How Does Shakespeare Present Macbeth's Guilty Conscience

In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, supposedly written to support the kingship of James the 1st (King of England and Scotland from that time) and first published in 1606 we see that within Act 2 scene 2 the main protagonist Macbeth struggles with guilty conscience. Shakespeare can present Macbeth's guilty conscience by using different symbols and language techniques throughout Act 2 scene 2.

Shakespeare presents Macbeth's Guilty Conscience through his change of sleep patterns. Returning from the murder of Duncan, Macbeth falls into panic as he starts to feel the hefty guilt. The feeling of guilt usually comes after committing a crime, offence or a wrong act, in Macbeth’s case it was because he murdered the King. We know that Macbeth is in panic

Macbeth feels so guilty after killing the King that several references to the blood and his bloody hands were made. The first reference made was when he stated, he had “hangman’s hands.” This shows that he believed that his hands were bloody as if it was some sin. This is also important as it is the first time that the symbols of blood and hands are used together. He exaggerates his bloody hands, even more, when he states, “Will all great Neptune’s oceans wash this blood/Clean from my hand?” He questions himself. He replies saying, “No, this my hand will rather/The multitudinous seas incarnadine,/Making the green one red.” Shakespeare intelligently uses a rhetorical question, to almost note that Macbeth is becoming more and more lost in the guilt and remorse he caused. Furthermore, it foreshadows his later unstable mental state. Through this quote, it is depicted that Macbeth’s exaggerated feelings of guilt and remorse are filling his mind despite being such a renowned warrior. Macbeth alludes to Neptune’s great ocean, a body of water that is powerful and immense. This enhances his worry as it shows that nothing will be able to wash away the evidence and guilt (the blood on his hands). He further states, instead of washing his hands clean he will instead dye the ocean from green to red, this exaggeration can illustrate the huge and uncontrollable amount of guilt and worry he is facing. The symbol of blood/bloody hands can also allude to the “Clean Hands Principle'' although it does not tie directly with Macbeth as he knows he is guilty and does not try to hide it, it connects more with Lady Macbeth as there are many instances where she is washing her hand and stating “water clears us of this deed.” She believes that she is free of guilt because physically her hands have been washed clean of blood. The “Clean