Theme Of Appearance And Reality In Macbeth

897 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Feminist perspectives on macbeth

Macbeth did this all because of the three witches prophecies foreshadowing that he could be king if he had the ambition to go out and take it. Shakespeare uses the literary device of a motif, a recurring subject or idea, throughout the play to accentuate the overall theme that he is trying to convey to the audience. Two motifs that Shakespeare exemplifies in Macbeth are appearance vs. reality and gender roles switched, which both add to the overall theme of illusion based reality. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, the motif of appearance vs. reality is constantly present in every scene of the play. Right from the beginning when the three witches are conspiring together to meet with Macbeth they say in unison “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1.10). This short phrase is perchance the most famous line of the play and it foreshadows the overall theme in the play. In this circumstance ‘fair’ has a connotation of magnificence, beauty, or allure. Whereas ‘foul’ has an association having to do with anything bad, malevolent, or evil. Also, the interchanging of these lines signify the blurring between choosing what is right and what is wrong, creating chaos inside of whomever might be trying to do so. Immediately from the start of Macbeth, we get the idea that nothing is as it seems and perhaps everything that seems to be ‘fair’ is actually corrupt and dishonest. Since the three witches say this line in unison at the end of the first scene in act one, it leaves the reader with an eerie suspicion for the next scene to come. Secondly, Macbeth having just had a victorious day at battle says “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1.3.38). This line brings back the idea of everything seeming to be one way but is really the complete opposite. ... ... middle of paper ... ...eme of illusion based reality. The vital idea behind the entire play as a whole is spoken by the weird sisters in the first act and scene of the play; “Fair is foul and foul is fair”. Throughout this entire play the audience sees this idea brought to life by Shakespeare making it perfectly clear that motivation can only be achieved at an expense that only some are actually willing to take. While some may want to place a certain amount of the blame of Macbeth’s downfall onto the witches for telling him of the prophecies, it has to be taken into account that Macbeth was the one to have the ambition to actually go out there and take what did not rightfully belong to him. In the end, all the prophecies do turn out to be true and Macbeth perishes from a pretty well deserved death. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Washington Press, 1992.

Show More
Related

  • Role of Motifs in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1253 Words  | 3 Pages

    The best way to draw a reader into a story is to focus on knowledge drawn from other sources and add to them in a way so that the reader can relate. William Shakespeare achieves just this with his ability to enhance Macbeth with reoccurring motifs throughout the play. Possibly the most prominent ones and those that represent the greatest are the sleep and serpent motifs. J When one possesses a conscience, the function to tell the difference between right and wrong; it impedes the ability to either make positive or negative decisions. If one has a clear conscience, they usually possess the ability to sleep. But when our consciences are full of guilt, they experience a state of sleeplessness. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the sleep and sleeplessness motif to represent Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's consciences and the effect Macbeth's conscience has on the country of Scotland.

    Read More

  • Macbeth - Images and Imagery

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    MacbethL Imagery & nbsp; & nbsp;           One of the most important tools in literature is imagery.  It is not just in there to fill up paper; rather, there is at least one dramatic purpose. for each image and there are many different types of imagery.  This essay seeks to prove that in the play Macbeth the author William Shakespeare uses darkness. imagery for three dramatic purposes.  Those three purposes are, to create. atmosphere, to arouse the emotions of the audience and to contribute to the major theme of the play. & nbsp;     The darkness imagery in Macbeth contributes to its ominous atmosphere.  In At the very beginning of the play, the three witches are talking and the first witch says "When shall we three meet again? 

