhibits a cold, calculating mentality.  In addition, the very porter of Inverness likens the place to the dwelling of the devil Beelzebub.  This implies that despite its "pleasant seat," (Act 1, Scene 6, Line 1) Inverness is a sinister and evil place.  It is also interesting to note that Macbeth is unable to say a prayer to bless himself after murdering Duncan.  It is strange and "foul" that he should think of religion after committing such an unholy act.  The very sanction of sleep and repose is also attacked in Macbeth.  What is normally considered a refreshing and necessary human activity is "murdered" by Macbeth after he commits his heinous crime.  Neither Macbeth nor his wife is able to sleep after killing Duncan.  Macbeth's lack of sleep makes him a brutal killer; Lady Macbeth begins to sleepwalk and inadvertently reveals the source of her distress through her nightly babble.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Guilt In Lady Macbeth

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this scene, Lady Macbeth expresses her pent up guilt and sorrow. She tries to rid herself of her evils and feels remorse for her actions, unlike how she behaved in the beginning of the play. Lady Macbeth also worries that her guilt will keep coming back to haunt her. This scene should portray Lady Macbeth as scared, unsure, and regretful. Meanwhile, the doctor and the gentlewoman observe Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking.

    Read More

  • Darkness In Macbeth Essay

    655 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lady Macbeth screws Macbeth's courage when she demonstrates that he no longer is a man when he is too coward to go through with the plot to murder Duncan. Lady Macbeth asserts that if her husband were a true man, he would have already had Duncan murdered at that exact moment, and if he was morally certain that his plot was truly great, it would make him an even greater man (Shakespeare I.vii. 55-59.) Demonstrated in a more feministic way, Lady Macbeth's famous soliloquy shows the empowerment of her masculinity., "Come you spirits, / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, / and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of dearest cruelty"(Shakespeare I.v.30-34). She focuses solely on becoming a more manly stature to administer the power to perdure the plot of murder.

    Read More

  • Who Is The Blind Ambition In Macbeth

    595 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a panic, Macbeth cries that “Still it cried, 'sleep no more!' to all the house, Glamis hath murdered sleep and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more” (2.2.42-44). Macbeth is aware of how this murder is affecting him and yet he ultimately chooses power as more important than his well-being. He once again ignores every sign that he is making the wrong choice but is unable to stop it. Macbeth raises the court's suspicion of him as he shouts “You make me strange / Even to the disposition that I owe, / When now I think you can behold such sights, / And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, / When mine is blanched with fear” (3.4.116-119).

    Read More

  • Guilt In Macbeth

    965 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth shall sleep no more” (act2 scene 2) Macbeth still doesn’t stop committing further wrongdoings. From so much anxiety Macbeth decides to visit the witches and see if they will tell more information to see if he can be at peace, but instead the witches tell Macbeth “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Downfall

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    An example of Macbeth being haunted by his guilt was revealed in the banquet scene, “…But now they rise again with twenty mortal murders on their crowns and push us from our stools. This is more strange Than such a murder is.” (Act 3, Scene 4) This quote highlights Macbeth’s mental anguish and the loss of composure due to his hallucination of Banquo’s ghost as a result of disturbing the natural order. The two quotes reflect Macbeth’s strong sense of guilt and reinforces the consequences of Macbeth on disturbing the world’s natural

    Read More

More about Sleeplessness In Macbeth

Open Document