appearance vs reality macbeth essay gcse

Notes on Appearance vs Reality in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

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The contradiction between appearance and reality is repeated throughout the play. In the very first scene, the three witches utter together that fair is foul and foul is fair.

The fact that it is one of the thematic concerns of the play is emphasised when Macbeth’s first dialogue in the play is but the repetition of what the three witches said earlier, “ so foul and fair a day I have not seen .” In Act I, Scene 4 , King Duncan helplessly expresses that “ there is no art to find the mind’s construction in the face .”

The play blurs the distinction between what situations and individuals look like and what they really are. The tragedy in the play functions from such dichotomies.

The three witches are different for Macbeth from who they really are. It is Macbeth whom they manipulate because he is not what he appears to be. In reality, he nurtures destabilising ambition.

The very first differing degree of appearance and reality is spilt by the three witches. Whatever they predict isn’t what it sounds like. Their half-truth deceives Macbeth.

They don’t act, they only speak and their words activate whatever dormant in the listener and that’s when a character reveals what it really is rather than what it may appear as.

From then he successfully hides what he really is. Unlike what Lady Macbeth accuses him of, his face is no more a book on which one can read the inner thoughts.

When King Duncan arrives at the castle of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth literally acts so deceptively it is impossible to know that she is also plotting to get him murdered that very night.

From what it appears as Macbeth is unable to know the realities of those half-truths and slips into a false assurance regarding his invincibility. From appearance alone, Macduff looks like someone who cowardly abandons his family but, in the end, he is the one who avenges and the order return to the hands of Malcolm .

The whole play is slowly furthered on the deceptive appearances and wrong perceptions. Vital appearances are always contradicting to their reality.

Macbeth Appearance Vs. Reality Essay Plan

Intro paragraph: In a riveting play laden with the supernatural, nothing is as it outwardly appears to the naked eye. Tension, mystery, dread and ambiguity pervade the drama. Using the theme of appearance vs reality, Shakespeare delves deep into the darker side of humanity and the inner plotting/scheming of the human mind.

1) Witches: the witches set the scene for confusion and illusion in the play. They successfully manage to mislead, cheat and incite evil throughout Scotland via deliberately ambiguous and misleading language. Even their physical appearance is contradictory and perturbing.

Fair is foul and foul is fair Lesser than Macbeth and greater You should be women and yet your beards forbid me to interpret Look not like the inhabitants of the wart yet are on’t (Last 2 are both Banquo) This supernatural soliciting cannot be be ill, cannot be good (Macbeth)  

2) Duncan’s naive and misplaced trust shows that none can be believed or truly relied upon. The dramatic irony between himself and Macbeth as well as his dismissal of Donalbain’s advice are key.

Absolute trust There’s no art to find the minds construction in the face (Duncan) There’s daggers in men’s smiles (Donalbain) More is thy due then all can pay (Duncan to Macbeth) Valiant cousin Black and deep desires (Macbeth)  

3) Lady Macbeth is the foremost example and epitome of deceit and false appearances. Inwardly she is consumed with a lust for power but outwardly maintains a masquerade of a loving and subservient wife.

Fill me from the crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty Take my milk for gall you murdering ministers Too full o’ the milk of human kindness Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t My keen knife not see the wound it makes Honour’d hostess (Duncan)  

4) Macbeth fools Duncan and carries out his coup against him. In the aftermath of the murder he abandons his once dearly held principles and lies to the assembly. Maintains his reputation while secretly corrupted by his own delusions of grandeur by building up a masquerade of selfless devotion and martyrdom.

Is this a dagger I see before me? (Supernatural helps Macbeth to carry out the murder) I do repent me of my fury that I did kill them (the two guards he framed for the murder) Had I but died an hour before this chance I had lived a blessed time  

5) Banquo is the most subtle example of appearance vs reality. He successfully hides his ambition. Unlike the others his mask is never unveiled due to his untimely demise at the hands of Macbeth.

Noble Banquo Too cruel anywhere (the murder) Bosom franchised and allegiance clear I fight of treasonous malice I fear thou playd’st most foully for it May they not be my oracles as well? But hush! No more.  

6) Even the forces of good who oppose Macbeth are drawn into deception and appearance vs reality. The princes are falsely accused if Duncan’s murder. Malcolm is forced to lie to Macduff to test his loyalty and convictions. Very important paragraph, most people will overlook it.

Stolen away and fled which puts upon them suspicion of the deed His flight was madness (Macduff’s wife scorns his exile) A good and virtuous nature may recoil under an imperial charge Confound unity on earth My more having will be as a sauce to make me hunger more  

7) Macbeth himself is undone by his association with the witches. The equivocation of the witches give him a false sense of security and superiority which ultimately makes him very vulnerable to being overthrown.

Macbeth shall never be vanquished Great Birnam wood Shall come against him None of woman born shall harm Macbeth (All witches) Damned all the trust them Golden opinions I cannot taint with fear (All Macbeth)

1. Shakespeare ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note, macbeth: overview.

The Macbeth question is part of Paper 1, Section A of your GCSE. You must write one response to one set question. This page offers some helpful information and links to other sections with more in-depth revision notes, allowing you to aim for the highest grade. This page includes:

• A summary of Macbeth
• A brief overview of what is required in the exam

Macbeth characters

Macbeth context

Macbeth themes

Macbeth quotes

Top tips for the highest grade

Macbeth summary

Macbeth is a play written by English playwright William Shakespeare in approximately 1606. It is a classic Shakespearean tragedy, which typically depicts a tragic character and a fatal flaw which ultimately results in conflict and a final restoration of the status quo. Macbeth is renowned for being Shakespeare's only tragedy in which the villain is also the hero. For more on the conventions of tragedy, see our Macbeth: Writer’s Methods and Techniques page.

