English Lit

• Paradox


  A contradictory statement that suggests the play will involve the themes of deception and appearance versus reality
• Paradox


  • Suggestion from Shakespeare of the disruption and chaos to come, of a kingdom turned upside down
• Paradox

  The words of the witches might be in the form of riddles: confusing, or misleading, just as their prophecies are to Macbeth
• Macbeth, without having met the witches

  Echoes their language
• Macbeth echoing the witches' language

  Suggests he is already being led by them, or under their spell
• Macbeth's "fair" character


  Will be corrupted and become most "foul"
• “Macbeth does murder sleep!” Macbeth, Act II, Scene II
• Meaning and context

  • Macbeth is quoting a voice he can hear that tells him that he has murdered sleep
  • It comes immediately after the murder of King Duncan when Macbeth returns to Lady Macbeth
• Analysis

  • Macbeth returns from murdering Duncan in a panicked state and is hallucinating
  • He hears a voice telling him he will no longer be able to sleep
  • “Sleep” symbolises peace or calm, so this is a suggestion that Macbeth will no longer be at peace because he committed regicide
  • Shakespeare could be suggesting that in the act of murdering a king, he has murdered his own chance at peace – and perhaps eternal peace: Heaven
  • The voice he can hear might be interpreted as his own conscience