Evie Summers
Sleep is a recurring motif in Shakespeare's Macbeth, employed to explore ideas of tranquility, peace of mind, innocence, torture, and death. The motif evolves throughout the play, reflecting the mental states of the characters and their descent into guilt and madness following Duncan's murder. Sleep is initially associated with innocence and peace, but as the plot progresses, it becomes a source of torture and a reminder of mortality, with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experiencing disturbed sleep filled with nightmares and hallucinations. The loss of peaceful sleep symbolizes the characters' inability to find solace or escape the consequences of their actions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep as a form of torture | Macbeth is tortured by his lack of sleep due to guilt and nightmares after killing Duncan. Witches also use sleep deprivation as a form of torture. |
| Sleep as a consequence of murder | Macbeth's sleep is affected by his murder of Duncan, highlighting the consequences of his impulsive actions. |
| Sleep as a symbol of tranquility and peace of mind | Sleep initially symbolizes innocence and tranquility, but Macbeth loses this peace of mind after committing regicide. |
| Sleep as a necessity for life | Macbeth equates sleep to eating and bathing, emphasizing its importance in maintaining one's well-being. |
| Sleep as death | Macduff refers to the king's death as "sleep," blurring the lines between sleep and death. |
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What You'll Learn
Sleep as a way of killing
Sleep is used as a way of killing in several instances throughout Macbeth. Firstly, in Act 1, the witches plan their revenge on a sailor by cursing him with insomnia, saying:
> "Sleep shall neither night nor day./ Hang upon him his penthouse lid./ He shall live a man forbid."
By depriving the sailor of sleep, the witches are effectively cursing him with a "cursed life". This instance sets the tone for the motif of sleep as a way of killing, where being unable to sleep is portrayed as a form of torture and death.
Another instance where sleep is used as a way of killing is when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to kill King Duncan while he is asleep. They plan to get him drunk so that he falls into a deep sleep, making it easier to carry out the murder unnoticed. In this case, sleep is used as a means to an end, facilitating the act of killing. Macbeth's soliloquy before the regicide further highlights the connection between sleep and death:
> "Now o'er the one-half world nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtained sleep."
Macbeth recognizes that by killing Duncan, he is also metaphorically "murdering sleep", taking away an important aspect of life that provides tranquility, peace of mind, and innocence. This is reinforced when Macbeth, upon murdering Duncan, thinks he hears a voice say, "Macbeth does murder sleep".
The motif of sleep as a way of killing continues to haunt Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the regicide. Both are tortured by sleep, unable to find peace due to their guilt. Their sleep becomes filled with nightmares and evil images, symbolizing the consequences of their impulsive actions. Lady Macbeth is even seen sleepwalking, further emphasizing the disruption of their peace of mind.
Overall, the motif of sleep as a way of killing in Macbeth highlights the consequences of impulsive actions, the loss of innocence, and the torture and death that come with taking a life. It showcases the power of sleep, or the lack thereof, as a means of killing, both physically and metaphorically.
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Sleep as torture
Sleep is used as a motif in Shakespeare's Macbeth in several ways, one of which is as a form of torture. This motif is particularly prominent in Act 2, after Macbeth has murdered Duncan, and in Act 3, when he is king.
In Act 2, Macbeth's sleep is filled with nightmares and evil images. He hallucinates a floating dagger and hears voices saying, "Macbeth does murder sleep" (2.2.34) and "Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more" (pg. 57). Macbeth recognizes the importance of sleep in human life, comparing it to a bath and a feast, and understands that by killing Duncan, he has taken away something invaluable. Sleep, which once provided tranquility, peace of mind, and innocence, now serves as a constant reminder of his guilt and the consequences of his impulsive actions.
Banquo, too, experiences troubled sleep in Act 2 due to his dark thoughts and dreams of the witches' prophecies. He says, "A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep: merciful powers, restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to in repose" (2.i.8-11).
In Act 3, Macbeth continues to be tortured by sleep, as he is unable to find peace due to his guilt. He envies Duncan's ability to sleep peacefully in death: "After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well" (3.2.22). Macbeth's sleep is now filled with "terrible dreams that shake [him] nightly" (3.2.18).
The witches also use sleep as a form of torture when planning their revenge on a sailor. They intend to curse him so that he will never sleep again, leading to a life of torment: "Sleep shall neither night nor day / Hang upon him, his penthouse lid. / He shall live a man forbid" (Act 1, pg. 15, lines 20-23).
Overall, the motif of sleep as torture in Macbeth highlights the psychological consequences of the characters' actions, particularly murder, and how their guilt and anxiety manifest in their sleep.
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Sleep as a symbol of innocence
Sleep is used as a symbol of innocence in Shakespeare's Macbeth, particularly in Act 2, after Macbeth has murdered Duncan. In the play, sleep is described as a balm that soothes the mind and relieves the cares of the day. It is a necessity of life, like food and water, that gives life meaning.
However, after murdering Duncan, Macbeth is tortured by his inability to sleep. He hallucinates a floating dagger and hears voices saying, "Macbeth does murder sleep" and "Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more." Macbeth's sleep is filled with nightmares and evil images, and he is unable to find peace or tranquility. This loss of sleep symbolizes the end of Macbeth's innocence as he is now haunted by his guilt and the consequences of his actions.