Macbeth takes place in medieval Scotland and tells the story of Macbeth, a valiant warrior who is told by three witches that he will become King of Scotland. Spurred on by his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's ambition becomes overpowering and he assassinates King Duncan and ascends to the throne. As a result of his treacherous acts, Macbeth and his wife become increasingly paranoid, resulting in further murders and Lady Macbeth's suicide.  Eventually, civil conflict breaks out, and Macbeth is overthrown. For a more detailed summary of the play, please see the Macbeth: Plot Summary page.

How is Macbeth assessed in the exam?

• Your GCSE Paper 1 requires you to answer two questions in 1hr 45min. That means you have approximately 52 minutes to plan, write and check your Macbeth essay
• Paper 1 is worth 64 marks and accounts for 40% of your overall GCSE grade
• The Macbeth essay is worth 34 marks in total, because it also includes 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar
• Section A of Paper 1 contains the Macbeth question and you are required to answer the one available question on the play
• Your question will also include a printed extract of about 25 lines from the play
• It is a closed-book exam, which means you will not have access to a copy of the text (other than the printed extract) in your exam
• You will be asked a question that asks you to analyse and write in detail about an aspect of Macbeth
• Your answer will need to address both the extract from the play that you will be given, and the play as a whole

For a much more detailed guide on answering the Macbeth question, please see our revision notes on How to Answer the Shakespeare Essay Question .

Although Shakespeare plays often have a huge number of characters, the characters you should focus on when revising Macbeth are:

• Lady Macbeth

There are also other minor characters in Macbeth who play a significant role in the play, such as the Three Witches and Malcolm.

When studying a Shakespeare play or any other text, it is crucial to understand that characters are deliberate inventions made by the writer for a specific purpose. These characters frequently represent concepts or ideas, and writers such as Shakespeare use them to explore these ideas and beliefs. For more details on how Shakespeare uses his characters in Macbeth, please see the Macbeth: Characters revision notes page.

Understanding what context is can sometimes be difficult at GCSE. Examiners define context as the ideas and perspectives addressed by a writer through their text, not as historical information or biographical facts about the writer. Therefore, the Macbeth context you should explore in your essay response is not information about medieval Scotland, or facts about William Shakespeare, but ideas about:

• Gender Roles
• God and the Great Chain of Being

Some of these ideas and perspectives are universal, so your own opinions of them are valid, and will be rewarded in an exam. For a detailed breakdown of the contextual topics listed above, see the Macbeth: Contex t page.

Understanding the themes that Shakespeare explores in Macbeth is one of the best approaches any student can take when revising the play. This is because to get the highest mark on your exam, you need to take what examiners call a “conceptualised approach”: a detailed and perceptive exploration of Shakespeare’s ideas and intentions. The main themes explored by Shakespeare in Macbeth are:

• Ambition and Power
• The Supernatural
• Appearance versus Reality
• Corruption of Nature

There are many more themes and ideas explored by Shakespeare in Macbeth than those listed above, and you are encouraged to investigate these as well. However, the list above is a good place to start and detailed breakdowns of each of these themes can be found on our Macbeth: Themes page.

Although you are given credit for including quotations from Macbeth in your answer, it is not a requirement of the exam. In fact, examiners say that “references” to the rest of the play are just as valid as direct quotations: this is when students pinpoint individual moments in the play, rather than quoting what the characters say. In order to select references really successfully, it is extremely important that you know the play itself very well, including the order of the events that take place in the play. This detailed act-by-act breakdown of the plot will help you to revise the chronology of Macbeth.

However, it can also be beneficial to go over a few - carefully chosen - lines from the play that can be used on various themes and characters. For a comprehensive analysis of each of these quotations, see our Macbeth: Key Quotations page.

Please see our revision pages on the Shakespeare exam for guides on:

• Structuring the Macbeth essay
• Macbeth methods and techniques
• How to include context in a Macbeth essay
• Understanding the Macbeth mark scheme
• A Macbeth model answer

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Appearance and Reality in Macbeth

As one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, Macbeth portrays the untimely end of its main role at the hands of what appears to be his own ambition. However, Shakespeare carries the audience through a series of strange events that lead the viewer to question images used by the three witches, effectively the narrators, and motives of characters, which seem unfounded. The line between fantasy and reality is undefined by the playwright, leaving images and surreal occurrences open to interpretation. One interpretation is that the unnatural happenings within the play are not all they seem but are in fact the physical representation of the workings of the disturbed minds of the characters, visions that Shakespeare allows the spectators to witness. Moreover, the characters are not exempt from this apparent theme throughout the play. Many use a false guise to hide their real beliefs, often guilt. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony transfers the possibility that not all is what it seems directly to the audience through soliloquies and the basic narrative.

Macbeth has a striking reversal of character within the play, hiding behind his loyal and patriotic persona that the audience is aware of by other characters assessments of him throughout the play:

“For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name”

He brutally murders his own friends for self-ambition (with much persuasion from his once honourable wife, Lady Macbeth) and eventually becomes the tyrannous King of Scotland and is notoriously hated:

“The devil himself could not pronounce a name more hateful to mine ear”

The discovery of Macbeth’s treachery leads to his own downfall, allowing the characters to realize that whatever he appeared to be, Macbeth proved that his honourable, heroic reputation was purely a facade to hide his evil, unjust deeds. This change of character is unexpected and unfounded. Macbeth appears to be unaware of his own thirst for power until his first meeting with the witches, which has a marked and profound affect on his character, detaching Macbeth from his senses as the play progresses. Moreover, Macbeth’s changing character is not isolated incident. It is fairly evident within the original Thane of Cawdor who described by Macbeth ere his knowledge that he was a traitor to the King, greatly contradicts that of those who are aware of the Thane’s evil actions. One argument suggests that the changing point in the personalities of the characters be before their introduction to the text. From the starting point, the audience is only aware of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the original Thane of Cawdor ’s good actions that precede their entrance in the play suggesting that they have been collectively corrupted by an external power. Making them inexpressive and soul-less, this power exposes their evil natures. This interpretation suggests the “unearthly” hags whom open the play by chanting what appears to be an inexplicable spell are actually dictating the outcome of the events to follow. However, at the plays opening although the witches appear to be mystical, the audience is only aware of the relevance of their words when analysing their chant retrospectively. What appears harmless is in fact evil and sadistic.

