Essay On Lack Of Sleep In Macbeth

Sleep is an important motif that contributes to the understanding of Macbeth because it shows how the lack of sleep is a reoccurring disruption of peace. After hearing from the witches that Macbeth is to become king, he realizes that in order to be king, he has to murder Duncan. These strong words from the witches soon haunt his mentality, driving him insane by controlling his ambitions and thoughts. When Macbeth acts on his ambitions and murders king Duncan, he is haunted by an instant feeling of regret and is in a state of disbelief. Macbeth is heavily paranoid and is constantly hearing hallucinations disrupting his ability to sleep naturally because he is tormented by guilt. Macbeth is heard hallucinating immediately following his return

Come, love and health to all; Then I'll sit down. Give me some wine; fill full. I drink to the general joy o' the whole table,” (3.4.85-88). This scene shows us how Macbeth’s inability to sleep has resulted in outburst at the banquet. Macbeth’s lack of sleep is due from the guilt and fear that has been haunting him since the murder, all the guilt has piled up resulting in hallucination and going insane to the point where he cannot tell natural from unnatural. He tries covering this outburst by saying it's a health problem when his conscience is the real problem. When Macbeth experiences this outbreak, he is afraid of what is happening and goes to visit the witches, who inform Macbeth that he is going to lose his reign. When Macbeth returns, the doctor questions Macbeth about Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking, and how “This disease is beyond my practice! Yet I have/known those which have walked in their sleep who/have died holily in their beds.” (5.1.55-57). This quote from the doctor reveals that something is wrong with Lady Macbeth, that she is sleepwalking with a knife, this gives us an understanding that the guilt has caught up with both of them, it has endangered the Macbeth’s sleep not only mentally but