Lady Macbeth is also affected by the murder, and her sleepwalking and troubled dreams indicate that she, too, has lost her innocence and peace of mind. The gentlewoman who observes Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking refuses to say what she does or says, suggesting that Lady Macbeth's sleep is also filled with guilt and torment.
The motif of sleep as innocence is further emphasized by Duncan's peaceful death. After his murder, Duncan is described as sleeping well, in contrast to the tortured sleep of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Duncan's sleep symbolizes his innocence and the peace that comes with death, free from the troubles of the living.
Overall, the motif of sleep as innocence in Macbeth highlights the consequences of murder and the loss of tranquility and peace of mind that comes with it. It demonstrates how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are tortured by their guilt and unable to find solace in sleep, representing the end of their innocence.
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Sleep as tranquility and peace of mind
Sleep is used as a motif in Macbeth to represent tranquility, peace of mind, and innocence. This motif is most prominent in Act 2, when Macbeth kills Duncan. In the play, sleep is portrayed as a necessity for life, comparable to eating and bathing, and is described as the "balm of hurt minds".
Before committing regicide, Macbeth hallucinates and acknowledges that his sleep will be plagued by nightmares and evil images if he goes through with the plan. He understands that he will lose his peace of mind and will be unable to find tranquility in sleep. Macbeth says, "Now o'er the one-half world nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtained sleep." This quote foreshadows the consequence of Macbeth's actions and the ensuing guilt that will haunt him, preventing him from finding peace in sleep.
The loss of tranquility and peace of mind is further emphasized in Act 3, where Macbeth expresses his fear of being dethroned or exposed for his crimes. He is tortured by sleep, unable to find solace due to his guilt over killing Duncan. This is reflected in his statement, "Better to be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy." Macbeth recognizes that Duncan, in death, has found the peace that eludes Macbeth in life.
Sleep is also used as a motif in relation to Lady Macbeth. After Duncan's murder, she is seen sleepwalking, indicating the turmoil of her mind and the loss of tranquility that both she and Macbeth experience as a consequence of their actions.
Throughout the play, the motif of sleep undergoes a transformation in its significance. Initially symbolizing innocence, it later represents the loss of peace and tranquility that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience due to their guilt and the consequences of their impulsive actions.
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Sleep as death
Sleep is a recurring motif in Shakespeare's Macbeth, and its meaning evolves throughout the play. Initially, it symbolises innocence, peace of mind, and tranquility. However, as the plot progresses, sleep becomes associated with death and torture, highlighting the psychological consequences of Macbeth's actions.
One of the most striking moments in the play comes when Macbeth, upon murdering Duncan, hears a voice saying, "Macbeth does murder sleep" (2.2.34). This line draws a direct connection between Macbeth's actions and the loss of innocent sleep. Macbeth himself recognises the significance of this, understanding that by taking a life, he has deprived someone of an essential part of human existence. Sleep, he reflects, is like a bath or a feast—it nourishes and renews us, and life loses much of its meaning without it.
The idea of sleep as death is further explored when Macduff, upon discovering the slain king, urges Banquo, Malcolm, and Donalbain to wake the king from his 'sleep'. Macduff's words, "Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, and look on death itself!" (2.iii.88-89), highlight the thin line between sleep and death. Sleep is likened to a counterfeit or imitation of death, a state from which one can be awakened and renewed, in stark contrast to the finality of death.
Sleep becomes a form of torture for Macbeth, who is haunted by nightmares and hallucinations. He anticipates this consequence even before killing Duncan, recognising that his sleep will be filled with "wicked dreams" and "evil images". The motif of sleep, in this case, serves as a reminder of Macbeth's guilt and the irreversible nature of his actions. No matter how much he may desire it, true peace of mind, symbolised by restful sleep, is forever out of reach.
Lady Macbeth is also affected by this motif of sleep as death. Her sleepwalking and troubled dreams indicate that she, too, is tortured by her conscience, unable to escape the consequences of her involvement in Duncan's murder.
In Macbeth, sleep functions as a powerful symbol, reflecting the characters' mental states and moral decline. It serves as a reminder that, in the world of the play, actions have consequences, and that the peace and innocence associated with sleep can be all too easily shattered.
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Frequently asked questions
Sleep is used as a motif to symbolise tranquility, peace of mind, and innocence. In Act 2, it symbolises Macbeth's loss of innocence after he murders Duncan. Sleep is also used to portray torture and death, as Macbeth is haunted by nightmares and guilt.
The motif of sleep changes in significance as the play progresses. Initially, it symbolises innocence, but later it represents the peace of mind that Macbeth loses after committing regicide. Sleep is also used to foreshadow Duncan's murder, as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to kill him while he sleeps.
After murdering Duncan and becoming king, Macbeth realises that he is still not safe from potential threats to his throne. Sleep becomes a form of torture for Macbeth, as he is unable to sleep due to guilt and nightmares. Sleep is portrayed as a necessity for life, and by killing Duncan, Macbeth feels he has taken away something that gave his life meaning.
