What is the role of sleep in Macbeth?

Question

what is the role of sleep in Macbeth? i have to write a 5 page essay on this so any help would be very much appreciatedd thanks

Answer 1

A. II, Sc. I. After the murder of Duncan, macbeth says,

'Methought I heard a voice cry, sleep no more!

Macbeth  does murder sleep, - the innocent sleep..

....Glamis hath murdered sleep : and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more, - Macbeth shall sleep no more!'

See how sleep has been personified !

Shakespeare is a master of personification of sleep . He does this in another of his historical play, where the king Henry has murdered and he is addressing sleep and telling,

' Wilt thou upon the high and giddy mast,

Seal up the ship-boy's eyes, and rock his brains,

In craddle of the rude imperious surge,

..........

Unhappy is the head that wears the crown.'

Sleep has been used by Shakespeae with anaother effect altogether, even for lady Macbeth at the end of the play. She starts sleep-walking. One feels such a pity ! it is tragic , but the actors of the tragedy are not truly the ones who are responsible for it.

I hope you will be able to elaborate and fill the pages like Bradley.

Good Luck for the 5 pages ! Tragic, but imposed by some totally other and outward force, I presume  !! Leading to sleepless nights, nay even nightmares. Methinks, what a tragedy?!