“Fair is foul and foul is fair.” Firstly, Shakespeare has attempted to comment on the commonly held ideas of superstition in Elizabethan times; the natural balance that the world holds between heaven and hell, honesty and deceit, alongside the strongest opposing forces; good and evil. Shakespeare tackles these issues on how upsetting the balance can concern the people, relating the plot to their own superstitions.

This paradox appears to be play on words; however, this phrase is a prediction of the play’s ending. Connoting that to be seems to be good could really be evil and what appears to be evil may in fact be good. Moreover, it is evident that whilst Macbeth and his queen appear heartbroken at the death of their friend King Duncan, in fact they are preventing their murderous lies from discovery and hide behind their honourable reputations. Therefore the witches are omnisciently summarizing the whole situation, seeing Macbeth’s opposing appearance and reality from the opening of the play which is not discovered by other characters until the closing.  The knowledge character’s have of each other greatly contradicts what the audience and apparently the witches are aware of, this clever use of dramatic irony causes the final understanding to have a greater climax and effect on the characters.

The witches described to resemble both men and women due to their haggard state. Banquo implies that the witches are women but refuses to make assumption to their sex, as they are unrecognisable.

“You should be women and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so”

This suggests that the three sisters are speaking posts from which Shakespeare could deliver direct narration to the audience in an original way. Their fantastical appearance allows them to have abilities that an ordinary character such as does not possess, such as prophecy.

This is a preview of the whole essay

The witches mesmerized Macbeth at their first meeting and his intense questioning greatly contradicts the light-hearted quips Banquo teases them with as he comments on their bizarre appearance. Yet, Macbeth solemnly and directly asks them to speak. This combination of both his good nature and self-ambition eventually leads to his downfall. The witches greet Macbeth in prophetic and poetic form. This is the first instance in which the audience discovers what the sisters represent; they are not humorous or harmless but in fact evil and twisted.

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis,

 All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor,

 All hail, Macbeth! Thou shalt be King hereafter.”

After greeting Macbeth with “great prediction of noble having and royal hope”, the arrival of Ross and Angus to pronounce Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor, as the first of the predictions becomes true, triggers an immediate impact on his character. It makes him introverted and detached while a secret plot forms to make the last prophecy a reality also. Macbeth appears to continue his normal life but we are aware through the letter to his wife that his deeply rooted ambition- encouraged by the witches, clashes with his own morality and subsequently turning him slowly insane. Again, Macbeth hides behind a facade to prevent the discovery of his treachery.

Banquo inquisitively encourages the witches to disclose information on his own future, to which the hags respond in an equally curious and contradictory fashion.

“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Not so happy, yet much happier.

Thou shalt get Kings though thou be none: So all hail Macbeth and Banquo!”

Banquo’s predictions are paradoxes- how can he be greater and lesser than Macbeth can. The answer is that although Macbeth would seemingly be greater because he becomes King, it is through deceit and discreditable deeds that he becomes a tyrannous leader, therefore less than Banquo who is loyal and praiseworthy. Macbeth would appear to be happy, as he had achieved his fundamental aim but his own murderous acts torments him. Although Banquo will die, he has does not have to weigh the same heavy burden as Macbeth. The final prophecy, explained at the completion of the play is that once Macduff overthrows Macbeth, Banquo’s descendants become future kings. Banquo does not understand the contrived nature of the predictions and merely accepts them as words with no meaning. In reality however they are predicting the breakdown of Macbeth’s character and how he shall pay for his evil actions.

Meanwhile, Macbeth is lost within the possibility of the future and forgets to analyse the possibilities of the present. Banquo however undermines the stunning prospect of what the witches are suggesting by scrutinizing their reality and their goodness:

“The instruments of darkness tell us truths...to betray us in deepest consequence.”

Banquo is suggesting that the witches are manipulating Macbeth, encouraging him to take fate in his own hands. Banquo uses this unique insight into the malevolence of the witches to suggest that by knowing that Macbeth was to become Thane of Cawdor has mystified his ability to judge the situation. Moreover, he argues the Witches attempt to gain from Macbeth's fortune. Moreover, as Macbeth is “rapt” by the amazing prospect of becoming King, Banquo is patronizingly warning him that dealing with the “devil(s)” is dangerous. However, he trusts in Macbeth to allow fate to take its course based on his awareness of Macbeth‘s honest nature. What Banquo did not suspect was the how affected Macbeth was by the witches and how he intended to ensure he became King.

Macbeth’s thoughts had already turned to his own intervention as he envisages a path to his own Kingship, a path that Macbeth will complete to achieve his ultimate goal. The impact of the unsubstantiated ambition Macbeth has acquired after meeting the witches has turned his thoughts to murder, as an unknown source dictates his formidable actions.

“This super natural soliciting cannot be ill; cannot be good...present fears are less than horrible imaginings...function is smothered in surmise, and nothing is but what is not.”