    Read More

  • Illusion vs. Reality in Macbeth

    1086 Words  | 3 Pages

    The witches also kept repeating a quote that has a lot of meaning. They continued to say “foul is fair and fair is foul.” (I.i.12) This means that what seems right isn’t really right and what seems wrong isn’t really wrong. So the whole play is about false faces and how someone who seems normal and innocent isn’t really.      The witches also seem to be an illusion. They are in a way human like, but at the same time they are also fake. They talked to Macbeth and told him three prophecies, which caused him to become greedy and kill King Duncan. The first time they told him what they saw was in Act 1. They said

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Macbeth - Appearance versus Reality - Quote Analysis

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fair is foul, and foul is fair, a phrase that has become synonym with Macbeth. It is also the introduction to one of the most important themes of this tragedy: appearance and reality. Shakespeare uses various characters and situations to emphasize this confusion between the real and the surreal, the authentic and the fake, the act and the sincere. In order to discuss this theme, different characters will be looked at : in the first paragraph, the Witches, in the second, Duncan and in the third, Lady Macbeth.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Appearance In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Appearances can be described as a “glimpse of the unseen”. Imagine opening your favourite chocolate bar only to discover it was not the kind portrayed on the outer wrapper. Imagine purchasing an item online and when it arrives it’s not what you expected. Shakespeare depicts this concept well in the infamous play Macbeth; although, doing it with more clarity and depth. The witches and Lady Macbeth use manipulative words to alter Macbeth and his thoughts and decisions. Macbeth, becoming the King of Scotland, displayed himself as two very different characters and failed to fully conceal the horrible deeds he committed, thus affecting the people and how they viewed him. Shakespeare portrays deceptive appearances as a negative chain reaction, starting

    Read More

  • Idealism and Truth in an Individual’s Life.

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Our main character Macbeth is very driven by his need for what he believes to be the truth. The play starts out with the quote “Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” (1.1.6) meaning nothing is, as it seems. This quote was from all three witches, who decided they were going to seek out Macbeth who at the time was Thane of Glamis and a prized solider on the battlefield. Macbeth at this time was looking for more in his life. The witches then gave him and his friend Banquo three prophecies. They were that he would become Tha...

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Tragic Flaw Quotes

    1377 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth began this play with a great future ahead of him: a Thane to the King with a great life and many friends. Shortly after Macbeth is given the title Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth and his companion Banquo encounter a group of witches. The witches are portrayed as wicked and menacing, saying “Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air” (Act 1, Scene 1). This quote shows that what appears to be fair and good, similar to that of Macbeth at the beginning of this play. This quote also applies to the Witches themselves. The Witches’ prophecies to Banquo and Macbeth appear to be fair and very appealing to the men, but are actually very deceiving and leads to Macbeth’s ultimate downfall. Following Macbeth’s visit by the witches, he tells Lady Macbeth of his encounter but says that he does not wish to kill King Duncan to become King. Shakespeare characterizes Lady Macbeth as an evil mastermind, using her powers of seduction to challenge Macbeth’s masculinity. Macbeth may not have murdered for the throne if it was not for the actions of Lady Macbeth, who accuses Macbeth of being too kind hearted to take the closest path to the throne. Macbeth’s downfall begins with the actions that his wife convinces him to take. Shakespeare uses characterization to show that Macbeth is a tragic hero, but these characters’ actions also cause many conflicts that lead to Macbeth’s

    Read More

  • Ambition in Macbeth

    1798 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the play of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare gradually and effectively deepens our understanding of the themes and most importantly the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The main theme of Macbeth is ambition, and how it compels the main characters to pursue it. The antagonists of the play are the three witches, who symbolise the theme appearance and reality. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation is an irony throughout the play, as most of their relation is based on greed and power. This is different from most of Shakespeare’s other plays, which are mostly based on romance and trust. There is also guilt that leads Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the final consequences of the play. As the progresses, the constant changes in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are exposed.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Juxtaposition In Macbeth

    616 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning of Shakespeare's play “Macbeth”,just before Macbeth encounters the witches for the first time, he shows that he is disturbed by the things he has seen in the war,in the line “So foul and fair a day I have not seen”. One interpretation of this quote is that the use of juxtaposition shows that Macbeth's conscience is split in two ;while he has won the battle in “fair” combat however the enemy's gore and blood shed was incredibly “foul” and has seen has deeply scared him. In particular the words “not seen” could suggest that he wishes to unsee what he has already seen as it is all to much for him, Shakespeare also uses this quote foreshadow Macbeth downfall as the line closely parallels with the chant all three witches sing in the very first scene “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” . This line and the quote “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” both use juxtaposition for effect and not only that both quotes use “foul” and “fair” to express it, this shows that from the beginning Macbeth is linked to the forces of darkness before he even meets the witches or writes the letter to Lady Macbeth,

