Macbeth - Analysis of the Sleepwalking Scene

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Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking scene How does Shakespeare make this scene dramatic and significant? In this essay I will be examining Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking scene. I will look at how Shakespeare made the scene dramatic and creepy. It is a significant scene in the play as it is the last time Lady Macbeth is seen alive. It shows Lady Macbeth’s change over the play, and displays Shakespeare’s incredible insight into the workings of the human mind. The scene shows the contrast between Lady Macbeth’s earlier attitude to murder, and her state at that time, which lead to her suicide. During the course of the Lady’s nightmare, there are many references to previous scenes, mainly ones where she had displayed unwavering confidence and strength of mind. Many of the references are repetitions of earlier quotes, some are direct contradictions, and a few are vaguely related words or phrases. Present during the scene are Lady Macbeth’s gentlewoman and a doctor. The doctor is there to try and see what is wrong with her, but ends up witnessing the almost solid confession of both the Macbeths’ horrible deeds. I will be looking at the scene in detail, observing the qualities of the writing of it, as well as the clever linking with previous scenes. The scene occurs towards the end of the play, as things start to move faster and you get the feeling of an approaching climax. The scene before it is the preparation for war in England with Ross, Malcolm and Macduff. In that scene, Macduff finds out that his wife and children have been killed. Lady Macbeth mentions them in her dream. The scene prepares the audience for her unavoidable suicide, as she seems unable to live with her actions. The scene begins with the doctor and the gentlewoman talking. The Gentlewoman describes the Lady’s previous actions while sleepwalking. ‘Unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon’t, read it and afterwards seal it…’ This is the first evidence of Lady Macbeth relating back to earlier scenes in the play. This is probably going right back to the root of their problems, when Macbeth sent his wife a letter explaining the recent unusual happenings. He told her that he had been promised the position of king by the three witches he had met. This is when Lady Macbeth was filled with a desire for greatness, and probably is the first time she contemplated the ‘removal’ of Duncan. The gentlewoman
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goes onto say that she will not repeat anything the Queen had said. The fact that she will not repeat the words puts a suspicious atmosphere on the scene. The audience would be wondering what horrors she had uncovered during the Lady’s dreaming. After this, Lady Macbeth enters, with a taper (a long candle). The doctor asks where she got the light from, and the gentlewoman replies that the Queen always has light by her. This is a direct contradiction to the earlier phrase said by her. She asked the night to wrap around her, so no-one could see her ...

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