Free Essays - The Significance of Sleep in Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

The Significance of Sleep in Macbeth The sleepless are affected by fear that kills those whom are close to the victim of sleeplessness. In the book of "Macbeth" it expresses the theme of death and fear by associating the character with the key word "sleep" and all of its associations. In "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, various words are used that can be associated to different meanings through the different characters. The book talks about a great warrior during the medieval period that overcomes his adversaries through brutal military tactics and deceit. Macbeth stole the throne of Scotland from the rightful Prince Malcolm, and threw the country into chaos through his evil reign. His own conscious eats away at him until he reveals that he had murdered people to get to his position after which he is killed in a battle for control of Scotland and his reign ends. Through the actions and behavior of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and their associations with fear, the reader learns that even the strongest of people have fears. Sleep is a word that is thought to be associated with rest, and being tired. But, when used through Macbeth it tends to take a whole new meaning. Macbeth is one of those characters that are violent by nature. He cannot live unless he is causing harm or death, but his own conscious eats away at him until he finally snaps, "Were the graced person of our Banquo present; who may I rather challenge for unkindness than pity for mischance!" (3.4.51-54, Macbeth p.99). After having Banquo murdered, Macbeth sees his ghost sitting at the dinner table. Macbeth grows impatient and worried, which reveals that he had a hand in Banquo's murder. Through Macbeth's actions, his wife Lady Macbeth begins to go crazy, "Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One; two." (5.1.34, Lady Macbeth p.155). Lady Macbeth is plagued with the guilt of those who have been murderd by here husband. She also realizes that she has set up her husband to die. In terms of sleep Macbeth refers to sleep as death. Which is so mething he does not fear until he realizes that he is not invincible, "I will not yield, to kiss the ground before young Malcom`s feet and to be baited with the rabble`s curse.