Appearance vs Reality

• Act 1, Scene 1: 'Fair is foul and foul is fair'


  Shakespeare emphasises how nothing can be trusted from the very beginning.

  Conjunction 'and' shows how bad and good can exist at the same time- setting up the theme of appearance vs reality for the rest of the play.

  Trochaic tetrameter used to present them as supernatural beings.
• Act 1, Scene 3: 'The instruments of darkness tell us truths'


  Positive noun 'truths' juxtaposes with 'darkness' and shows how humans can be easily fooled by lies when fed small truths.

  This is a weakness found in many characters that makes them vulnerable to deception.
• Act 1, Scene 3: 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen'


  Language links him to the witches showing he has a confusing fate and may not be what he seems.

  He appears to be fair, but may be foul.

  Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter to signify importance.
• Act 1, Scene 5: 'Look like th'innocent flower, but be the serpent under't. '


  Shows how she deceives people with her traditionally feminine appearance so she is viewed as weaker, but on the inside she exhibits more masculinity as she has strength within.

  Highlights the traditional Jacobean perspective of the audience.

  Juxtaposition of 'flower' connotes femininity and 'serpent' connoting masculinity and trickery due to religious allusion of the snake representing evil, shows her different sides.