Appearance vs reality

• The difference between appearance and reality, and the deception that is possible because of this, is at the heart of the tragedy of Macbeth. The outward appearance of the Macbeths as trustworthy and innocent enables them to get away with their plot to murder Duncan and ascend the throne. Loyalty and trust are juxtaposed by the ultimate betrayal.
• Witches


  "When the battle's lost and won' 1.1

  
  

  'Fair is foul and foul is fair' 1.1 --> (So foul and fair a day I have not seen- Macbeth)

  
  

  Not like the inhabitants of the earth 1.3 (banquo describing witches

  
  

  'Oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instrument of darkness tell us truth; win us honest rifles, to betray's in deepest consequences' Banquo to Macbeth 1.3
• Lady Macbeth

  'To beguile the time, look like the time, bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue' 3.2

  'Sleek o'er your rugged looks, be bright and jovial among your guests tonight' 3.2

  
  

  'Come thick night, pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife know not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, to cry; Hold, Hold.' 1.5

  
  

  'Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it' 1.5
• Macbeth


  O Valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen (1.2 by Duncan)

  'Away. and mock the time with fairest show, false face must hide what the false heart doth know' 1.7

  'We must lave our honours in these flattering streams and make our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are' 3.2
• • The ways in which reality and appearance can be manipulated and altered is facilitated by Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural.
  • From Witches and spells to hallucinations of knives, blood and ghosts, the chaotic atmosphere and mental instability of the main characters is central to the play.
• Here Shakespeare warns his audience that no one and nothing can be trusted. In a wider sense, he suggests that there are no certainties when it comes to morality. What appears to be good on the surface may not be.
• William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' is a dark tale of power lust and paranoia set during the middle ages in Scotland, which revolves around the titular character Macbeth. The theme of appearance and reality continuously occurs throughout the play substantially contributing to the development of the plot. Appearance can relate to an act of performing, whereas reality is the state of things as they actually exist.
• At the start of the play, Macbeth is presented with the appearance of being a brave and noble warrior, however he develops a blinding ambition and loses his morals. By the end of the play, Macbeth is considered the ultimate villain, and his downfall is catalysed by Lady Macbeth's obsession to gain power for Macbeth and keep reality hidden. Additionally, the witches drive the plot with their paradoxical language that masks reality and creates an appearance of a powerful future for Macbeth.
• After Macbeth commits regicide, his outward appearance does not match the reality of his actions. This is clearly portrayed when Lady Macbeth says to Macbeth ‘Why, worthy thane, // You do unbend your noble strength.’ The adjectives ‘worthy’ and ‘noble’ represent who Macbeth was at the beginning of the play, but it's become increasingly clear that Macbeth is no longer worthy of these titles and is the antithesis of all he was believed to be.
• Contrary to Macbeth being ‘worthy’ and ‘noble’ previously in reality, he is now putting on a mere performance of having these characteristics.Lady Macbeth's description of Macbeth would create utmost dramatic irony for the audience who would be well aware that since Macbeth has committed regicide, this appearance of him is completely discarded as a result of the reality of his actions.
• Act III Scene iv, Macbeth suffers from his exploitation of appearances, as he struggles to make sense of what his reality is anymore. When Macbeth is told to sit at the table with his companions, he proclaims that ‘The table’s full.’ The adjective ‘full’ along with the empty space on stage verifies that Macbeth is now seeing Banquo's ghost. Banquo’s ghost advocates his crumbling sense of reality, and illustrates that the evil and corrupt parts of himself which he attempts to repress and disguise start to express themselves in the form of morbid hallucinations and spirits.
• Macbeth is unable to trust his own mind as a result of his deceit, highlighting that one of the biggest conflicts of appearance versus reality is the battle within Macbeth’s own psyche. This suggests to the audience that Macbeth will never be able to amend the reality of his actions no matter how much he tries to alter his appearances.
• Shakespeare uses the Witches to show how human greed makes us vulnerable to deception and betrayal.
• Early after their meeting with the Witches, Banquo reminds Macbeth, “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,” (1.3). This shows that humans can be easily fooled by lies if they are given with small truths. These contradictions confuse us and lead us astray.
• Lady Macbeth

  Besides the Witches, Lady Macbeth is one of the most significant examples of the difference between appearance and reality, and the conflict between the two. Her ambition fuels her deception of others and she ensures she disguises her true intentions in order to gain power.
• Structure

  An interesting structural point to consider is how Shakespeare organises the slow breakdown of order in Scotland as the plot progresses. In the play, the idea of appearance vs. reality is closely linked to the idea of order vs. disorder, or chaos.

  ➔ If appearance is a trustworthy, accurate reflection of reality, then order is kept. If not, chaos breaks loose

  Uses nature to displays this.
• The play opens with thunder and lightning while a battle rages, but this is just a glimpse of the chaos that is to come.

  For the most part, Scotland seems to be controlled and organised. We see that Duncan is a thoughtful king who is good at maintaining order and honouring the hierarchy. This all changes once Macbeth becomes king. The sky is permanently dark, more and more people die, and horses try to eat each other.