How does Lady Macbeths sleep walking scene relate to earlier parts of the play? In your answer you should refer to the way the scene is presented in both the RSC and Polanski versions.

During her 'dream' she says 'Fie my lord, fie! A soldier and afeard?'. She is mocking her husband and accusing him of being a coward. She tried to make him defend himself not only by saying that he was not a coward, but also by proving that he could carry out the murder. He wanted to prove that he was a great man and he was able to kill off the battlefield as well as on.

'What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?' This was Lady Macbeth speaking about how that even if some one did find out; no one would challenge his or her royal status. If someone did they would be executed for speaking unfaithfully about the king and queen. She then goes on to the time just after the murder when she said 'Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him'. Lady Macbeth is remembering the sight she saw when she went to leave the daggers back. Duncan's body would have been drenched in blood. The doctor is shocked at this because he now knows that Lady Macbeth played some part in the murder. However he cannot say anything against the queen so instead we hear him say that she is not sick but 'troubled with sick coming-fancies that come from her rest.' in act 5 scene 3.

'The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now?' When she says this, the doctor knows that she must be linked to the murder of Lady Macduff. When Macbeth arranged this murder, he was acting on his own, not consulting Lady Macbeth. This was the beginning of Macbeth acting alone. Once he could act on his own, He and Lady Macbeth grew apart, their marriage began to fail and they became not only emotionally distant but also physically distant as Macbeth went out to the battle field to put down rebellions. This meant that the one person she could talk to was not there.

When she says 'what, will these hands never be clean' she is looking at her hands to see if the blood is gone but because the mark is not a physical mark she cannot get rid of it. The mark is actually a mental mark.

'No more o' that my lord, no more o' that' relates back to the banquet scene when Lady Macbeth is trying to cover up for Macbeth who thought he saw Banquo.

'All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.' Lady Macbeth can not only see the vision of Duncan, but also smell the blood on her hand. She is tormented by these thoughts and so the reason why she cannot sleep.

'Wash your hands, put on your night-gown, look not so pale.' Refers to after the murder when Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth what to do so that it appears they have been in bed. She also says 'I tell you yet again Banquo's buried; he cannot come out on's grave.' This was to comfort Macbeth after he thought he saw Banquo sitting in his seat.

'To bed, to bed; there's knocking at the gate.' relates back to when the porter comes to their bedroom to tell them of Duncan's murder. Lady Macbeth made sure that they appeared to have been in bed.

'What's done cannot be undone' is perhaps the opposite of what she said earlier in act 3 scene 2 when she said 'what's done is done'. This gives a sense that it would no longer be an issue for concern. When she says what is done cannot be undone there is a hint of sorrow, remorse and fear. This all relates back to when she said 'A little water clears us of this deed.' This is proven not to be true, as she cannot remove the mark on her hand. Water is not enough to wipe away this dreadful deed.

The doctor concludes his visit by saying that she is not troubled physically but mentally. He believes that she needs God rather than a physician.

Sleep is a theme that runs through the play. We now see that the once troubled Macbeth is now filled with the hope of victory and Lady Macbeth is deeply unhappy and depressed and has know one to talk to. Her strength, ambition and sense of purpose is gone and replaced with guilt, sorrow and remorse. The ultimate irony is shown to be that the once strong leader fell to be the weakest and the weak became the strong. Nature was to find a way of repairing the natural order; this is accomplished by the fall of the queen and king. Although both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had the same goals, to be on the throne their beliefs are different and both are proven to be hollow.

In the RSC version, Judi Dench plays Lady Macbeth and Ian McKellen plays Macbeth. Trevor Nunn directed this version. Judi Dench is a very strong actor with a lot of confidence. She has had a long career due to her acting skills. In the Polanski version Franchesca Annis takes the role of Lady Macbeth and Jon Finch the role of Macbeth. Franchesca is much younger than Judi.

As the RSC version is a stage production, they do not have the ability to go to outdoor sets. Polanski who was able to do this, used it well. At the end of act 4 scene 2, he cut from the slaughtering of Macduff and his children to Lady Macbeth coming out from behind a screen similar to the one found in a confession box.

In the RSC adaptation, the gentlewoman is dressed as a nun. This makes us think that Lady Macbeth needs god to help her. When we first see her in this scene, she is walking through the dark like a lost soul. When she screams it is very long and drawn out. She is clearly in distress. The scream seems to fade away as is she is falling into hell. Finally as she walks away for the last time, the candle fades away into the distance.

In the Polanski version Lady Macbeth is naked. This gives the impression that she is vulnerable. She emerges from behind a screen, which resembles a confession box. This is what she does in this scene. She tells the gentlewoman and the doctor all the things that she told Macbeth never to disclose.

I think the stage production was much more effective. Judi Dench is a brilliant actor who takes this part to a new level. I found the RSC adaptation more interesting, easier to watch and a good insight to the 16th century culture. .

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