Macbeth displays a naive side to his character, as he cannot understand the work of the witches and attempts to tackle the presence of good and evil amid the prophetic proceedings. Furthermore, within his soliloquy Macbeth also connotes it is more frightening that he is imagining committing murder than that of the witches’ rationale.  However, Macbeth implies that it has woven this ideal of becoming King into his mind and now he can only think to the future, as it is the only real thing to him. Essentially, Shakespeare is suggesting to the audience what Macbeth’s definitive objective is and how now there is nothing to prevent him from obtaining those goals, as murder is not a foreign concept. This suggests the involvement of a paranormal force that has influenced Macbeth to become ruthless and open to wicked persuasion. There is seemingly no suggestion as to why his character could have distorted to such a high level apart from the witches’ participation.

However, the last remnants of Macbeth’s conscience are working, attempting to untangle him from the grasp in which self-ambition holds him and it is evident at this point that Macbeth has trouble accepting the evil, murderous ideas. Albeit he contemplates that he must kill his friend King Duncan so that he may become King, Macbeth is still aware of the horror of his actions.  He assures himself that if fate made him Thane, and then it can make him King.

“If chance will have me King, why, chance can crown me, without my stir...come what come may, time and hour runs through the roughest day.”

Conceivably, Macbeth was encouraging himself to put the evil thoughts out of his head in an attempt to quash the burden of knowing the future but not trusting destiny to take it’s own course. However, Macbeth’s conviction to his principals does not last, as his wisdom cannot prevent the surge of self-ambition that eventually overcomes him.

Macbeth becomes aware of his competition to the throne shortly after he reveals that he shall let nature decide his fate. As he becomes aware that Duncan has made his son The Prince of Cumberland and next in line for the throne. Macbeth soliloquises how he intends to deal with his struggle to become King, believing if he acts without really thinking about what he has to do, it will be as if he never committed the crime.

“Let not light see my black and deep desires; the eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.”

 Macbeth is attempting to hide his homicidal plots against the successor to the throne, believing that if he makes an exception to his principals, it would be as if he did not commit the crime at all. Macbeth seems to justify his behaviour by suggesting that murder is acceptable as long as he benefits from it. Yet still, he lays judgement on himself by acknowledging that he will regret the murder of Duncan, Macbeth fears the consequences.

Macbeth writes to his Lady in hope that she can advise him on what he should do, this is evident of the strong and loving bond they have before they are lost in separate worlds of guilt and suffering. Immediately, Lady Macbeth decides that although it is evil, Duncan must not prevent them from reaching their goal and she begins to plot against the King.

“Thou wouldst be great, art thou not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it...which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have crown’d withal.”

Lady Macbeth analyses her husband as she discusses the news he has just shared with her. She believes that becoming King is not of his reach but he does not have the fortitude to corroborate with destiny and ensure that he reaches his goal to become king.

Although it appears that Lady Macbeth has a more forceful nature than her husband does, one argument suggests that in fact she is the weaker character. Being more susceptible to the paranormal control that is taking away her morality, Lady Macbeth eventually kills herself when she can no longer live with the “fiendish” acts she has committed. Macbeth alternatively, is conflicting his own misconduct and lives to face the consequences of what he had done. Encouraging herself to become “unsex”, Lady Macbeth attempts to surpass her female emotions so she cannot feel affection for the man she was prepared to kill, which is the very facade she abuses to hide her own guilt. As Lady Macbeth’s plots form to assassinate King Duncan, she demands that Macbeth cover the burden of much emotional contemplation, as his troubled expression exposes his evil thoughts. Her scheming mind encourages Macbeth to appear harmless and give no reason for his peers to doubt him; however, in reality Lady Macbeth is coaxing him to deviously snatch what he wants.

“Your face...is a book where men may read strange matters...look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t.”

The use of a simile to describe Macbeth as a flower could refer to people who can sense or ‘smell’ trouble. By suggesting, that Macbeth should become like a flower connotes that he can ward off any suspicions by smelling sweet, without notion to doubt him. The religious connotations that propose the serpent the most evil creature refers to the story of creation where it was the ultimate temptation, suggesting further similarity between Lady Macbeth and Queen Mary.

Lady Macbeth is almost a juxtaposed title within its context in the play. “Lady” connotes pureness and honour, whereas “Macbeth” implies immorality, unjustness and murder. Lady Macbeth as an individual character displays both of these traits. Hiding behind her guise as a poised and beautiful woman, she can control what mainly the male characters believe about her. In reality, her wickedness almost exceeds that of her husband as Lady Macbeth pushes Macbeth to make unprepared decisions. Shakespeare conceivably designed Lady Macbeth on Queen Elizabeth’s predecessor, Mary who was a notoriously murderous Catholic woman. Lady Macbeth often refers to “hiding from the heavens,” which connotes a fear of the fate that awaits her, a trait often claimed to be associated with Mary. Moreover, Lady Macbeth and Queen Mary assume the roles mainly associated with male leaders; Queen Mary as the tyrannous leader of England and Lady Macbeth as a calculating and dominant character. This allows Lady Macbeth to become a representative of Shakespeare’s attitude towards Queen Mary and effectively by feigning her as a wicked character; he aims to please his Elizabethan audience.

As Duncan arrives at the castle, he comments on the peaceful and resounding atmosphere, unaware of the conspiracy to murder him in the very same place.

“This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses.”

This dramatic irony builds upon the absurdity of Macbeth and his wife’s exchange of character, relating to the argument that suggests the supernatural involvement has caused “Fair” to become “Foul”. There seems to be no other reason why they could become so evil, when they used to be so good.

Macbeth contemplates the threat he poses to his ‘friend’ King Duncan. Away from temptation, he assures himself that murdering such a good man is demonic and demands to his wife that they should stop calculating under false pretence. Lady Macbeth infuriated by Macbeth’s suggestion calls him a coward as she continues to prepare for the murder of Duncan.

