According to Elizabeth MacAndrew, author of The Gothic Tradition in Fiction: Gothic fiction is a literature of nightmare. ... When MacDuff says "Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit" (Act II, 3, 72-73), he is trying to rouse Banquo, Donalbain, and Malcolm to tell them that the king has been murdered in his sleep. ... Act II, 2, 38-43. ... When Romeo goes to visit the Friar in Act II, he has been up all night visiting with Juliet and the Friar sees that he is unrested. ... (Act II, 3) Again we have a reference to sleep as the spoils of the innocent, untroubled mind, s...

• Word Count: 2655
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School