Reality and Appearances

• What theme is highlighted in Macbeth regarding appearances?

  Appearances can be deceptive
• How do characters in Macbeth often behave?

  They hide their thoughts and pretend
• What advice does Lady Macbeth give to Macbeth about his appearance?

  To appear good to hide his plans
• What does the serpent symbolize in Lady Macbeth's quote?

  Links her to Satan's temptation
• In which act and scene does Lady Macbeth's quote appear?

  Act 1, Scene 5
• What does Macbeth mean by needing a "False face"?

  To hide his murderous intentions
• How does Macbeth's reaction to Banquo's ghost reveal his true feelings?

  His face shows fear and betrayal
• How does Lady Macbeth initially disguise her evil behavior?

  By pretending to faint in shock
• What happens to Lady Macbeth's ability to hide her guilt?

  It becomes too great to hide
• What does the play suggest about people's true natures?

  They come out in the end
• Meanings of words are unclear

  1. The Witches' chant "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" suggests things that appear good are actually evil

  2. They use language to trick Macbeth and convince him of a false reality - they tell him that "none of woman born" will harm him, which gives him the false confidence to fight to protect his reign

  3. Other characters speak using paradoxes, e.g. Macbeth says, "Nothing is/But what is not". These paradoxes create uncertainty - they show that nobody can tell what is real.
• What do characters suffer from when they trust too much in appearances?

  They suffer from deception and lies
• Who trusts Macbeth and suffers as a result?

  Duncan
• What mistake does Duncan make regarding the Thane of Cawdor?

  He trusts the disloyal Thane
• What does Duncan mean by "There's no art/To find the mind's construction in the face"?

  It's impossible to judge someone's true nature by appearance
• How does Macbeth's trust in the Witches' prophecies affect him?

  It leads to his downfall
• What do the apparitions represent for the characters who see them?

  They signify confusion between reality and appearance
• How does Malcolm react to Duncan's murder?

  He is sceptical about the servants' involvement
• What does Malcolm mean by "To show an unfelt sorrow is an office/Which the false man does easy"?

  False men can feign sorrow easily
• What does Malcolm's awareness of "false" men lead him to do?

  It causes him to flee and save his life