Lady Macbeth: The Importance Of Sleep

|The Importance of Sleep |

|Q. Find evidence from this scene, which shows that Lady Macbeth is suffering, like Macbeth, from lack of sleep? |
|Lady Macbeth is sleeping but not resting. This is noticeable by the Doctor’s comments: |
|“A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching. In this slumbery |
|agitation, besides her walking, and other actual performances, what (at any time) have you heard her say?” “her eyes are open.” |

|Q. Trace the reasons behind her disturbed sleep. |
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|Past actions have now made Lady Macbeth feel guilty. While sleeping, she reveals her thoughts about different events, from |
|planning the deed to reassuring Macbeth that Banquo’s ghost is just an illusion comparable to the one of the dagger. |
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|What does “sleep” symbolise throughout the play? |
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|“Macbeth shall sleep no more.” |
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|The Gentlewoman comments to the Doctor: |
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|“She has light by her continually; ‘tis her command.” |

|Q. Explain the reason why Lady Macbeth is shown not to be able to tolerate the dark. |

|Q. Lady Macbeth is unable to wash the symbolic blood from her hands. Why is this ironic in the light of comments made by |
|herself earlier in the play? |
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|“a little water will clear us from this deed.” |

|Q. Lady Macbeth’s speech is written in prose in this scene. She also speaks using “doggerel” or clumsy versification. What is|
|this style of speech used to convey? |

|Q. Lady Macbeth is clearly suffering deeply, inviting the Doctor to remark “more needs she the divine than the physician”. |
|How does the audience feel towards her at this point, how much pity for her is evoked? |