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Theme Of Sleeplessness In Macbeth

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“Haunted” Sleep, an essential part of daily life, has the ability to affect a person’s mental and physical health. The opposite also holds true. People’s health can play a large role in sleep problems, which can lead to psychological issues. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the sleep is a theme that prominent throughout the play. Sleep is portrayed as natural and innocence while sleeplessness is portrayed with negative connotations. The important theme of sleeplessness assists in describing the internal effects of a person’s actions that lead to being haunted by guilt. The witches in this play opt for a psychological curse that includes sleeplessness rather than use physical harm. Using this as a part of a curse for a captain, the witches, …show more content…

Being guilty in driving Macbeth to his first murder, which leads to even more assassinations of other innocent people, she becomes psychologically damaged. While Lady Macbeth sleepwalks, she accidentally reveals her feelings about her family’s actions. Macbeth, being fearful of her sleepwalking, called on a doctor, who had said to the gentlewoman, “Unnatural deeds/ Do breed unnatural troubles. Infected minds/ To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets” (V.i.75-77). The doctor knows that Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking is caused by a disturbance in her mind, which is her feeling the guilt about all the murders and the deaths of the innocent people. Her affected sleep assisted in showing her continuing guilt filled mind, which is a detrimental occurrence that ultimately led to her suicide near the end of the play. Affected sleep in Macbeth causes many psychological problems. In particular, a mind consumed by guilt is most affected by sleeplessness. The captain is cursed for no sleep instead of any physical harm. Macbeth is paranoid after killing Duncan about murdering his sleep due to his guilt over killing. In addition, Lady Macbeth is so consumed with guilt that it resulted in a suicide. Ultimately, sleep is an important aspect that can be controlled by mental

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