Tracing a word in Macbeth

One of Shakespeare’s most well known Theatre works is

Macbeth, which like most of Shakespeare’s written work is
difficult to understand. Most times the reader underestimates the
meaning in which Shakespeare has applied to his work only on the
basis that the words are tricky and usually don’t make sense.
Therefore, by tracing individual words I hope to achieve moderate
comprehension of English literature approximately four hundred
years old; to all who read this document.

Firstly, I will be introducing a word with which you have

probably known since the time you could start talking; sleep. It’s
widely known for as a time of rest but hopefully after this you will
have come to a deeper understanding as to why it was used in
Macbeth.

Quote:
 “Their candles are all out. Take thee that too
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!” – Banquo
Act II, Scene I, lines 8-12
Paraphrase:
Everyone is asleep, yet it is impossible for me to do so for it feels
as if I have a weight on my chest. If only I could stop thinking of
what might happen. (Referring to the prophecies of Macbeth- how
the one of him becoming lord/thane of Cawdor came true yet the
one of him becoming king might come to pass)
Conclusions:
With this first quote from Banquo, the obvious intent of the word
sleep is meant to refer to resting and how he cannot rest because
his mind is too busy.
 Quote:
 “Now o’er the one half-world
Nature seems dead and wicked dreams abuse
The curtained sleep.” –Macbeth
Act II, Scene I, lines 17-19
Paraphrase:
Through this one perspective, everything seems surreal and
sad but I cannot help but keep thinking about being king and
killing Duncan, it denies me my dreams and replaces them with
evil ones of death.
Conclusions:
At this time, the reader can identify the relation of sleep with that
of their dreams and thoughts. Banquo at first saying how he
couldn’t sleep because of being restless but now we can determine
that sleep also refers to aspirations and propriety.

Quote:
 “I laid their daggers ready:
He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done’t.”-Lady Macbeth
Act II, Scene II, Lines 15-17
Paraphrase:
I had put the daggers in plain sight, Macbeth could not miss them.
If Duncan had not looked like my father while he slept I would
have killed him myself.
Conclusions:
Having referred sleep to restlessness and aspirations, in these
lines stated by Lady Macbeth; sleep can also be used when
referencing to looks of calmness and memories.
Quote:
 “There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried ‘murder!’
That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them:
But they did say their prayers, and address’d them
Again to sleep.”-Macbeth
Act II, Scene II, Lines 4-8
Paraphrase:
As I looked upon the guards as they slept, one laughed and the
other cried “murder!” That woke them both yet they calmed
themselves down, prayed and returned to sleeping.
Conclusions:
After having killed the king, Macbeth went to the guards to find
them both asleep. Thus by using sleep, again it is referencing to the
idea that the guards were resting, and were readily capable of
returning to sleep after they had awoken.

Quote:
 “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth
does murder sleep’-the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care.”-Macbeth
Act II, Scene II, lines 21-23
Paraphrase:
My conscience was warring thin; and I started to hear voices
accusing me, yet I find that of my own doing for it is I who
destroyed my own conscience by killing the king when I had not
been prepared to do so. The death of the king is now on my hands.
Conclusions:
It is most obvious that Macbeth truly didn’t want to kill the king
and that by doing so he has the memory and guilt of doing so. By
using sleep, we are able to refer to it not only restlessness,
readiness of giving in, and memories but also to our inner selves
and in this case Macbeth conscience.
 Quote:
 “Still it cried ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house:
‘Glamis hath murder’d sleep, and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more!’-Macbeth
Act II, Scene II, lines 28-31
Paraphrase:
Unforgiving, the voice continued to harass me, telling me that it
was I who had killed him, giving bad fortune Glamis my home and
consequently Cawdor as well due to my misdeed (his conscience
saying that since he did this he’s going to suffer).
Conclusions
From this quote it is obvious that Macbeth’s conscience is
referring to what will happen not only to him but to the people
around him for having killed the king for greed. (His own form of
foresight/intuition) Thus not only is sleeping an act of resting and
conscience but is also now implying Macbeth’s intuitive side as
well.

Quote:
 “Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! Awake!
Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit,
And look on death itself!”- Macduff
Act II, Scene III, lines 23-26
Paraphrase:
Everyone wake up! Murder and treason has occurred!
Awake from death’s impersonator and see death for what it is
now!
Conclusions:
Introducing sleep as unattainable with Banquo and nightmarish
qualities and consciences with Macbeth; sleep is not always good
for with the revelation of King Duncan’s death, Macduff is
implying with haste how sleeping is in fact faking death, for to
sleep is to be immobile as death truly is and was the case for King
Duncan.
Conclusion for “sleep” in Act II

Introducing Act II we acknowledge that in most cases sleep

is looked upon negatively. The fact that it is:
 Unattainable with Banquo due to his restlessness.
 It isn’t always a dream but usually nightmarish and
tends to imply your deepest darkest thoughts and ideas
with Macbeth.
 Usually implies being calm and sparks memories as is
the case for Lady Macbeth.
 It shows how people are eager and ready to give in as
are the cases with the guards (resulting in their deaths).
 Used in reference towards people’s consciences and
how guilty Macbeth’s was.
 Also in reference with peoples intuition where
Macbeth’s is of doom and suffering towards himself
and those around him
 Lastly how sleep is indeed imposter to death since
death is true immobility.

Although we consider sleep to be refreshing and healthy today,

when the word sleep is used in “Macbeth” automatically we can
determine that the action or idea that is being discussed will
ultimately have negative aspects implied.