appearance vs reality

• Appearance vs Reality


  The difference between appearance and reality, and the deception that is possible because of this
• Appearance vs Reality in Macbeth

  • Central to the tragedy of Macbeth
  • Outward appearance of the Macbeths as trustworthy and innocent enables them to get away with their plot
  • Loyalty and trust are juxtaposed by the ultimate betrayal
• Role of the supernatural


  • Facilitates the manipulation and alteration of reality and appearance
  • Contributes to the chaotic atmosphere and mental instability of the main characters
• The Witches


  First exposure to the chaotic and inverted world of Macbeth
• The opening of the play creates a paradox, with contradictory statements reflective of appearance versus reality
• One witch: '"When the battle's lost, and won"'
• One witch: '"Fair is foul, and foul is fair"'
• Shakespeare warns the audience that no one and nothing can be trusted, and suggests there are no certainties when it comes to morality
• The Witches


  • Grotesque outer appearance, but not overtly violent or cruel within the context of the plot
  • The chaos and confusion they create is frightening
• Shakespeare uses the Witches to show how human greed makes us vulnerable to deception and betrayal
• Banquo: '"Oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths; / Win us with honest trifles, to betray's / In deepest consequences"'
• Lady Macbeth


  • Significant example of the conflict between appearance and reality
  • Her ambition fuels her deception of others, and she ensures she disguises her true intentions in order to gain power
• Feminine vs Masculine


  Lady Macbeth's outward appearance as a woman would suggest weakness, but internally she is stereotypically masculine
• Lady Macbeth: '"To beguile the time, / Look like the time, bear welcome in your eye, / Your hand, your tongue"'
• Lady Macbeth: '"Sleek o'er your rugged looks, be bright and jovial / Among your guests tonight"'
• Lady Macbeth: '"Look like th'innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't"'
• Shakespeare demonstrates how appearances cannot be trusted because they are moldable, offering no insight into the reality of a person
• Lady Macbeth: '"Come, thick night, / And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, / That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, / Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark"'
• Lady Macbeth is caught between reality and imagination, ultimately losing control of herself
• Macbeth


  • Benefits greatly from the conflict between appearance and reality, managing to be viewed as an honorable warrior and king despite his crimes
  • Becomes a symbol for deception and facade, as well as the way people lose sight of themselves when constantly deceiving others
• Duncan: '"O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman"'
• This description of Macbeth is situational irony, as he is neither "valiant" nor "worthy"
• Macbeth: '"So foul and fair a day I have not seen"'
• This line signals Macbeth's fate being tied to the confusion of contradiction, and foreshadows his indecision and moral ambiguity
• Macbeth: '"Away, and mock the time with fairest show, / False face must hide what the false heart doth know"'
• Macbeth: '"We / Must lave our honours in these flattering streams / And make our faces vizards to our hearts, / Disguising what they are"'
• These quotes suggest Macbeth sees appearance as something that can be managed to meet his intentions, and that deception is a form of playing God
• Shakespeare suggests people use their appearances to protect themselves from judgement, accusing society of being afraid
• Appearance vs. reality


  The difference between how something appears and what it truly is
• Macbeth finds contentment in his plan


  Shakespeare implies deception is a form of playing God
• People believe they can defy "time" and truth

  The most powerful forces humanity is subjected to
• The juxtaposition between "false face" and "false heart"

  Highlights the divide between someone's outward looks and true nature
• Macbeth: 'We / Must lave our honours in these flattering streams / And make our faces vizards to our hearts, / Disguising what they are'
• Metaphors about "honour" and "fairest show"

  Suggest compassion is a performance or scientific process that can be reproduced without meaning behind it
• Verbs "disguise" and "hide"


  Imply the Macbeths' lies shield them from being discovered and losing their good reputations
• People use their appearances


  To protect themselves from judgement, accusing society of being afraid of intimacy
• Macbeth suffers from his exploitation of appearances

  He starts to be unable to tell what his reality is anymore
• The evil, corrupt parts of himself he tries to repress and "disguise"


  Start to express themselves in the form of morbid hallucinations and spirits, suggesting your true nature can never be changed no matter how much you alter your appearance
• Macbeth can't trust his own mind


  As a result of his deceit
• The biggest conflict as a result of appearance vs. reality is within Macbeth's own head