Sleep In Macbeth
Every book teaches people a moral or a life lesson. Books give us a better understanding on how life works and they teach us what happens in reality through a character’s point of view and their obstacles. As seen in the tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare, characters go through a series of obstacles and remorse after they commit a crime. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth run into multiple situations making them question if their deed could be undone. William Shakespeare uses the word sleep in his tragedy Macbeth to show how power can be used to a disadvantage, leading up to a constant state of guilt building up inside of characters Macbeth and lady Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth uses her power over Duncan while he is asleep only to lead her …show more content…
Macbeth carries the burden of his deeds on his shoulders, causing him to lose a terribly large amount of peace and rest in his life. When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan, he hears voices in his conscience telling him, “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” (Shakespeare, 2.2.54-57). Macbeth gets a warning in his mind that is trying to get him to back away from his plan and show him that what he is doing is not justified. Macbeth still does not back away from the crime, which only leads him to guilt rising within him. Guilt is like a craving; it eats away at your mind and takes away the life necessities. It constantly nags at you and worries you to death because it will not suppress until people admit to it or suppress it in a way. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he is losing sleep and he needs to stop worrying about the crime. As Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep” (Shakespeare, 3.4.173). Sleep no longer comes easily to Macbeth because he is constantly replaying the horrendous crime in his head. Macbeth needs to force sleep upon him otherwise he does not get the sleep he needs to remain sane. The replaying guilt in a person is like a constant reminder of the crimes and wrongdoings someone did. The guilt only gets worse as
Lady Macbeth uses her power over Duncan while he is asleep only to lead her …show more content…
Macbeth carries the burden of his deeds on his shoulders, causing him to lose a terribly large amount of peace and rest in his life. When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan, he hears voices in his conscience telling him, “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” (Shakespeare, 2.2.54-57). Macbeth gets a warning in his mind that is trying to get him to back away from his plan and show him that what he is doing is not justified. Macbeth still does not back away from the crime, which only leads him to guilt rising within him. Guilt is like a craving; it eats away at your mind and takes away the life necessities. It constantly nags at you and worries you to death because it will not suppress until people admit to it or suppress it in a way. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he is losing sleep and he needs to stop worrying about the crime. As Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep” (Shakespeare, 3.4.173). Sleep no longer comes easily to Macbeth because he is constantly replaying the horrendous crime in his head. Macbeth needs to force sleep upon him otherwise he does not get the sleep he needs to remain sane. The replaying guilt in a person is like a constant reminder of the crimes and wrongdoings someone did. The guilt only gets worse as