According to the people of Shakespeare's era, sleep meant a time of rest and rejuvenation for the body. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both troubled by guilty consciences all throughout the play and receive either no sleep or a restless sleep. Slumber, within the play, appears to be possible only when one has a clear conscience and the only character in the play who seems to receive a restful sleep is King Duncan, but he is quickly dispatched. Throughout the entire play, sleep is given only to the innocent and symbolizes the peace of a conscience such as Duncan but denied to those at encumbered by guilt such as the Macbeth's .
             Macbeth, portrayed in the beginning of the play as a noble warrior, slowly degrades within the first two acts into a murderer. With the temptation of the witches and the manipulation from his wife, he murders King Duncan. With the murder of Duncan comes upon Macbeth a guilty conscience that deprives him of any sleep and, "No sooner has the King been murdered than Macbeth hears the voice crying, 'Sleep no more' (2.2.32)." (Levin, 265). This little voice in Macbeth's head is his recognition of what he has done. Realizing, shortly after his heinous crime, the severity of his action, Macbeth speaks out to his wife.
             Macbeth does murder sleep'. the innocent sleep,
             Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
             The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
             Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
             Chief nourisher in life's feast,-- (2.2.36-39)
             Understanding what he has just done, Macbeth knows he has lost all of his moral standings. For the rest of the play, "The ever wakeful Macbeth" (Levin, 267) does not sleep. This deprivation of sleep and a clear conscience drives Macbeth to the brink of madness and paranoia and, "It will mean no
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