“What beast was’t, then, that made you break this enterprise to me? …Then you were a man; and, to be more than you were, you would be so much more the man.”

Lady Macbeth connotes a manipulative of Macbeth’s male ego and her own sexuality to encourage him to be a better person, relating to the witches prediction that suggested Macbeth would be ‘better’. Although he would appear a better person, if he became the King, in fact he slowly mentally deteriorates. However, it is plausible to believe Macbeth was coaxing his wife to support his bloodthirsty narcissism and collaborate with his own personal ambition. Lady Macbeth’s demonic intervention encouraged him to kill the King but the residing guilt soon replaces any pre-conceived ideals of happiness Macbeth’s kingship would bring. A destructive paranoia formed in both characters as Macbeth repeatedly resulted to murdering what he considers competition.

Tainted with haunting images the events that precede the murder are conjured by the couple’s guilt. Macbeth realises that in killing Duncan, he has removed the façade of who he used to be. This understanding is reminiscent of Macbeth’s opinions after hearing the original predictions when he suggested that he could only appreciate the reality of murder once he had committed it; Macbeth now has to comprehend the extremity of his actions.

“ Still it cried, ‘Sleep no more! …Glamis hath murder’d sleep…Cawdor shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!”

Macbeth’s responsiveness to the murder of King Duncan shows an awareness that he has changed. He refers to himself in three different terms. Glamis is Macbeth’s ambitious title that longs for power as it “murders sleep”. A reference to what he actually has done and how it shall affect the person, he used to be, whereas Cawdor is the result of the predictions. This suggests that although he has achieved his goal, his murderous actions cannot bring him happiness. Macbeth then refers to his actual name suggesting whatever he once was or has become, he shall no longer be at ease with himself again and effectively; he shall sleep no more.

Macduff’s indication that Lady Macbeth would be unable to bear the horrific news that King Duncan’s murder had taken place in their house is almost comical. The audience is aware that she had intentions to kill him personally if her husband could not. Lady Macbeth hides behind this pretence allowing Macduff to shelter her from her guilt. However, her façade could not diminish the residing regret that plagued her sleep with visions of irremovable blood on her hands as she relives Duncan’s murder every night.

“Out, damned spot!  Out I say! …What need we fear who knows it, when none all our power to account?

This hallucination was a metaphor for Lady Macbeth’s shame suggesting that she cannot pretend to herself, even if no one else discovers the awful truth, she shall be riddled with the reality for her entire life. As she speaks in her sleep, Lady Macbeth who believes she is talking to her husband demands to know why a strong soldier should fear the outcome of their fiendish acts. Believing if they can protect their secret until Macbeth became King, Lady Macbeth hoped their amounted power would protect them. However, even though it was apparent that Lady Macbeth could conspire to murder Duncan and manipulate what people thought of her, she could forget her evil actions, which eventually caused her to commit suicide.

As Banquo’s suspicion grew, endemic paranoia persuaded Macbeth to crush the possibility of his deception being uncovered and hired murderers to kill him, not consulting his wife in the process. The lack of Lady Macbeth’s provocation is evident of Macbeth’s priorities; self-preservation. No longer examining their future as King and Queen, Macbeth decides on Banquo’s fate without consulting his wife, apparently showing signs of the irrevocable break down of their loving bond. Having disposed of Banquo, Macbeth shows evidence of remorse as tormented by the horrific actions he has part-taken in. However, Macbeth avoids confronting his guilt and slowly disappears into a constant daze and although attacked by regret, he now only sees it as a nuisance, not an emotion. Plagued by Banquo’s ghost, Macbeth is the only one able to see him. In reality, the ghost does not exist and this suggests, psychosomatically Macbeth’s mind is fighting against the evil that overwhelmed his honourable judgement. The evil that allowed him to murder Duncan and Banquo, which supports the claim that a greater evil is controlling the couple but now they are trying to make themselves realise the consequences of their actions.  

Desperate for guidance, fearing his future as King and perhaps searching for new challenges Macbeth seeks the three hags and begs them to share their knowledge of what will happen next. Greeting him in their usual banter, the witches profess that their actions are "without a name", suggesting perhaps that it was an evil that dare not even say its own name. In addition, the witches are aware of the depravity of their meddling; yet, they show no remorse. The extraordinary witches appear real to the audience and the characters; however, one argument suggests that in fact they are the amorphous embodiment of evil, brought into existence to balance the forces of nature; “fair and foul” and are in fact the conjuring of infected minds and the further Macbeth follows their direction, the stronger they become. Indirectly, the witches’ power is evident as Macbeth becomes more reliant on their foresight.

The witches are chanting a second inexplicable spell as Macbeth informs them that his fortune has become a reality but enquires how much more destruction must be suffered to achieve this goal. The twisted hags inform him through a series of apparitions as to what his fate holds.

“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.”

Appearing to him as an armed head it proposes imminent war however Macbeth discards the image believing that although it suggested Macduff posed a threat, it appeared to reverse this prediction by informing Macbeth to “dismiss” ‘him’. Unsure of the witches, Macbeth ignores their warning, believing it to be purely poetic, which later proves to be a misjudgement as Macduff is the man who eventually overthrows and murders Macbeth.

“Be bloody bold and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.”

