Examples Of Appearance And Reality In Macbeth

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Appearance vs. Reality Miguel de Cervantes once said that “truth will rise above falsehood as oil above water”. The tragedy of Macbeth is a strong example that reflects this reality from many points of view. The whole play opens up with this idea through the witches, but the climax and crucial meaning of this topic lays in Macbeth himself. By creating a tragic hero, whose selfish intentions are well hidden behind a mask of appearances, irony and falsity, Shakespeare conveys the idea that appearances can be deceptive but that truth will eventually be discovered and the one who hides it, punished. This idea is easily observed throughout the book by analysing Macbeth’s traits, progression of feelings or changes, and number of ways he is described After realizing that a little water can not clean his deed and guilt, Macbeth states fearfully that they must “ make their faces vizards to their hearts, disguising what they are “ ( act 3, sc 2, 37-39 ). Although Lady Macbeth is the one who urged him into murdering Duncan, Macbeth’s apprehension shows up as a result of feeling uncertain and endangered by possible threats. Therefore, under the pressure of guilt, the tragic hero decides that they need to hide their paranoia and mistrust and pretend to be joyful in a festive atmosphere, playing the role of the confident king and queen. Moreover, in the process of replacing fear with guilt, he covers the murder of the king with another lie, by saying : “ I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill the guards “ ( act 2, sc 3, 124-125 ). He succeeds in hiding the enormity of his sinful deed by blaming the guards and states that his fury made him kill them, trying to show loyalty and protectiveness for the king. In reality, Macbeth’s hands are stained with blood and the guilt makes him drained and unstable, shows his weakness through lies, in contrast to his ruthless, noble image. Some dark aspects of his personality can not stay unnoticed, being discovered by his culpable conscience, portraying his soul in a mirror of words and

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