Significance of knocking in Macbeth

In act 2 Macbeth kills Duncan with the dagger of the guards and kills the guards to make it look like the guards were responsible for the murder. After Macbeth murders Duncan he starts to hear a knocking. Macbeth is startled and shaken by the knocking. In my opinion the knocking is a symbol for Macbeth’s conscience knocking on his morale door. Macbeth becomes worried about the murder and feels that no amount of water can wash off the blood on his hands or the guilt. Macbeth’s conscience has just showed up and made Macbeth regret his actions. Macbeth says “ Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst.” In saying this it is clear that macbeth wishes that the knocking would wake Duncan but he knows it can’t because he is dead. Macbeth wishes that Duncan would wake up and that macbeth would be free of his guilt and paranoia. When Macduff sees that Macbeth is awake he thinks it is because the knocking has awoken him. The knocking didn’t wake Macbeth from his sleep but the knocking awoke his conscience. Macbeth’s conscience has been awoken and he realizes the gravity of the crime he has committed. It is now apparent that Macbeth has a conscience but before it was asleep. The cruelty of the murders he committed and the knocking on the door awoke Macbeth’s conscience. But it is now too late for Macbeth to develop a conscience because Duncan is dead and the deed is done. He must now face the world with the guilt of the crime he committed.