The vision of a bloody child represents Macduff. Having been born by caesarean section, he was not  “born of woman” under the Elizabethan description of such and the image of the bloody child is that Macduff of "from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd". Indirectly, the witches are informing Macbeth that only Macduff can harm him, therefore not lying to him but encouraging him to anticipate that he is invincible and that because everyone must be born by a woman, he should fear nobody. Moreover, the apparition’s persuasion to mock others confirms Macbeth’s belief that he is better than everybody is and that no one can harm him, which is a false sense of security. This ithe hidden truth is also evident  

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• Appearance Versus Reality in Macbeth

The theme of appearance versus reality is central to the Shakespearean play The Tragedy of Macbeth. It is a play full of ambition, betrayal, madness, and the supernatural. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth must hide their true thoughts in order to prevent others from knowing what they have done while different characters comment on the difficulty of knowing what a person is truly thinking.

Indeed, Macbeth is full of the struggles of seeing what is real and what is not. Throughout Macbeth, elements of the supernatural, hallucinations brought on by guilt-driven madness, and statements by the differing characters depict the theme of appearance versus reality.

Something Shakespeare often does is give important lines to minor or insignificant characters. Even though King Duncan dies in the first act of the play, one of his lines underscores the theme of appearance versus reality almost perfectly.

He states, “There’s no art to finding the mind’s construction in the face” (Shakespeare, 1.4.12-13). Duncan says this line about the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, who betrayed Scotland to Norway. He means that a person’s face can hide anything, and it is impossible to tell what someone is thinking.

Ironically, as a reward for his bravery and loyalty, Duncan gives the Thane of Cawdor’s title to Macbeth, who kills him to obtain his throne. Duncan recognizes that people can hide what they are truly thinking, but he still trusts Macbeth completely. When Duncan goes to Macbeth’s castle Inverness, he states “This castle hath a pleasant seat” (1.6.1), but this statement is again ironic because Inverness is the place where Macbeth murders him. The castle’s agreeable appearance fools Duncan, and he is murdered in his sleep that very night.

Like their father, Duncan’s sons Malcolm and Donalbain recognize that not all men are as they seem. Donalbain states that “There are daggers in men’s smiles” (2.3.138), meaning that despite a person’s friendly appearance, danger lurks beneath their façade. Unlike their father, however, they are better at discerning honest men from false men.

When Macduff tries to convince Malcolm, Duncan’s older son and heir to the throne, to come back to Scotland and challenge Macbeth, Malcolm lies about what sort of person he is in order to see if Macduff actually wants Malcolm to come back or if he is just another spy from Macbeth trying to lure him into a trap.

Malcolm insists that he is a lustful, greedy liar who is unfit to rule by saying “…your wives, your daughters, Your matrons, your maids could not fill up The cistern of my lust…” (4.3.62-63), and “…I should forge Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal. Destroying them for wealth” (4.3.82-84). Macduff despairs when Malcolm asks if he would be fit to govern, stating “Fit to govern? No, not to live” (4.3.103-104). Malcolm is not actually like what he says, however.

He changes his appearance in order to discover what Macduff’s true intentions are. If Macduff only wanted Malcolm to come back so that Macbeth could kill him, he would have insisted that Malcolm is fit to rule and would be a good king despite his faults.

Malcolm also changes his appearance during the final act when he and Macduff return to Scotland to fight Macbeth for the throne. The three witches, the ones who originally prophesied to Macbeth that he would become king of Scotland, gave Macbeth multiple prophesies, one of which states, “…none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth” (4.1.80-81).

Since all men are born of women, he automatically assumes that no one can kill him. However, this prophecy is more than it seems. Macbeth was also warned by the witches to “Beware Macduff, Beware the Thane of Fife” (4.1.70-1), but because he believes he cannot be killed, he assumes he has little cause to worry, although he does have Macduff’s family killed to be certain.

When he meets Macduff on the battlefield, Macduff informs him that he “…was from his mother’s womb Untimely ripped” (5.7.45-46), which means that Macduff was not technically ever born. The prophecy tricked Macbeth and caused him to be overconfident, and he was beheaded by Macduff in battle. The prophecy’s wording caused Macbeth to be unable to see the reality that he could still be killed.

Macbeth also receives a prophecy from the witches that say, “Macbeth shall never be vanquished until Great Birnam Wood to Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him” (4.1.91-93). Because trees cannot just get up and walk, Macbeth believes that he will never be vanquished. This assumption does not turn out to be true, however.

Macduff and Malcolm’s men take limbs from the trees and camouflage themselves, making it look as if the Great Birnam Wood is moving up Dunsinane Hill. The prophecy was different than Macbeth expected, and he paid the price for it. Once Malcolm and his men get close enough to Macbeth’s army he says, “Now near enough. Your leafy screens throw down And show like those you are” (5.6.1-2). Malcolm and his men hid their true appearance in order to defeat Macbeth.

By doing so, they are also causing the prophecy the witches gave Macbeth to come true, but not in a literal fashion. All aspects of the prophecies came true, but the confusing manner in which they were stated caused them to play out differently than Macbeth expected.

The three witches who gave these misleading prophecies also stated one of the most prominent examples of appearance differing from reality. The words “Fair is foul and foul is fair” (1.1.11) are uttered by the three witches before the audience is introduced to the title character Macbeth.

This oxymoron immediately sets the stage for the idea that not everything is as it seems. Significantly, Macbeth’s first line of play is “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (1.3.39). This line “…is noteworthy not only because it reiterates a paradoxical statement, but because it refers back to the beginning of the play…” (Kranz 1). By doing so, Shakespeare subtly hints at a connection between the supernatural and Macbeth even before he meets the witches.

When Macbeth does meet the witches, they greet him with three titles, the last of them stating, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare, 1.3.51) When Macbeth hears their proclamation, he does not seem happy. Banquo questions his reaction saying, “Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair?” (Shakespeare, 1.3.52-53).

This question harkens once again to the “fair is foul and foul is fair” phrase. Both Macbeth and Banquo are unaware of the consequences of these prophecies. While the idea of being king is a wonderful notion, the price Macbeth pays is far more foul than fair. He must murder his way to the top, and then he must murder again to prevent anyone from discovering his crimes.

