In Shakespeare's Macbeth, what are "these hangman's hands"? Is this Macbeth's reaction when he first returns from Duncan's chamber—what does he...

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, in Act Two,
scene two, after Macbeth has murdered Duncan (which he really did not
want to do), the audience can tell that his actions have not come
naturally to him. He is distracted, and has brought the bloody daggers back from
Duncan's room.

Macbeth is extremely upset that when the
grooms/guards were praying, that he could not say, "Amen." He says
he really needed a blessing, but could not say "Amen." Of course,
based upon Elizabethan standards, murdering a king—who was on the throne because God had
ordained it—was a mortal sin. Macbeth has separated himself from God so it should be no
surprise to him that he feels distanced from the
Almighty.

readability="15">

MACBETH:

One
cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen” the other,

As they had
seen me with these hangman's hands.

Listening their fear, I
could not say “Amen,”

When they did say “God bless us!”
 (36-39)

Macbeth then turns
his attention to the question of sleep—that a voice said that Macbeth had murdered
sleep—the kind that refreshes one when he (or she) has worked a long day. The sleep that
calms the mind; then the voice says that because Macbeth has murdered sleep,
he will sleep no more.

readability="29">

MACBETH:

Me
thought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!

Macbeth doth
Murder sleep”—the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the
ravell'd sleave of care,

The death of each day's life, sore
labor's bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second
course, (50)

Chief nourisher in life's
feast—

LADY
MACBETH:

What do you
mean?

MACBETH:

Still
it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the house;

“Glamis hath
murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more.
Macbeth shall sleep no more.”
(55)

Macbeth is feeling
extremely guilty for what he has done. Though he was one a noble man, he has—with one
action—separated himself from the noble company of his peers and murdered his King and
friend, separating himself also from heaven.

Lady Macbeth
tells him to wash up and then he will feel better, but when she sees the bloody daggers
he has brought back, she scolds him and demands that he return them back to where the
dead king lies so it looks like his guards/servants are guilty of Duncan's murder.
Macbeth firmly refuses, saying he will not go back. Again Lady
Macbeth criticizes his lack of bravery, and his manhood, and returns the weapons
herself.

readability="37">

LADY
MACBETH:

Who was it that thus cried? Why,
worthy

Thane,

You do unbend
your noble strength, to think

So brainsickly of things. Go,
get some water

And wash this filthy witness from your hand.
(60)

Why did you bring these daggers from the
place?

They must lie there. Go carry them, and
smear

The sleepy grooms with
blood.

MACBETH:

I'll
go no more:

I am afraid to think what I have done;
(65)

Look on't again I dare
not.

LADY
MACBETH:

Infirm of
purpose!

Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the
dead

Are but as pictures; ’tis the eye of
childhood

That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
(70)

I'll gild the faces of the grooms
withal,

For it must seem their
guilt.

When a knocking is
heard, Macbeth is struggling with his guilt. Lady Macbeth has returned the daggers and
makes fun of his fears. She is very calm about what they have done, saying that "a
little water clears us of this deed..." (line 85)

Macbeth
is not comforted: he knows the horror of his actions. His regret is evident when he
wishes Duncan could be wakened with the knocking:

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MACBETH:

…
[Knock.]

Wake Duncan with thy
knocking! I would thou couldst!