DaShanta Martin

Ms. Tierce
English IV
April 6, 2015

A Guilty Conscience Brings a Sleepless Night

One cried, God bless us! and Amen, the other, as they had seen me with the
hangmans hands. Listning their fear, I could not say Amen when they did say God bless us.
Me thought, I heard a voice cry, sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep, ( II, ii, 26-29).
We, as humans, have learned how guilt can abrupt the natural order of our consciences. Our
conscience allows our mind to deviate between what is right or wrong. In most cases, one who
possesses a clear conscience has the ability to sleep gracefully, whereas one who is full of guilt
will experience the state of insomnia, or sleeplessness. In Shakespeares Macbeth, Shakespeare
uses sleep as a constant motif through the characters actions. Throughout the play, we find that a
character with a clear conscience has the opportunity to rest. In contrast, a character who has
fallen into guilt, such as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, is condemned into insomnia. Both, Lady
Macbeth and Macbeth guilt lead to the loss of their sanity and ultimately Macbeths downfall.
As shown in the above quote, Macbeth suffers insomnia after making a vicious decision
of killing his sleeping king, Duncan, to prove his manhood to his wife and fulfill his mission to
become king. The words Macbeth does murder sleep indirectly infers that Macbeth actions
have caused himself great guilt that will eventually limit his ability to sleep. At this point,
Shakespeare uses that very quote to forewarn the consequences of Macbeth's guilty conscience.
As the play continues, we see Macbeths lack of sleep develop into strong hallucinations.
In Act III Scene IV, Macbeth greets his guest at his coronation dinner. While doing his greeting,

Lennox bids Macbeth to take a seat. When doing so, Macbeth complains that the table is full
causing the guests to become baffled. Eventually, Macbeth notices that his stool is taken by an
uninvited guest the Ghost of Banquo. Macbeth points his finger towards Banquo and recites
Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake thy glory locks at me, while looking into Banquos
eyes.(IV.iii. 50-51). Lady Macbeth covers for her husband. She asks everyone to stay seated, and
explains that Macbeth is often like this due to a lack of sleep.
Later, as we continue to read, we notice that the burden of Lady Macbeth's conscience
causes her mental and physical condition to decline. Lady Macbeths gentlewoman contacts a
doctor after noticing Lady Macbeth sleeping conditions. During the scene, the doctor and the
lady observe Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One:two: why, then
tis time to dot. Hell is murkey. Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier and afeard? What need we fear who
knows it, when none can call our powr to accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to
have had so much blood in him? (V,i, 31-35)yelled Lady Macbeth as she angrily tried to wash
blood from her hands. Lady Macbeth then asks, What, will these hands ne're be clean?
(V,i,38)This climactic moment of the play demonstrates the stress guilt has landed into the
Macbeths family. Lady Macbeths sleeplessness pushes her to her absolute limit. She begins to
reveal the truth behind the murders as guilt begin to take over her body.
As we continue to read, we learned that Lady Macbeth's condition worsens. Not so sick,
my lord, as she is troubled with thick-coming fancies that keep her from her rest. (V,iii,38-40)
When hearing this news, Macbeth asks the doctor to cure her mind so the troubles of her heart
can be erased. The doctor responds, Therein the patient must minister to himself. However, she
could not bear to take anymore; she committed suicide just before Macbeth is dethroned from
King.