King Murdered (Act 2, Acene 2)

Having murdered King Duncan, Macbeth returns to Lady Macbeth, his hands covered in blood and visibly shaken. He is troubled by the sounds he heard during the act, including the chamberlains' (guards’) prayers and a voice declaring, "Sleep no more". Macbeth is also unnerved by his inability to say "Amen" after the chamberlains said their prayers. Lady Macbeth, initially composed, becomes agitated when she realises Macbeth has brought the daggers away from the scene. She chastises him for his fear and commands him to return the daggers to the guards' chamber and smear them with blood to frame them. Macbeth refuses, prompting Lady Macbeth to take charge and return the daggers herself. While she is gone, a knocking at the gate intensifies Macbeth's fear and paranoia. He is consumed by guilt and a sense of impending doom, fearing that his actions have irrevocably stained his soul.

Lady Macbeth returns, now with bloody hands as well, but remains outwardly calm, urging Macbeth to wash his hands and get ready for bed. She dismisses the knocking as someone at the south gate, assuring him that "a little water clears us of this deed". Macbeth, however, is lost in his thoughts, wishing the knocking could wake the dead Duncan.