Writing Resources
British Literature 16 January 2018 Chaos and Disorder in Shakespeare's Macbeth In the play Macbeth Shakespeare uses Macbeth s and Lady Macbeth s guilt and paranoia as a source of chaos and disorder The recurring motifs of sleeplessness and blood staining are used to reveal how the chaos increases as the play progresses The characters in Macbeth were always in a state of distress and disorder which didn t allow for any peace This disruption of peace in the play left room for increased chaos and disorder to appear as the characters attempted to deal with their emotions The chaos and disorder in Macbeth becomes stronger and more disastrous as the play progresses due to Macbeth s intense paranoia The motif of sleeplessness is used repeatedly for the reader to associate lack of sleep with chaos Prior to lack of sleep being associated with Macbeth himself the sleep motif is used as a foreshadowing method right before Duncan was murdered Banquo told Fleance of his inability to sleep because he was so paranoid due to the Three Witches prophecy He expressed that a heavy summons lies like lead upon me and yet I would not sleep 2 1 6 7 His lack of sleep so early on in the play reveals that chaos will soon follow which it did when Macbeth murdered King Duncan Throughout the play Macbeth became entangled in protecting his position on the throne he was willing to do anything to maintain his title as king including murder his potential threats
