Macbeth to Macdeath
James Smith
Professor Muth
DRAM 1301 T/TH 9:30-11:00am
18 October 2016
Macbeth to Macdeath
Insomnia can have many effects on people in different ways. Often causing confusing or unexplained behavior if prolonged. Insomnia is the inability to obtain sufficient sleep; sleeplessness. I can think of several situations, not of relation to Macbeth, where I experienced insomnia. Macbeth insomnia seemed to stem from a much deeper serious situation. In this essay, I will discuss how insomnia can affect not only a person’s sleep but time management as well.
Macbeth, like many, wanted to be the ruler. Therefore, being a king would complete his desire. Although King Duncan was currently in that position, Macbeth soon learns from the witches’ prophecy that he will be king. After learning that one of Duncan’s sons, Malcom, would be heir to the throne Macbeth agrees to his wife’s, Lady Macbeth, plan to kill the king. Macbeth displays a lack of time when he feels he must rush to kill Duncan. Macbeth is at first reluctant to commit such a treason but Lady Macbeth stresses the fact he may not have another chance such as the near future of Duncan’s visit to their home. Macbeth feeling insecure, nervous, and anxious before killing Duncan, starts to notice a symptom of insomnia through hallucinations. He sees the dagger for which he chooses, minutes before dawn, to go through with the murder. The appearance of the dagger seemed to act as his will to continue with his plan even while contemplating not to do it. Macbeth was could not believe this was happening to him as he stated, “My eyes have made fool of the other senses.” I felt as if this was only his first step into insomnia.
Limited time is also shown during the killing of the king and after. While Macbeth waited for the signal from his accomplice, Lady Macbeth, to notify him when the guards had been poisoned, Banquo, Macbeth’s fellow soldier, and his son, Fleance, suddenly appeared leading him to keep these two occupied by accompanying them to their chamber of sleep. The very moment when Macbeth stabbed the king he realized he did not have much time to finish the job. While Duncan screamed for help, Macbeth decides to quickly stab him in the neck after stabbing him 5-6 times in the chest to end it at once. Immediately following the murder, Duncan’s loyal follower, Macduff, knocked at the door leaving the Macbeths a very limited time to clean themselves up from the murder. They had to act as if they had been sleep all night and knew nothing of this horrible act. Once Duncan was found dead, Macbeth once again had a lack of time before one of the poisoned guards would tell what really happened. Portraying the guards were the murders, Macbeth cuts their heads off so the truth would not be known. I have also experienced running out of time with death but my situation came by old age and not treason. The passing of my grandmother really taught me the value of people, family, and love. Although I spent years with my grandmother, I never took the time out to really understand who she was or her background. I always seemed to be much too busy most of the time. Once I heard she was ill, I quickly decided to start communicating with her more. That one phone call soon turned into a death with her passing a month later. I felt as if I did not have enough time to catch up with everything I should have already known. This is a feeling I never want to experience again.
Lady Macbeth displays her insomnia later throughout the story. At first she seemed as if she had everything under control but later realized her evil schemes brought about her own destruction by “self and violent hands.” After many restless nights, both lady Macbeth and her husband go mad with replaying images from the murder. Macbeth knew this would happen to him when he states, “Sleep no more, Macbeth murders sleep, innocent sleep…sleep that cares. Macbeth shall sleep no more.” Memories can be filled with happiness, sadness, or at times, a little of both. A memory that I will never forget would be my first heartbreak. I experienced insomnia by not sleeping for 2-3 days with constant memories of all the great and horrible times we shared. Eating, school, and my usual activities were altered. I continued to slumber around only to put my memories on repeat. I really did not know how to handle the situation so I turned to fitness to help relive my emotional distress.