He also struggles with the inability to sleep because of a guilty conscience that constantly plagues him until he goes a little mad and then succumbs to his evil nature. In addition, his wife Lady Macbeth goes completely mad with guilt and kills herself to free herself from it.

The three witches also introduce the idea of the supernatural in the play, and it is continued through the images of nature turning on itself. Horses eat each other, the days turn dark, and the birds behave oddly. Nature reflects the destabilization of the government Macbeth created when he murdered Duncan, and this causes the question of what is a true reality to arise.

Indeed, one of the most prominent references to the supernatural is during the scene when Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost during his banquet. Macbeth is the only one who can see the ghost, creating the question of the ghost’s reality. It could be just a figment of Macbeth’s imagination caused by his guilt for having Banquo murdered or a result of Macbeth’s growing madness.

It could also be a real apparition and Banquo has chosen to haunt only Macbeth. The ghost’s reality is in question and Macbeth struggles to see the difference between what is real and what is not.

The banquet scene is also a turning point in the play. Up until this scene, Macbeth still believes he is in control of his own fate. He knows that the witches understand what will come to pass, but he still believes that everything he chooses is his choice. After seeing Banquo’s ghost, however, “…it is clearly indicated that Macbeth is not what he was when the play began; in a sense, the initiative has passed out of his hands” (Dyson 370).

He understands that he has fooled himself into believing something that is not true. Macbeth recognizes that he is wrong and that he must now ride out the course he has set himself on. After his wife calms him, he stops getting fits of guilt that he had before Banquo’s murder. Indeed, two scenes before the banquet scene he complains of sleeplessness and states, “Oh full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” (Shakespeare, 3.2.35). Now, however, it is as if he accepts his doomed fate and damnation.

He believes because he decided to kill Duncan and become king, he is the one in charge of his fate, when in reality there are outside forces, such as the witches and Lady Macbeth, causing him to do these things.

Macbeth is plagued by guilt not only after he murders Duncan but also while he and his wife are scheming. He is very worried that he and his wife will be discovered, but she belittles him by questioning his masculinity stating, “What beast was’t then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man;” (1.7.48-50), and convinces him that no one will discover them because of the evidence with which they plan to frame Duncan’s guards.

Macbeth then dismisses her saying, “Away, and mock the time with fairest show. False face must hide what the false heart doth know” (1.7.81-82). The two of them must hide what they are thinking in order to prevent any suspicion from falling on them. While Macbeth is only telling his wife to put on this façade while people are in their home, in reality, they must continue this “false face” for the remainder of Macbeth’s reign if they want to keep what they did a secret.

Another aspect of Macbeth that contributes to the theme of appearance versus reality can be found in the hallucinations that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience. Right before killing Duncan, Macbeth sees the image of a dagger before him. According to Abraham Stoll, “Macbeth’s preoccupation is whether the dagger he sees is really there, or if it is a product of his mind” (136).

Macbeth proceeds to reject the dagger as being a supernatural object and recognizes it as a hallucination when he cannot touch it (136). Lady Macbeth also hallucinates because of a guilty conscience. She begins to sleep walk and see things that are not there. One of her maids and her doctor watch her sleep walk and hear her say, “Out, damned spot! Out I say!” (Shakespeare, 5.1.30).

She tries to scrub the blood off her hands, but there is nothing on her hands. Lady Macbeth, however, insists that there is blood on her hands and that it will not come off. She can clear neither her hands nor her conscience.

Despite her guilt driving her to madness, Lady Macbeth is the original motivator of Macbeth’s actions. She tells him to “Look like th’ innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t” (1.5.63-64). She wants him to hide his true ambitions and act like the noble person most believe him to be. She herself does her best to convince all that she is just as innocent as her husband pretends to be.

After Duncan’s murder, the other noblemen in Macbeth’s home are questioning as to who the perpetrator really is, and Macbeth begins to nervously and guiltily ramble. In order to draw attention away from him, Lady Macbeth pretends to faint. She causes the men to think of her as a weak woman, changing their perception of her and creating a distraction.

Lady Macbeth’s statement of “Look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” can easily be interpreted as an allusion to the Bible. Herbert R. Coursen Jr. says that the serpent is Satan in the garden tempting Eve to eat the fruit (37). In this case, Lady Macbeth is the serpent, Macbeth is Eve, and the throne of Scotland is the fruit.

Lady Macbeth convinces him to take the fruit, or throne, because being king will give him power and wealth. Like Adam and Eve achieving the promised knowledge of good and evil, Macbeth also achieves his goal. The fruit of his labors was rotten, however, and he loses his goodness, part of his sanity, his wife, and in the end, his life. The idea of being king was appealing, but it did not turn out how he expected.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragic play full of lies and deceit. Characters are constantly lying about who they are and commenting on their inability to trust other people’s words and outward appearance.

The three witches and their misleading prophecies show how everything is not as it seems, and the hallucinations that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have because of their guilt also display how reality and illusion can become indiscernible.  Through the use of the supernatural, hallucinations, and statements by differing characters, Shakespeare displays the theme of appearance versus reality.

Works Cited

Coursen Jr., Herbert R. “In Deepest Consequence: Macbeth.” Shakespeare Quarterly 18.4 (1967): 375-88. Web.

Dyson, J.P. “The Structural Function of the Banquet Scene in Macbeth.” Shakespeare Quarterly 14.4 (1963): 369-73. Web.

Kranz, David L. “The Sounds of Supernatural Soliciting in Macbeth.” Studies in Philology 100.3 (2003): 346. Academic Search Complete . Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth : 1539. Norton Critical editions: 2 nd ed. New York: Norton , 2014. Print.