    Read More

  • Patterns of Images and Imagery in Macbeth

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    Darkness evokes feelings of evilness and a disturbance in nature. Macbeth's statement, "Now o'er the one half-world / Nature seems dead" (Lines 49 - 50), might mean that the world seems dead everywhere he looks, or it might give him the idea that the murder he is about to commit will have far-reaching repercussions. In Act V, Scene i, Line 10, the doctor says, "A great perturbation in nature," while talking about Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking, emphasizing how nature is disturbed by human doings. The witches' chorus on Act I, Scene i, Line 10, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," is a paradox and a prophecy that makes the reader think about the line to find some meaning for themselves.

    Read More

  • Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth

    1370 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a selfish Scottish thane becomes over-ambitious and commits several murders in order to gain and stay in power. After the murders, Macbeth evades suspicion by hiding his guilt and intentions, therefore deceiving others into thinking that he is innocent. Other characters including Lady Macbeth, the witches and the Scottish thanes also use their appearances to hide the truth and deceive others. With these examples, Shakespeare shows that appearances can be deceiving.

    Read More

  • Deceit and Betrayal in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" is considered one of his great tragedies. The play fully uses plot, character, setting, atmosphere, diction and imagery to create a compelling drama. The general setting of Macbeth is tenth and eleventh century Scotland. The play is about a once loyal and trusted noble of Scotland who, after a meeting with three witches, becomes ambitious and plans the murder of the king. After doing so and claiming the throne, he faces the other nobles of Scotland who try to stop him. In the play, Macbeth faces an internal conflict with his opposing decisions. On one hand, he has to decide of he is to assassinate the king in order to claim his throne. This would result in his death for treason if he is caught, and he would also have to kill his friend. On the other hand, if he is to not kill him, he may never realize his ambitious dreams of ruling Scotland. Another of his internal struggles is his decision of killing his friend Banquo. After hiring murderers to kill him, Macbeth begins to see Banquo's ghost which drives him crazy, possibly a result of his guilty conscience. Macbeth's external conflict is with Macduff and his forces trying to avenge the king and end Macbeth's reign over Scotland. One specific motif is considered the major theme, which represents the overall atmosphere throughout the play. This motif is "fair is foul and foul is fair."

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Imagery of Illness

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    The witches introduced in the first words of the play represent an over arching amount of power, as proved through the trueness of their prophesies. The witches promote Shakespeare’s imagery of illness through the line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare, 1). This line demonstrates their ill philosophy in regard to everyday life. Shortly after, Macbeth is introduced with the line “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (Shakespeare, 11). Through this line, a direct connection with the ill philosophy of the witches is reflected through the type of the day Macbeth has had. This direct connection and reflection on Macbeth’s life between the witches and Macbeth proves him to be powerless in regards to the witches. The witches oversee the events that take place throughout the course of the play, proving Macbeth to be powerless in regards to the events of the play. Through Macbeth's first spoken line, he is seen as a product of the witches intent and power, therefore leaving him without control of the events of his life, making him powerless.

    Read More

  • Appearance and Reality in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    The theme of appearance versus reality is very important in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The characters of Duncan, Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth are unable to differentiate between appearance and reality, resulting in tragic consequences. Poor judgment is evidenced by Duncan, who trusts Macbeth too much; Lady Macbeth, who is fooled by the witches; and Macbeth, who is tricked repeatedly by others.

    Read More

  • Appearance vs. Reality in Great Expectations and Macbeth

    633 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”; depicts that good is bad and bad is good. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth displays an interesting use of various themes. A theme that is used throughout the play is the contrast between appearance and reality. Similarly in the novel Great Expectations, Charles Dickens conveys the idea of deception as well. The authors demonstrate the idea of appearance vs. reality through crime, characters and through character’s ambitions.

    Read More

More about Theme Of Appearance And Reality In Macbeth

Open Document