A Motif Worth a Thousand Words

A Motif Worth a Thousand Words

The best way to draw a reader into a story is to focus on knowledge drawn from other sources and add to them in a way so that the reader can relate. William Shakespeare achieves just this with his ability to enhance Macbeth with reoccurring motifs throughout the play. Possibly the most prominent ones and those that represent the greatest are the sleep and serpent motifs. J When one possesses a conscience, the function to tell the difference between right and wrong; it impedes the ability to either make positive or negative decisions. If one has a clear conscience, they usually possess the ability to sleep. But when our consciences are full of guilt, they experience a state of sleeplessness. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the sleep and sleeplessness motif to represent Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's consciences and the effect Macbeth's conscience has on the country of Scotland.

Lady Macbeth begins with an unrecognizable conscience. She explains to Macbeth that if she said she would kill her own child, she would rather do the deed than break her word to do so. Soon she begins to develop a conscience. After placing the daggers for Duncan's murder, she makes an excuse for not killing Duncan herself: "Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done't" (2.2.12-13). These words introduce her conscience. Towards the end of the play, Lady Macbeth falls into a sleepless state, and this sleeplessness represents her guilt for her role in Duncan's death, as well as all the murders Macbeth has committed. Her conscience is trying to rid itself of the guilt by her "washing her hands" (5.1.25) of the imagined blood. Lady Macbeth's newfound conscience becomes unbearable. Thus she resolves her problems by committing suicide, or "sleeping" permanently.

Macbeth also seems to follow the same path as his wife. He begins as a valiant soldier with a good, clear conscience. His ability to sleep symbolizes his clear conscience. Further into the play, his conscience becomes disturbed and he experiences insomnia. Macbeth's sleeplessness is a result of his fear and guilt. After killing Duncan, Macbeth hears a voice cry, "'Glamis hath murdered sleep,' and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more" (2.2.45-46). Macbeth feels that the only way to make his guilt and fear disappear is to kill anyone who threatens his kingship, so his conscience will begin to believe that killing people is right and he will be able to enjoy guiltless sleep. .

Sleep also makes Macbeth have a negative impact on Scotland. A king usually represents the peace and goodness of his country. When he begins to experience peace and comfort the country does as well. As soon as Macbeth becomes king, however, the kingdom is flipped upside down. Since Macbeth feels internal turmoil, the people of Scotland also experience turmoil. Macbeth causes all the peace and sleep to change to distress and sleeplessness. Malcolm's goal is to see "that chambers will be safe" (5.4.2). When Malcolm's army defeats Macbeth's army, peace and sleep are restored to Scotland. T