Stoll, Abraham. “Macbeth’s Equivocal Conscience.” Macbeth: New Critical Essays , New York, 2008. Google Scholar . Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

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Macbeth Appearance vs Reality Essay

Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare that is set in Scotland. The story follows Macbeth, who is Thane of Glamis, as he becomes Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland. Macbeth is a tragic figure who starts out as a good man, but is corrupted by his own ambition and ends up killing Duncan, the rightful king, to take his place.

One of the main themes of Macbeth is appearance vs reality. Macbeth is constantly being confronted with the idea that things may not be what they seem. This is most notable in the scene where Macduff confronts Macbeth about the murder of Duncan. Macduff tells Macbeth that he knows Macbeth is responsible for the murder, and Macbeth responds by trying to kill Macduff. Macduff manages to escape, and Macbeth is left with the realization that he has been caught.

Macbeth is also constantly being confronted with his own guilt. He knows that he is guilty of murder, and he can never quite shake the feeling that someone is going to find out what he has done. This leads to a feeling of paranoia and insecurity that ultimately drives him mad.

The theme of appearance vs reality is particularly relevant in Macbeth because it explores the idea of how easily people can be deceived. Macbeth is a perfect example of this, as he is easily manipulated by Lady Macbeth and Macduff manages to fool him into thinking that he is not a threat. This theme is still relevant today, as it speaks to the way that we often try to hide our true selves from others.

The theme of appearance versus reality is illustrated at the start of act 1 when Macbeth talks to the King and becomes a Thane. “Let light not glimpse my dark and deep desires” (1 . 4.59) says Macbeth. Macbeth confesses that he wants to kill King Duncan and seize the Scottish throne in this case.

Macbeth is pretending to be something he’s not, he is putting on an appearance. Macbeth knows that appearing as a loyal and honest subject will give him what he wants, whereas if his true intentions were revealed, he would not be able to gain anything.

Later in the play, Macbeth’s wife Lady Macbeth also talks about the importance of appearances. She says “that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” (5.1.17-18). In this quote, Lady Macbeth is saying that it doesn’t matter what something is called, it will always smell the same. This quote is significant because it shows that Lady Macbeth is willing to do whatever it takes to make Macbeth look good, even if it means killing people. Lady Macbeth knows that appearances are important, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to make Macbeth look like a good king.

Later in the play, Macduff confronts Macbeth about the murders he has committed. Macduff says “thyself I speak not, nor defend: the tyrant’s raiders are amok; infected blood they have shed” (4.3.187-189). In this quote, Macduff is saying that Macbeth is a tyrant and has killed many innocent people. Macduff knows that Macbeth is a murderer, but Macbeth still tries to maintain his appearance as a good king. Macbeth is trying to keep up the facade that everything is okay, even though he knows that he is a murderer.

At the end of the play, Macbeth’s true colours are finally revealed. He says “Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing” (5.5.28-33).

Macbeth is saying that life is meaningless and that everything is just an act. He knows that he is a murderer and that he will be punished for his crimes. Macbeth’s appearance versus reality is finally revealed to the audience, and they see that he is not the good king that he pretends to be. Macbeth is finally exposed as the tyrant that he is, and his true colours are shown to everyone.

The tragedy of Macbeth is defined by a contradiction between appearance and reality, as well as the deception that may result from this. The outward façade of the Macbeths as trustworthy and innocent aids them in carrying out their plan to kill Duncan and seize the throne.

Macbeth, in particular, is good at hiding his true intentions behind a mask of politeness and ​courtesy. However, as the play progresses it becomes clear that Macbeth is not what he seems, and his gradual descent into evil is mirrored by the deterioration of his physical appearance. Blood starts to pour from his wounds, and his face becomes disfigured and mottled. In the end, Macbeth can no longer hide the reality of his crimes, and he is revealed as the murderous villain that he truly is.

The lesson that Macbeth teaches us is that it is important to be aware of the difference between appearance and reality, and to never take things at face value. Reality can be much darker than it seems, and we need to be careful not to be deceived by appearances. Macbeth is a cautionary tale of the dangers of letting your guard down, and the consequences that can result from being blinded by greed and ambition.

Appearances are what something appears to be or how someone appears to be. On the other side, however, the truth is that things exist as they are. This emphasizes the distinction between truth and appearance. The reality is the fact, but the appearance is merely what something looks like.

Macbeth is a play that revolves around the dichotomy of appearance vs reality. Macbeth, the title character, is a warrior who is then named the Thane of Cawdor by the king. Macbeth meets three witches who prophesy that he will be become the king. Macbeth then murders King Duncan in order to take his place. Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, plays an important role in Macbeth’s rise to power and eventual downfall.

She urges her husband to kill Duncan and later cleans up his mess. Lady Macbeth shows herself as a strong and determined woman, but she is ultimately undone by her guilt. Macbeth’s reign as king is short-lived and he is eventually killed by Macduff. Macbeth’s story highlights the dangers of letting appearances deceive one into thinking that all is as it seems.

One of the most important aspects of Macbeth is the theme of appearance vs reality. Macbeth is a play about a man who is fooled by the appearances that he sees. He is swayed by what he thinks is reality, but it turns out to be nothing more than an illusion. This is most clearly shown in the scene where Macbeth meets the witches for the first time. The witches tell Macbeth that he will be king and this gives him the idea to kill Duncan in order to take his place.

Macbeth only sees what he wants to see and this leads to his downfall. Macbeth is not the only one who is fooled by appearances. Lady Macbeth is also taken in by them. She is convinced that her husband can do no wrong and she helps him cover up his crime. Lady Macbeth is later undone by her guilt and she kills herself.

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